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Knowledge Diffusion, Trade, and Innovation across Countries and Sectors

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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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    Citations

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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. 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.
    3. Thomas Sampson, 2023. "Technology Gaps, Trade, and Income," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(2), pages 472-513, February.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Kerstin Hotte, 2021. "Demand-pull, technology-push, and the direction of technological change," Papers 2104.04813, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    7. Ana Maria Santacreu, 2021. "Dynamic Gains from Trade Agreements with Intellectual Property Provisions," Working Papers 2021-010, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, revised 05 Sep 2022.
    8. 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.
    9. 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).
    10. Julián D. Gómez, 2018. "¿Qué determina la adopción de tecnologías para la generación de energías renovables entre países?," Documentos CEDE 17132, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    11. Wen, Huwei & Chen, Wenjing & Zhou, Fengxiu, 2023. "Does digital service trade boost technological innovation?: International evidence," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    12. 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).
    13. 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.
    14. 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.

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    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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