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Knowledge Diffusion, Trade, and Innovation across Countries and Sectors

Author

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  • Jie Cai
  • Nan Li
  • Ana Maria Santacreu

Abstract

This paper provides a unified framework for quantifying the cross-country and cross-sector interactions among trade, innovation, and knowledge diffusion. This framework is used to study the effect of trade liberalization in an endogenous growth model in which comparative advantage and the stock of knowledge are determined by innovation and diffusion. The model is calibrated to match observed cross-country and cross-sector heterogeneity in production, innovation efficiency, and knowledge spillovers. The counterfactual analysis shows that a reduction in trade costs induces a reallocation of R&D and comparative advantage across sectors. Heterogeneous knowledge diffusion amplifies the specialization effects of trade-induced R&D reallocation, becoming an important source of welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Cai & Nan Li & Ana Maria Santacreu, 2022. "Knowledge Diffusion, Trade, and Innovation across Countries and Sectors," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 104-145, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmac:v:14:y:2022:i:1:p:104-45
    DOI: 10.1257/mac.20200084
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Ayerst & Faisal Ibrahim & Gaelan MacKenzie & Swapnika Rachapalli, 2023. "Trade and Diffusion of Embodied Technology: An Empirical Analysis," Staff Working Papers 23-21, Bank of Canada.
    2. Cai, Sheng & Xiang, Wei, 2025. "Multinational production, technology diffusion, and economic growth," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Ana Maria Santacreu, 2021. "Dynamic Gains from Trade Agreements with Intellectual Property Provisions," Working Papers 2021-010, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised Nov 2023.
    4. Manera, Maria & Quatraro, Francesco & Spinazzola, Matteo & Tomas-Porres, Josep, 2025. "Price shocks, exposure to critical raw materials and innovation," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202507, University of Turin.
    5. Thomas Sampson, 2023. "Technology Gaps, Trade, and Income," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(2), pages 472-513, February.
    6. Grüning, Patrick, 2018. "Heterogeneity in the internationalization of R&D: Implications for anomalies in finance and macroeconomics," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 132-138.
    7. Carlos G'oes, 2024. "Trade, Growth, and Product Innovation," Papers 2406.08727, arXiv.org.
    8. Gang Chen & Xue Dong & Patrick Minford & Guanhua Qiu & Yongdeng Xu & Zequn Xu, 2022. "Computable General Equilibrium Models of Trade in the Modern Trade Policy Debate," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 271-309, April.
    9. Juli√°n D. G√≥mez, 2018. "¬øQu√© determina la adopci√≥n de tecnolog√≠as para la generaci√≥n de energ√≠as renovables entre pa√≠ses?," Documentos CEDE 17132, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    10. Bai, Yan & Jin, Keyu & Lu, Dan & Wang, Hanxi, 2025. "Optimal trade policy with international technology diffusion," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    11. Akpochafo Emojevwe Kevin & Uchebenu Ikechukwu & Prof. Peter Chukwuyen Egbon & Prof. Callister Kidochukwu Obi, 2025. "De Jure Versus De Facto Trade Openness and Growth Dynamics in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Do Institutions Matter?"," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(10), pages 5585-5604, October.
    12. Ayerst, Stephen & Ibrahim, Faisal & MacKenzie, Gaelan & Rachapalli, Swapnika, 2023. "Trade and diffusion of embodied technology: an empirical analysis," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 128-145.
    13. Richard Briesch & Ernan Haruvy & Glenn B. Voss & Zannie Giraud Voss, 2024. "The countervailing effects of spatial competition in the performing arts: examining local versus traded market performance," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 48(4), pages 527-574, December.
    14. Ana Maria Santacreu, 2019. "International Technology Licensing, Intellectual Property Rights, and Tax Havens," Working Papers 2019-031, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised 08 Sep 2023.
    15. Hötte, Kerstin, 2023. "Demand-pull, technology-push, and the direction of technological change," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(5).
    16. Ana Maria Santacreu & Heting Zhu, 2018. "Domestic Innovation and International Technology Diffusion as Sources of Comparative Advantage," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 100(4).
    17. Rongbing Huang & Xiaomin Zou, 2025. "Accountability audits of natural resources and industrial green total factor productivity: evidence from China," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    18. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2023. "Do Aid for Trade flows affect Technology Licensing in Recipient Countries?," EconStor Preprints 273419, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    19. Lenzu, Simone, 2023. "Comment on: “trade and diffusion of embodied technology: An empirical Analysis” by ayerst, ibrahim, mackenzie, and rachapalli," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 146-149.
    20. Mateo Hoyos, 2025. "North–South Trade as a Source of Uneven Development: A Critical Literature Review on the Role of Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 1-21, December.
    21. Nickel, Christiane & Kilponen, Juha & Moral-Benito, Enrique & Koester, Gerrit & Ciccarelli, Matteo & Enders, Almira & Holton, Sarah & Landau, Bettina & Venditti, Fabrizio & Bobeica, Elena & Brand, Cla, 2025. "A strategic view on the economic and inflation environment in the euro area," Occasional Paper Series 371, European Central Bank.
    22. Has van Vlokhoven, 2023. "Diffusion of Ideas in Networks with Endogenous Search," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 49, pages 269-311, July.
    23. Minford, Patrick & Xu, Yongdeng & Dong, Xue, 2023. "Testing competing world trade models against the facts of world trade," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    24. Wen, Huwei & Chen, Wenjing & Zhou, Fengxiu, 2023. "Does digital service trade boost technological innovation?: International evidence," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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