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Does complexity explain the structure of trade?

Author

Listed:
  • Asier Minondo
  • Francisco Requena-Silvente

Abstract

This paper analyzes whether complexity, measured by the number of skilled tasks that are performed in production, explains countries commodity trade structure. We modify the Romalis ( ) model to incorporate advantage differences in complexity across commodities together with differences in the number of mistakes made by workers in the production process in developed and developing countries as a source of comparative advantage. Our model predicts that the share of developed countries in world trade increases with products complexity. Empirical tests confirm this prediction. Moreover, we find that complexity complements the explanation provided by skillintensity on countries commodity trade structure.

Suggested Citation

  • Asier Minondo & Francisco Requena-Silvente, 2013. "Does complexity explain the structure of trade?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 46(3), pages 928-955, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:46:y:2013:i:3:p:928-955
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12033
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    Cited by:

    1. Sandrine NOBLET & Antoine BELGODERE, 2016. "Complexity Of Production Processes And The Need For Proximity," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 43, pages 5-19.
    2. Sandrine Noblet & Antoine Belgodere, 2016. "Coordination Costs and the Geography of Production," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 392-412, October.
    3. Olimpia Neagu, 2019. "The Link between Economic Complexity and Carbon Emissions in the European Union Countries: A Model Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-27, August.
    4. Jorge Díaz-Lanchas & Carlos Llano & Asier Minondo & Francisco Requena, 2018. "Cities export specialization," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 38-42, January.
    5. Nava Ashraf & Alexia Delfino & Edward L. Glaeser, 2019. "Rule of Law and Female Entrepreneurship," NBER Working Papers 26366, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Smith, Matthew & Christopoulos, Dimitris, 2025. "GVC participation and carbon emissions – A network analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    7. Recep Ulucak & Danish & Yaoqi Zhang & Rui Chen & Yiting Qiu, 2024. "Income Inequality, Economic Complexity, and Renewable Energy Impacts in Controlling Consumption-Based Carbon Emissions," Evaluation Review, , vol. 48(1), pages 119-142, February.
    8. Kishwar Nawaz & Amine Lahiani & David Roubaud, 2020. "Do natural resources determine energy consumption in Pakistan? The importance of quantile asymmetries," Post-Print hal-03558103, HAL.
    9. Can, Muhlis & Gozgor, Giray, 2016. "Dynamic Relationships among CO2 Emissions, Energy Consumption, Economic Growth, and Economic Complexity in France," MPRA Paper 70373, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Buhari Doğan & Oana M. Driha & Daniel Balsalobre Lorente & Umer Shahzad, 2021. "The mitigating effects of economic complexity and renewable energy on carbon emissions in developed countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 1-12, January.
    11. Khezri, Mohsen & Heshmati, Almas & Khodaei, Mehdi, 2022. "Environmental implications of economic complexity and its role in determining how renewable energies affect CO2 emissions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    12. Christian Agu & Jonathan Emenike Ogbuabor & Benjamin Udoka Onah, 2025. "How are Economic Governance Institutions Moderating the Effect of Economic Complexity on Trade, FDI Inflow, Environmental Degradation, and Economic Growth in Africa?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(2), pages 9536-9567, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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