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Services versus goods trade: Are they the same?

Author

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  • Andrea Ariu

    () (FNRS
    IRES, Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

Abstract

In this paper, we present for the first time a qualitative and quantitative comparison between trade in services and trade in goods at firm level for the same country. We focus first on static features of trade such as participation rates, firms’ characteristics, heterogeneity, concentration and trade variation. Secondly, we explore dynamic aspects focusing on entry, exit, firm survival and growth strategy. On the one hand, our results reveal qualitative similarities between services and goods trade at firm level, suggesting that heterogeneous models of trade can be a good starting point for the analysis of trade in services. On the other hand, we highlight dramatic differences in quantitative terms and in some key characteristics that pose new challenges to current trade models.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Ariu, 2012. "Services versus goods trade: Are they the same?," Working Paper Research 237, National Bank of Belgium.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbb:reswpp:201212-237
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ariu, Andrea, 2016. "Crisis-proof services: Why trade in services did not suffer during the 2008–2009 collapse," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 138-149.
    2. Matthieu Crozet & Emmanuel Milet & Daniel Mirza, 2013. "The Discriminatory Effect of Domestic Regulations on International Trade in Services: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 13019, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    3. Peter S. Eppinger, 2014. "Exploiting the Potential for Services Offshoring: Evidence from German Firms," IAW Discussion Papers 109, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW).
    4. E. Dhyne & C. Duprez & C. Fuss, 2015. "Main CompNet research results," Economic Review, National Bank of Belgium, issue iii, pages 103-116, December.
    5. Chong Wha Lee & Soonchan Park, 2016. "Does Religious Similarity Matter in International Trade in Services?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 409-425, March.
    6. Valeria Gattai, 2015. "Foreign exposure and heterogeneous performance of Italian firms: A survey of the empirical literature (1992-2014)," Working Papers 300, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Apr 2015.
    7. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "A survey of empirical studies using transaction level data on exports and imports," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 152(1), pages 215-225, February.
    8. Minondo, Asier, 2015. "The geography, variety and dynamics of service exports in Spain: a firm-level analysis," MPRA Paper 66993, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Dincer, Nergiz & Tekin-Koru, Ayça, 2015. "A League of Their Own: Services Exporters –A Developing Country Perspective-," MPRA Paper 64363, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Yvonne Wolfmayr & Elisabeth Christen & Michael Pfaffermayr, 2013. "Pattern, Determinants and Dynamics of Austrian Service Exports – A Firmlevel Analysis," FIW Research Reports series IV-005, FIW.
    11. Minondo, Asier, 2012. "Trading firms in the Spanish services sector," MPRA Paper 43224, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Dincer, Nergiz & Tekin-Koru, Ayca, 2014. "A League of Their Own: Services Exporters within Goods Exporters," MPRA Paper 53294, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Valeria Gattai, 2015. "Internationalisation and performance at the firm-level: what we learn from Italy," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(4), pages 475-509, December.
    14. Konstantins Benkovskis & Olegs Tkacevs, 2015. "Everything you always wanted to know about Latvia's service exporters (but were afraid to ask)," Working Papers 2015/06, Latvijas Banka.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade in Services; Trade in Goods; Trade Dynamics;

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L80 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - General

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