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Determinants of Related and Unrelated Export Diversification

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  • Muhammad Ali

    (Global Water Practice, The World Bank, G5/1, Islamabad 44050, Pakistan)

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on determinants of the export diversification by introducing related variety (RV) and unrelated variety (UV) in the analysis in addition to the traditional entropy based measure at three-digit Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) level, overall variety (OV). RV measures variety in cognitively related industries, while UV measures variety in industries that are unrelated to each other. Studies on RV and UV have shown that the dynamics of their relationship with economic growth and innovation may differ and one would expect that the determinants of RV and UV may also be different. Therefore, using data on manufacturing sector exports for 130 countries from 1996 to 2011, this paper identifies the determinants of export diversification with primary focus on foreign direct investment as an external source of knowledge and a stimulus to entrepreneurship and human capital as a measure of productive capabilities. Considering the concern of endogeneity bias, estimations of the econometric models were performed using generalized method of moments. Findings show that some of the determinants of diversification affect RV, UV and OV differently. For instance, foreign direct investment (FDI) negatively affects RV while it has no significant relationship with OV and UV. Moreover, interaction of human capital with FDI appears to be positive and significant for UV and RV while interaction of human capital with trade openness is significant and positive for RV only, showing the importance of knowledge through external sources in the process of related diversification.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Ali, 2017. "Determinants of Related and Unrelated Export Diversification," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:5:y:2017:i:4:p:50-:d:122713
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2020. "Aid for Trade and Services Export Diversification in Recipient-Countries," EconStor Preprints 210467, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
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    4. Peñaranda Molina, Diego Andrés, 2021. "Determinantes de la diversificación de exportaciones en Sudamérica: un análisis con datos de panel," Documentos de trabajo 3/2021, Instituto de Investigaciones Socio-Económicas (IISEC), Universidad Católica Boliviana.
    5. Mbondo, Georges Dieudonné & Bouwawe, Duclo & Awoutcha Tchieuzing, Romuald Fernand, 2023. "Le capital humain est-il important pour la diversification des exportations ? : L’expérience des économies d’Afrique Sub-Saharienne(ASS) [Does human capital matter for export diversification? The e," MPRA Paper 117499, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Andrés Jung & Silvia Vázquez, 2023. "Export concentration in developing countries: do real exchange rate misalignments matter?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 563-593, October.
    7. Muhammad Ali & Uwe Cantner, 2020. "Economic diversification and human development in Europe," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(2), pages 211-235, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    export diversification; related variety; unrelated variety; human capital; foreign direct investment; Generalized Method of Moments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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