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Understanding Markups in the Open Economy under Bertrand Competition

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  • Beatriz de Blas
  • Katheryn Russ

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to understand the effects of endogenous markups and trade costs on the pricing behavior of exporters when firms are heterogeneous in productivity. Using new analytical distributions for markups under Bertrand competition, we uncover Ricardian patterns of export pricing that generate higher markups and export price volatility when industrialized countries sell to developing countries. These Ricardian patterns dissipate when developing countries move from bilateral to multilateral trade liberalization. The results arise from a form of price rigidity for exports that arises endogenously due to cut-throat competition, even though prices are otherwise perfectly flexible.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatriz de Blas & Katheryn Russ, 2010. "Understanding Markups in the Open Economy under Bertrand Competition," NBER Working Papers 16587, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:16587
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    Cited by:

    1. Holmes, Thomas J. & Hsu, Wen-Tai & Lee, Sanghoon, 2014. "Allocative efficiency, mark-ups, and the welfare gains from trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 195-206.
    2. Nikolas J. Zolas, 2014. "International Patenting Strategies With Heterogeneous Firms," Working Papers 14-28, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    3. Haichao Fan & Yao Amber Li & Tuan Anh Luong, 2015. "Input-Trade Liberalization and Markups," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2015-26, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised May 2015.
    4. Franziska Bremus & Claudia M. Buch & Katheryn N. Russ & Monika Schnitzer, 2018. "Big Banks and Macroeconomic Outcomes: Theory and Cross‐Country Evidence of Granularity," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(8), pages 1785-1825, December.
    5. Guilloux-Nefussi, Sophie, 2020. "Globalization, market structure and inflation dynamics," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    6. Goldberg, Linda & Tille, Cédric, 2013. "A bargaining theory of trade invoicing and pricing," Kiel Working Papers 1839, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Melitz, Marc J. & Redding, Stephen J., 2014. "Heterogeneous Firms and Trade," Handbook of International Economics, in: Gopinath, G. & Helpman, . & Rogoff, K. (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 1-54, Elsevier.
    8. Levchenko, Andrei A. & Zhang, Jing, 2014. "Ricardian productivity differences and the gains from trade," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 45-65.
    9. Bremus, Franziska M., 2015. "Cross-border banking, bank market structures and market power: Theory and cross-country evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 242-259.
    10. Jonathan Eaton & Samuel Kortum, 2012. "Putting Ricardo to Work," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(2), pages 65-90, Spring.
    11. Roberto Ramos & Manuel García-Santana & Jose Asturias, 2014. "Misallocation, Internal Trade, and the Role of Transportation Infrastructure," 2014 Meeting Papers 1035, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    12. Franziska Bremus, 2011. "Financial Integration and Macroeconomic Stability: What Role for Large Banks?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1178, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    13. Michael Waugh & Ina Simonovska, 2012. "Different Trade Models, Different Trade Elasticities?," 2012 Meeting Papers 618, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    14. Benjamin R. Mandel, 2013. "Chinese exports and U.S. import prices," Staff Reports 591, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    15. Kucheryavyy, Konstantin, 2012. "Continuity of a model with a nested CES utility function and Bertrand competition," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 473-476.
    16. Burstein, Ariel & Gopinath, Gita, 2014. "International Prices and Exchange Rates," Handbook of International Economics, in: Gopinath, G. & Helpman, . & Rogoff, K. (ed.), Handbook of International Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 391-451, Elsevier.
    17. Kunal Dasgupta & Jordi Mondria, 2015. "Gains from Trade under Quality Uncertainty," Working Papers tecipa-526, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • F0 - International Economics - - General
    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F4 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance

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