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Regional economic integration via detection of circular flow in international value-added network

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  • Sotaro Sada
  • Yuichi Ikeda

Abstract

Global value chains are formed through value-added trade, and some regions promote economic integration by concluding regional trade agreements to promote these chains. However, it has not been established to quantitatively assess the scope and extent of economic integration involving various sectors in multiple countries. In this study, we used the World Input–Output Database to create a cross-border sector-wise network of trade in value-added (international value-added network) covering the period of 2000–2014 and evaluated them using network science methods. By applying Infomap to the international value-added network, we confirmed two regional communities: Europe and the Pacific Rim. We applied Helmholtz–Hodge decomposition to the value-added flows within the region into potential and circular flows, and clarified the annual evolution of the potential and circular relationships between countries and sectors. The circular flow component of the decomposition was used to define an economic integration index. Findings confirmed that the degree of economic integration in Europe declined sharply after the economic crisis in 2009 to a level lower than that in the Pacific Rim. The European economic integration index recovered in 2011 but again fell below that of the Pacific Rim in 2013. Moreover, sectoral economic integration indices suggest what Europe depends on Russia in natural resources makes the European economic integration index unstable. On the other hand, the indices of the Pacific Rim suggest the steady economic integration index of the Pacific Rim captures the stable global value chains from natural resources to construction and manufactures of motor vehicles and high-tech products.

Suggested Citation

  • Sotaro Sada & Yuichi Ikeda, 2021. "Regional economic integration via detection of circular flow in international value-added network," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(8), pages 1-28, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0255698
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255698
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Koopman & Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei, 2014. "Tracing Value-Added and Double Counting in Gross Exports," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(2), pages 459-494, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Waseem Shahzad & Muhammad Asif Khan & Mohammed Arshad Khan & Ahsanuddin Haider, 2024. "Regional integration and export performance of Pakistan: Empirical evidence from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Marc Homs-Dones & Robert S. MacKay & Bazil Sansom & Yijie Zhou, 2025. "Circular Directional Flow Decomposition of Networks," Papers 2506.12546, arXiv.org.

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