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Development-Related Biases in Factor Productivities and the HOV Model of Trade

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Author Info
Keith Maskus ()
Shuichiro Nishioka ()

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Abstract

Past empirical failures of the basic Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek (HOV) model related to the inability of data to meet its restrictive assumptions, particularly identical international technologies and factor price equalization. Trefler (1993) tried to resuscitate HOV by introducing a simple Hicks-neutral (HN) factor-productivity adjustment, an approach that was heavily criticized. In this paper, we re-examine the productivity question by estimating factor-specific productivities from the individual technology data of multiple countries. Using a dataset of 29 countries, both developed and developing, we find evidence of factor-augmenting technological differences. In particular, the factor-productivity adjustment works well for developed members of the OECD. Further, we find that the ratios of factor productivities are strongly correlated with corresponding factor endowments. This systematic bias implies that the ability of HOV to explain North-South factor trade depends both on relative factor abundance and factor-augmenting productivity gaps.

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Paper provided by CESifo GmbH in its series CESifo Working Paper Series with number CESifo Working Paper No. 2253.

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Date of creation: 2008
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Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2253

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Related research
Keywords: Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek factor trade productivity

Find related papers by JEL classification:
F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade

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  1. Debaere, Peter & Demiroglu, Ufuk, 2003. "On the similarity of country endowments," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 101-136, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Maskus, Keith E., 1985. "A test of the Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek theorem: The Leontief commonplace," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3-4), pages 201-212, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Hakura, Dalia S., 2001. "Why does HOV fail?: The role of technological differences within the EC," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 361-382, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Trefler, Daniel, 1993. "International Factor Price Differences: Leontief Was Right!," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(6), pages 961-87, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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    Other versions:
  6. Bowen, Harry P & Leamer, Edward E & Sveikauskas, Leo, 1987. "Multicountry, Multifactor Tests of the Factor Abundance Theory," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(5), pages 791-809, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Debeare, Peter, 2003. "Relative Factor Abundance and Trade," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(3), pages 589-610, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Barro, Robert J & Lee, Jong-Wha, 2001. "International Data on Educational Attainment: Updates and Implications," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 53(3), pages 541-63, July.
    Other versions:
  9. Donald R. Davis & David E. Weinstein, 2001. "An Account of Global Factor Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1423-1453, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Francesco Caselli & Wilbur John Coleman, 2006. "The World Technology Frontier," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(3), pages 499-522, June.
    Other versions:
  11. Peter K. Schott, 2003. "One Size Fits All? Heckscher-Ohlin Specialization in Global Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(3), pages 686-708, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  12. Davis, Donald R. & David E. Weinstein & Scott C. Bradford & Kazushige Shimpo, 1997. "Using International and Japanese Regional Data to Determine When the Factor Abundance Theory of Trade Works," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(3), pages 421-46, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Maskus, Keith E & Webster, Allan, 1999. "Estimating the HOV Model with Technology Differences Using Disaggregated Labor Skills for the United States and the United Kingdom," Review of International Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 7(1), pages 8-19, February.
  14. Robert C. Feenstra & Gordon H. Hanson, 2000. "Aggregation Bias in the Factor Content of Trade: Evidence from U.S. Manufacturing," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(2), pages 155-160, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Keller, Wolfgang, 2000. "Do Trade Patterns and Technology Flows Affect Productivity Growth?," World Bank Economic Review, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(1), pages 17-47, January.
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  16. Werner Antweiler & Daniel Trefler, 2002. "Increasing Returns and All That: A View from Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(1), pages 93-119, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Elhanan Helpman, 1999. "The Structure of Foreign Trade," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 13(2), pages 121-144, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  18. Robert W. Staiger & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 1987. "An Evaluation of Factor Endowments and Protection as Determinants of Japanese and American Foreign Trade," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 20(3), pages 449-63, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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