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Bilateral Trade Flows and Income Distribution Similarity

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  • Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso
  • Sebastian Vollmer

Abstract

Current models of bilateral trade neglect the effects of income distribution. This paper addresses the issue by accounting for non-homothetic consumer preferences and hence investigating the role of income distribution in the context of the gravity model of trade. A theoretically justified gravity model is estimated for disaggregated trade data (Dollar volume is used as dependent variable) using a sample of 104 exporters and 108 importers for 1980–2003 to achieve two main goals. We define and calculate new measures of income distribution similarity and empirically confirm that greater similarity of income distribution between countries implies more trade. Using distribution-based measures as a proxy for demand similarities in gravity models, we find consistent and robust support for the hypothesis that countries with more similar income-distributions trade more with each other. The hypothesis is also confirmed at disaggregated level for differentiated product categories.

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  • Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso & Sebastian Vollmer, 2016. "Bilateral Trade Flows and Income Distribution Similarity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0128191
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128191
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    Cited by:

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    2. Markusen, James & Fally, Thibault & Caron, Justin, 2012. "Skill Premium and Trade Puzzles: A Solution Linking Production and Preferences," CEPR Discussion Papers 8999, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Tingting Zhang & Ju Yang, 2023. "Factors influencing the global agricultural trade: A network analysis," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(9), pages 343-357.
    4. James R. Markusen, 2021. "Putting per-capita income back into trade theory," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 10, pages 187-197, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. Ioki Layasari & Syamsurijal & Suhel, 2021. "Analysis of the Influence of Economic Potential on Inequality of Economic Zones between Regencies / Cities in South Sumatra Province," Oblik i finansi, Institute of Accounting and Finance, issue 1, pages 130-135, March.
    6. Claudia Bernasconi, 2013. "Similarity of income distributions and the extensive and intensive margin of bilateral trade flows," ECON - Working Papers 115, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    7. Alexander Osharin & Valery Verbus, 2018. "Heterogeneity of consumer preferences and trade patterns in a monopolistically competitive setting," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 125(3), pages 211-237, November.
    8. Eppinger, Peter S. & Felbermayr, Gabriel J., 2015. "Bilateral trade and similarity of income distributions: The role of second moments," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 159-162.
    9. Thibault FALLY, 2012. "Skill premium and trade puzzles: A solution linking production factors and demand," 2012 Meeting Papers 1189, Society for Economic Dynamics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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