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Specialization, Factor Accumulation and Development

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  • Doireann Fitzgerald
  • Juan Carlos Hallak

Abstract

We estimate the effect of factor proportions on the pattern of manufacturing specialization in a cross-section of OECD countries, taking into account that factor accumulation responds to productivity. We show that the failure to control for productivity differences produces biased estimates. Our model explains 2/3 of the observed differences in the pattern of specialization between the poorest and richest OECD countries. However, because factor proportions and the pattern of specialization co-move in the development process, their strong empirical relationship is not sufficient to determine whether specialization is driven by factor proportions, or by other mechanisms also correlated with level of development.

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  • Doireann Fitzgerald & Juan Carlos Hallak, 2004. "Specialization, Factor Accumulation and Development," NBER Working Papers 10638, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:10638
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lo Turco, Alessia & Maggioni, Daniela & Picchio, Matteo, 2013. "Offshoring and job stability: Evidence from Italian manufacturing," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 27-46.
    3. Peter M. Morrow & Daniel Trefler, 2017. "Endowments, Skill-Biased Technology, and Factor Prices: A Unified Approach to Trade," NBER Working Papers 24078, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Che, Natasha Xingyuan, 2010. "Factor Endowment, Structural Change, and Economic Growth," MPRA Paper 22352, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Morrow, Peter M., 2010. "Ricardian-Heckscher-Ohlin comparative advantage: Theory and evidence," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 137-151, November.
    6. Batista Cátia & Potin Jacques, 2015. "International specialization and the return to capital," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 467-508, July.
    7. Kozo Kiyota, 2014. "Industrial Upgrading in a Multiple-cone Heckscher–Ohlin Model: The Flying Geese Patterns of Industrial Development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 177-193, February.
    8. Wenya Cheng & John Morrow, 2018. "Firm Productivity Differences From Factor Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(1), pages 126-171, March.
    9. Daniel Nepelski & Giuditta De Prato, 2020. "Technological complexity and economic development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 448-470, May.
    10. Keith E. Maskus & Shuichiro Nishioka, 2009. "Development‐related biases in factor productivities and the HOV model of trade," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 519-553, May.
    11. Sebastian Benz & Mario Larch & Markus Zimmer, 2014. "The structure of the German economy," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(27), pages 3274-3283, September.
    12. Antonio Ciccone & Elias Papaioannou, 2009. "Human Capital, the Structure of Production, and Growth," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 66-82, February.
    13. Sebastian Benz & Mario Larch & Markus Zimmer, 2014. "The Structure of Europe: International Input–Output Analysis with Trade in Intermediate Inputs and Capital Flows," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 461-474, August.
    14. Peter M. Morrow, 2008. "East is East and West is West: A Ricardian-Heckscher-Ohlin Model of Comparative Advantage," Working Papers 575, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    15. Cusolito , Ana P. & Lederman, Daniel, 2009. "Technology adoption and factor proportions in open economies : theory and evidence from the global computer industry," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5043, The World Bank.
    16. Raddatz, Claudio, 2011. "Over the hedge : exchange rate volatility, commodity price correlations, and the structure of trade," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5590, The World Bank.
    17. Ms. Natasha X Che, 2012. "Factor Endowment, Structural Coherence, and Economic Growth," IMF Working Papers 2012/165, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Batista, Catia & Potin, Jacques, 2008. "International Specialization and the Return to Capital, 1976-2000," ESSEC Working Papers DR 08001, ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School.
    19. Christian Volpe Martincus & Antoni Estevadeordal, 2009. "Trade Policy and Specialization," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 9289, Inter-American Development Bank.
    20. Ioannis Bournakis & Michela Vecchi & Francesco Venturini, 2011. "Offshoring and Specialisation: Are Industries Moving Abroad?," Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia, Finanza e Statistica 98/2011, Università di Perugia, Dipartimento Economia.

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    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade

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