We derive a gravity equation from two general equilibrium models with multinational firms: a symmetric firm model where foreign affiliates rely on specific intermediate goods and a heterogenous firms model with country-specific fixed costs. Although the reduced form gravity equation is the same, the structural models behind it differ. In the heterogenous firm model less (but larger) firms enter more distant markets which yields lower aggregate sales. In the symmetric firm intermediate input model, in contrast, lower aggregate sales result from lower sales per foreign affiliate. We use the gravity equation to discriminate between the two models. Thereby, we find more support for the heterogenous firm model.
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Paper provided by Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University in its series CEI Working Paper Series with number
2006-6.
Find related papers by JEL classification: F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
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