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Quality Sorting and Trade: Firm-Level Evidence for French Wine

Author

Listed:
  • Matthieu Crozet
  • Keith Head
  • Thierry Mayer

Abstract

Firm-level regressions show that Champagne producers that receive better ratings from wine guides also export to more markets, charge higher prices, and sell more in each market. Our method corrects for a severe selection bias predicted by the model. By using direct measures of quality, we can recover estimates of parameters from a Melitz-based model of heterogeneous firms. We then regress averages of the quality, price, and quantity shipped to a country on measures of its attractiveness and entry costs. Champagne exhibits quality-sorting: more attractive markets tend to have lower average qualities and prices, but higher quantities.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthieu Crozet & Keith Head & Thierry Mayer, 2009. "Quality Sorting and Trade: Firm-Level Evidence for French Wine," Working Papers 2009-14, CEPII research center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cii:cepidt:2009-14
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    GRAVITY MODEL; HETEROGENEITY; QUALITY; INTERNATIONAL TRADE;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F17 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Forecasting and Simulation
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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