Abstract
This paper investigates whether Special Economic Zones (SEZs) effectively foster employment
through a comprehensive meta-analysis. While numerous country-level studies
have examined SEZ policies, their results remain fragmented and potentially biased by
methodological and publication-related factors. To address this gap, we compile a metaregression
dataset of 851 estimates from 33 empirical studies that quantify the impact
of SEZs on employment. Once corrected for publication bias, the average effect of SEZ
programs on employment approaches zero. However, heterogeneous results emerge across
different development contexts, with developing countries recording significant employment
gains compared to their developed counterparts.
through a comprehensive meta-analysis. While numerous country-level studies
have examined SEZ policies, their results remain fragmented and potentially biased by
methodological and publication-related factors. To address this gap, we compile a metaregression
dataset of 851 estimates from 33 empirical studies that quantify the impact
of SEZs on employment. Once corrected for publication bias, the average effect of SEZ
programs on employment approaches zero. However, heterogeneous results emerge across
different development contexts, with developing countries recording significant employment
gains compared to their developed counterparts.