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Timeliness, trade and agglomeration

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  • Harrigan, James
  • Venables, Tony

Abstract

An important element of the cost of distance is time taken in delivering final and intermediate goods. We argue that time costs are qualitatively different from direct monetary costs such as freight charges. The difference arises because of uncertainty. Unsynchronised deliveries can disrupt production, and delivery time can force producers to order components before demand and cost uncertainties are resolved. Using several related models we show that this can cause clustering of component production. If final assembly takes place in two locations and component production has increasing returns to scale, then component production will tend to cluster around just one of the assembly plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Harrigan, James & Venables, Tony, 2004. "Timeliness, trade and agglomeration," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 2300, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:2300
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Xiaoyun & Xin, Xian, 2011. "Transportation uncertainty and international trade," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 156-162, January.
    2. Kimura, Fukunari & Takahashi, Yuya & Hayakawa, Kazunobu, 2007. "Fragmentation and parts and components trade: Comparison between East Asia and Europe," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 23-40, February.
    3. Harrigan, James, 2010. "Airplanes and comparative advantage," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 181-194, November.
    4. John Whalley & Xian Xin, 2007. "Regionalization, Changes in Home Bias, and the Growth of World Trade," NBER Working Papers 13023, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Thia, Jang Ping, 2008. "Why capital does not migrate to the south: a new economic geography perspective," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 28508, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Blázquez, Jorge & Rodríguez, Javier & Santiso, Javier, 2006. "Angel or demon?: China's trade impact on Latin American countries," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), December.
    7. Gilles Duranton & Michael Storper, 2008. "Rising trade costs? Agglomeration and trade with endogenous transaction costs," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(1), pages 292-319, February.
    8. Jang Ping Thia, 2008. "Why Capital does not Migrate to the South: A New Economic Geography Perspective," CEP Discussion Papers dp0895, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    9. Mateus Silva Chang, 2017. "Machinery production networks in Latin America: a quantity and quality analysis," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 26(1), pages 1-35, December.
    10. Honggue Lee, 2008. "Agglomeration and Growth," Korean Economic Review, Korean Economic Association, vol. 24, pages 425-457.
    11. Thomas Orliac, 2012. "The economics of trade facilitation [L'économie de la facilitation des échanges]," Sciences Po Economics Publications (main) tel-03681980, HAL.
    12. David Hummels, 2007. "Transportation Costs and International Trade in the Second Era of Globalization," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(3), pages 131-154, Summer.
    13. Gamberoni, Elisa & Lanz, Rainer & Piermartini, Roberta, 2010. "Timeliness and contract enforceability in intermediate goods trade," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5482, The World Bank.
    14. Nordås, Hildegunn Kyvik & Piermartini, Roberta, 2004. "Infrastructure and trade," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2004-04, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.

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    JEL classification:

    • L0 - Industrial Organization - - General
    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade

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