IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/worlde/v45y2022i5p1564-1586.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multinational firms and human capital investment: A dynamic knowledge‐capital model

Author

Listed:
  • Xin Wang

Abstract

To capture the mixed picture of trade‐induced human capital investment in both developing and developed countries, this paper develops a dynamic general equilibrium model with multinational enterprises (MNEs) and endogenous education investment decision and investigates the impacts of trade cost reduction on human capital accumulation and wage inequality. Illustrated with a numerical example, we show that with endogenous endowment structure, the set of active firm types is mutually determined by trade cost and the discrepancy in the incentives for education attainment between countries. In addition, the exact impacts of trade are determined by changes in the production patterns of firms. When the reduction in trade cost expands the scale of vertical MNEs with headquarters in developed countries, education investment increases in both developing and developed countries. We also show that the distributional impacts of production offshoring are mitigated by human capital accumulation. The conclusions in this paper highlight the importance of education policies in complementing trade policies, as well as the important role of MNEs in shaping the world income and endowments distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Xin Wang, 2022. "Multinational firms and human capital investment: A dynamic knowledge‐capital model," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 1564-1586, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:45:y:2022:i:5:p:1564-1586
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.13170
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13170
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/twec.13170?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Greenland, Andrew & Lopresti, John, 2016. "Import exposure and human capital adjustment: Evidence from the U.S," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 50-60.
    2. Auer, Raphael A., 2015. "Human capital and the dynamic effects of trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 107-118.
    3. Harris, Richard G. & Robertson, Peter E., 2013. "Trade, wages and skill accumulation in the emerging giants," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2), pages 407-421.
    4. Oster, Emily & Steinberg, Bryce Millett, 2013. "Do IT service centers promote school enrollment? Evidence from India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 123-135.
    5. John W. Budd & Jozef Konings & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2005. "Wages and International Rent Sharing in Multinational Firms," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(1), pages 73-84, February.
    6. Eric W. Bond & Kathleen Trask & Ping Wang, 2003. "Factor Accumulation and Trade: Dynamic Comparative Advantage with Endogenous Physical and Human Capital," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 44(3), pages 1041-1060, August.
    7. Findlay, Ronald & Kierzkowski, Henryk, 1983. "International Trade and Human Capital: A Simple General Equilibrium Model," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 91(6), pages 957-978, December.
    8. David Atkin, 2016. "Endogenous Skill Acquisition and Export Manufacturing in Mexico," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(8), pages 2046-2085, August.
    9. James R. Markusen, 2004. "Multinational Firms and the Theory of International Trade," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262633078, December.
    10. Falvey, Rod & Greenaway, David & Silva, Joana, 2010. "Trade liberalisation and human capital adjustment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 230-239, July.
    11. Li, Bingjing, 2018. "Export expansion, skill acquisition and industry specialization: evidence from china," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 346-361.
    12. Eric V. Edmonds & Nina Pavcnik & Petia Topalova, 2010. "Trade Adjustment and Human Capital Investments: Evidence from Indian Tariff Reform," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 42-75, October.
    13. Ian Coxhead & Rashesh Shrestha, 2017. "Globalization and School–Work Choices in an Emerging Economy: Vietnam," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 16(2), pages 28-45, Summer.
    14. Borsook, I., 1987. "Earnings, ability and international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3-4), pages 281-295, May.
    15. Hong Zhuang, 2017. "The effect of foreign direct investment on human capital development in East Asia," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 195-211, April.
    16. Peter J. Buckley & Mark Casson, 2010. "The Optimal Timing of a Foreign Direct Investment," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: The Multinational Enterprise Revisited, chapter 2, pages 25-40, Palgrave Macmillan.
    17. Elhanan Helpman & Marc J. Melitz & Stephen R. Yeaple, 2004. "Export Versus FDI with Heterogeneous Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(1), pages 300-316, March.
    18. Blanchard, Emily J. & Olney, William W., 2017. "Globalization and human capital investment: Export composition drives educational attainment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 165-183.
    19. Hartmut Egger & Peter Egger & Josef Falkinger & Volker Grossmann, 2010. "The Impact of Capital Market Integration on Educational Choice and the Consequences for Economic Growth," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(10), pages 1241-1268, October.
    20. Helpman, Elhanan, 1984. "A Simple Theory of International Trade with Multinational Corporations," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 92(3), pages 451-471, June.
    21. Lin, Faqin & Long, Cheryl X., 2020. "The impact of globalization on youth education: Empirical evidence from China's WTO accession," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 820-839.
    22. James R. Markusen, 1995. "The Boundaries of Multinational Enterprises and the Theory of International Trade," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 169-189, Spring.
    23. Andrea Moro & Peter Norman, 2019. "Endogenous Comparative Advantage," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(3), pages 1088-1124, July.
    24. Braconier, Henrik & Norback, Pehr-Johan & Urban, Dieter, 2005. "Multinational enterprises and wage costs: vertical FDI revisited," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 446-470, December.
    25. Gauri Kartini Shastry, 2012. "Human Capital Response to Globalization: Education and Information Technology in India," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 47(2), pages 287-330.
    26. Davidson, Carl & Sly, Nicholas, 2014. "A simple model of globalization, schooling and skill acquisition," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 209-227.
    27. Gene M. Grossman & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2008. "Trading Tasks: A Simple Theory of Offshoring," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1978-1997, December.
    28. Hoffmann, Anders N., 2003. "Education, trade and investment liberalizations," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 433-453, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Faqin Lin, 2022. "Agriculture exports, child labor and youth education: Evidence from 68 developing countries," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 490-513, May.
    2. Mingzhi Xu, 2020. "Globalization, the skill premium, and income distribution: the role of selection into entrepreneurship," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(3), pages 633-668, August.
    3. Ghose,Devaki, 2021. "Trade, Internal Migration, and Human Capital : Who Gains from India’s IT Boom?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9738, The World Bank.
    4. Li, Bingjing, 2018. "Export expansion, skill acquisition and industry specialization: evidence from china," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 346-361.
    5. Lin, Faqin & Long, Cheryl X., 2020. "The impact of globalization on youth education: Empirical evidence from China's WTO accession," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 820-839.
    6. Egger, Hartmut & Fischer, Christian, 2020. "Increasing resistance to globalization: The role of trade in tasks," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. Ma, Xiao & Nakab, Alejandro & Zhang, Yiran, 2023. "Skill Acquisition and the Gains from Trade: A Cross-country Quantitative Analysis," MPRA Paper 117808, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Liu, Maggie Y., 2023. "How does globalization affect educational attainment? Evidence from China," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 138-159.
    9. Blanchard, Emily J. & Olney, William W., 2017. "Globalization and human capital investment: Export composition drives educational attainment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 165-183.
    10. Kevin Williams, 2023. "Does trade shape educational decisions? The role of initial schooling," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(5), pages 3631-3663, October.
    11. Falvey, Rod & Greenaway, David & Silva, Joana, 2010. "Trade liberalisation and human capital adjustment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 230-239, July.
    12. Lou, Jing & Li, Jie, 2022. "Export expansion and intergenerational education mobility: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    13. Yulin Hou & Cem Karayalcin, 2019. "Exports of primary goods and human capital accumulation," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(5), pages 1371-1408, November.
    14. Hui Hu & Yuqi Zhu & Chien-Chiang Lee & Alastair M. Morrison, 2023. "The effects of foreign product demand-labor transfer nexus on human capital investment in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    15. Andrea Moro & Peter Norman, 2019. "Endogenous Comparative Advantage," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(3), pages 1088-1124, July.
    16. César, Andrés & Falcone, Guillermo & Gasparini, Leonardo, 2021. "Costs and benefits of trade shocks: Evidence from Chilean local labor markets," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    17. Azam, Mehtabul, 2022. "Trade Liberalization and Human Capital Accumulation: Evidence from Indian Census," IZA Discussion Papers 15286, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Zhao, Liqiu & Wang, Fei & Zhao, Zhong, 2021. "Trade liberalization and child labor," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    19. Blanchard, Emily & Willmann, Gerald, 2016. "Trade, education, and the shrinking middle class," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 263-278.
    20. Yao Pan & Jessica Leight, 2021. "Educational Responses to Migration-Augmented Export Shocks: Evidence from China," Working Papers 2021-14, The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:45:y:2022:i:5:p:1564-1586. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0378-5920 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.