IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/wpaper/halshs-00536127.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The "distance-varying" gravity model in international economics: is the distance an obstacle to trade?

Author

Listed:
  • Vêlayoudom Marimoutou

    (GREQAM - Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Denis Peguin

    (GREQAM - Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Provence - Aix-Marseille 1)

  • Anne Peguin-Feissolle

    (GREQAM - Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

In this paper, we address the problem of the role of the distance between trading partners by assuming the variability of coefficients in a standard gravity model. The distance can be interpreted as an indicator of the cost of entry in a market (a fixed cost): the greater the distance, the higher the entry cost, and the more we need to have a large market to be able to cover a high cost of entry. To explore this idea, the paper uses a method called Flexible Least Squares. By allowing the parameters of the gravity model to vary over the observations, our main result is that the more the partner's GDP is large, the less the distance is an obstacle to trade.

Suggested Citation

  • Vêlayoudom Marimoutou & Denis Peguin & Anne Peguin-Feissolle, 2010. "The "distance-varying" gravity model in international economics: is the distance an obstacle to trade?," Working Papers halshs-00536127, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00536127
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00536127
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00536127/document
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dorfman, Jeffrey H. & Foster, Kenneth A., 1991. "Estimating Productivity Changes With Flexible Coeficients," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 16(2), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Tesfatsion, Leigh & Veitch, John M., 1990. "U.S. money demand instability A flexible least squares approach," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 151-173, February.
    3. Alan V. Deardorff, 2011. "Determinants of Bilateral Trade: Does Gravity Work in a Neoclassical World?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Robert M Stern (ed.), Comparative Advantage, Growth, And The Gains From Trade And Globalization A Festschrift in Honor of Alan V Deardorff, chapter 24, pages 267-293, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Feenstra, Robert & Markusen, James R. & Rose, Andrew K, 1998. "Understanding the Home Market Effect and the Gravity Equation: The Role of Differentiating Goods," CEPR Discussion Papers 2035, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Helpman, Elhanan, 1987. "Imperfect competition and international trade: Evidence from fourteen industrial countries," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 62-81, March.
    6. James R. Markusen, 2021. "Explaining the Volume of Trade: An Eclectic Approach," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 9, pages 177-186, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Kalaba, Robert & Tesfatsion, Leigh, 1996. "A multicriteria approach to model specification and estimation," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 193-214, February.
    8. Simon J. Evenett & Wolfgang Keller, 2002. "On Theories Explaining the Success of the Gravity Equation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 110(2), pages 281-316, April.
    9. James E. Anderson, 2011. "The Gravity Model," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 133-160, September.
    10. Jonathan Eaton & Samuel Kortum, 1997. "Technology and Bilateral Trade," Boston University - Institute for Economic Development 79, Boston University, Institute for Economic Development.
    11. Baier, Scott L. & Bergstrand, Jeffrey H., 2009. "Bonus vetus OLS: A simple method for approximating international trade-cost effects using the gravity equation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 77-85, February.
    12. Bergstrand, Jeffrey H, 1985. "The Gravity Equation in International Trade: Some Microeconomic Foundations and Empirical Evidence," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 67(3), pages 474-481, August.
    13. Bergstrand, Jeffrey H, 1989. "The Generalized Gravity Equation, Monopolistic Competition, and the Factor-Proportions Theory in International Trade," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(1), pages 143-153, February.
    14. Leamer, Edward E., 1993. "U.S. manufacturing and an emerging Mexico," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 51-89.
    15. Kalaba, Robert E. & Tesfatsion, Leigh S., 1990. "Flexible Least Squares for Approximately Linear Systems," Staff General Research Papers Archive 11190, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    16. Howard J. Wall, 1999. "Using the gravity model to estimate the costs of protection," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue Jan, pages 33-40.
    17. Chauveau, T. & Maillet, B., 1998. "Flexible Least Squares Betas: The French Market Case," Papers 1998-03/fi, Caisse des Depots et Consignations - Cahiers de recherche.
    18. Lutkepohl, Helmut & Herwartz, Helmut, 1996. "Specification of varying coefficient time series models via generalized flexible least squares," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 261-290, January.
    19. Ploberger, Werner & Kramer, Walter & Kontrus, Karl, 1989. "A new test for structural stability in the linear regression model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 307-318, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chessa, Michela & Persenda, Arnaud & Torre, Dominique, 2023. "Brexit and Canadadvent: An application of graphs and hypergraphs to recent international trade agreements," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 1-12.
    2. Pradeep Agrawal & Seema Sangita, 2017. "Trade Potential between India and Central Asia," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 11(4), pages 418-448, November.
    3. Salehi , Mahdi & Zamani , Mohammad, 2014. "Market Risk Recognition by Different Models in Listed Banks of Tehran Stock Exchange and OTC," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 9(1), pages 147-176, October.
    4. Anca Tamas & Dumitru Miron, 2021. "The Governance Impact on the Romanian Trade Flows. An Augmented Gravity Model," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(56), pages 276-276, February.
    5. Iman Pal & Saibal Kar, 2021. "Gravity Models in International Trade: An Exploration in Econo-Physics," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 10(1), pages 72-104, June.
    6. Lotfali Agheli & Unes Salmani & Mir Abdullah Hosseini, 2017. "Factors Affecting Market Share of Iranian Hand-woven Carpet in Singapore," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(1), pages 500-505.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Iman Pal & Saibal Kar, 2021. "Gravity Models in International Trade: An Exploration in Econo-Physics," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 10(1), pages 72-104, June.
    2. James Harrigan, 2001. "Specialization and the Volume of Trade: Do the Data Obey the Laws?," NBER Working Papers 8675, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Dinçer, Gönül, 2014. "Turkey’s Rising Imports from BRICS: A Gravity Model Approach," MPRA Paper 61979, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Baier, Scott L. & Bergstrand, Jeffrey H., 2001. "The growth of world trade: tariffs, transport costs, and income similarity," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 1-27, February.
    5. Zhang, Daowei & Li, Yanshu, 2009. "Forest endowment, logging restrictions, and China's wood products trade," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 46-53, March.
    6. Lopez-Gonzalez, Javier, 2012. "The Impact of Free Trade Agreements on Vertical Specialisation," Papers 442, World Trade Institute.
    7. Cafiso, Gianluca, 2007. "The Geographic Space in International Trade: from Gravity to New Economic Geography," MPRA Paper 20269, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Ian M. Sheldon, 2021. "Reflections on a Career as an Industrial Organization and International Economist," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 468-499, June.
    9. Evelyn S. Devadason & Shujaat Mubarik, 2020. "ASEAN and the EU: an assessment of interregional trade potentials," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 705-726, July.
    10. Narayan, Seema & Nguyen, Tri Tung, 2016. "Does the trade gravity model depend on trading partners? Some evidence from Vietnam and her 54 trading partners," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 220-237.
    11. Juan A. Marchetti, 2011. "Do Economic Integration Agreements Lead to Deeper Integration of Services Markets?," Chapters, in: Miroslav N. Jovanović (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Integration, Volume III, chapter 19, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Arjun SINGH & Dr. S.P. PADHI, 2020. "India and trade blocs: A gravity model analysis," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(625), W), pages 217-232, Winter.
    13. Kareem, Fatima Olanike & Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada & Brümmer, Bernhard, 2016. "Fitting the Gravity Model when Zero Trade Flows are Frequent: a Comparison of Estimation Techniques using Africa's Trade Data," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 230588, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    14. repec:ilo:ilowps:374235 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Caruso Raul, 2003. "The Impact of International Economic Sanctions on Trade: An Empirical Analysis," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 9(2), pages 1-36, April.
    16. Novy, Dennis, 2013. "International trade without CES: Estimating translog gravity," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(2), pages 271-282.
    17. Kandogan, Yener, 2009. "A Gravity Model for Components of Imports," Review of Applied Economics, Lincoln University, Department of Financial and Business Systems, vol. 5(1-2), pages 1-17, April.
    18. Muhammad Ullah & Kazuo Inaba, 2014. "Liberalization and FDI Performance: Evidence from ASEAN and SAFTA Member Countries," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 3(1), pages 1-24, December.
    19. Dennis Novy, 2013. "Gravity Redux: Measuring International Trade Costs With Panel Data," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 101-121, January.
    20. Michele Fratianni, 2007. "The Gravity Equation in International Trade," Working Papers 2007-17, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy.
    21. Paas, Tiiu, 2002. "Gravity approach for exploring Baltic Sea regional integration in the field of international trade," HWWA Discussion Papers 180, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gravity Equation; Flexible Least Squares; Geographical Distance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C2 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00536127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.