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Prospects for Skills-based Export Growth in a Labor-abundant, Resource-rich Developing Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Ian Coxhead
  • Muqun Li

Abstract

In an integrated global economy, specialisation in trade is an increasingly prominent strategy. A labour-abundant, resource-rich economy like Indonesia faces stiff competition in labour-intensive manufactures; meanwhile, rapid growth in demand for resources from China and India exposes it to the 'curse' of resource wealth. This diminishes prospects for more diversified growth based on renewable resources like human capital. Using an international panel data set we explore the influence of resource wealth, foreign direct investment and human capital on the share of skill-intensive products in exports. FDI and human capital increase this share; resource wealth diminishes it. We use the results to compare Indonesia with Thailand and Malaysia. Indonesia's reliance on skill-intensive exports would have been greater had it achieved higher levels of FDI and skills. Its performance in accumulating these endowments, and its relative resource abundance, impede diversification in production and trade. We present policy options flowing from these findings.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Coxhead & Muqun Li, 2008. "Prospects for Skills-based Export Growth in a Labor-abundant, Resource-rich Developing Economy," Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, vol. 63(04), pages 391-429, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:usg:auswrt:2008:63:04:391-429
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    File URL: http://ux-tauri.unisg.ch/RePEc/usg/auswrt/AW_63-04__03_Coxhead-Li.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Coxhead, Ian & Jayasuriya, Sisira, 2008. "The Rise of China and India and the Commodity Boom: Economic and Environmental Implications for Low-Income Countries," Staff Paper Series 528, University of Wisconsin, Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    2. Tingting Zheng & Zongxuan Chai & Pengfei Zuo & Xinyu Wang, 2024. "The Effect of Multilateral Economic Cooperation on Sustainable Natural Resource Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-25, August.
    3. Liang, Huijun & Shi, Changkuan & Abid, Nabila & Yu, Yanliang, 2023. "Are digitalization and human development discarding the resource curse in emerging economies?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    4. Ibrahim Ayoade Adekunle & Adewale Rafiu Aregbeshola, 2025. "Evaluating the agricultural policy-productivity gap in Nigeria: a Markov-switching analysis," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Athukorala, Prema-chandra & Yamashita, Nobuaki, 2006. "Production fragmentation and trade integration: East Asia in a global context," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 233-256, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F17 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Forecasting and Simulation
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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