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Trade, Skill Biased Technical Change and Wage Inequality in South Africa

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  • Jørn Rattsø
  • Hildegunn E. Stokke

Abstract

Trade openness influences the wage structure via technology adoption in middle income countries. Given the econometric challenges of handling endogenous trade and technology interaction, we offer an alternative quantification based on calibration of a general equilibrium model. We expand the standard open economy Ramsey model to include comparative advantage, technology adoption and skill bias influenced by investment decisions. The calibration constructs a reference path for South Africa and allows counterfactual analysis of trade openness. The quantitative results imply that trade effects via technology adoption and skill bias can be an important determinant of wage inequality in middle income countries.
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  • Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2013. "Trade, Skill Biased Technical Change and Wage Inequality in South Africa," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 419-431, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:21:y:2013:i:3:p:419-431
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    Cited by:

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    3. Seda Koymen‐Ozer, 2020. "Wage inequality, skill‐specific unemployment and trade liberalization," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(3), pages 1016-1058, August.
    4. P. M. Picard & A. Tampieri, 2021. "Vertical differentiation and trade among symmetric countries," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(4), pages 1319-1355, June.

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