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How Far Goods Travel: Global Transport and Supply Chains from 1965-2020

Author

Listed:
  • Sharat Ganapati
  • Woan Foong Wong

Abstract

This paper considers the evolution of global transportation usage over the past half century and its implications for supply chains. Transportation usage per unit of real output has more than doubled as costs decreased by a third. Participation of emerging economies in world trade and longer-distance trade between countries contribute to this usage increase, thereby encouraging longer supply chains. We discuss technological advances over this period, and their interactions with endogenous responses from transportation costs and supply chain linkages. Supply chains involving more countries and longer distances are reflective of reliable and efficient transportation, but are also more exposed to disruptions, highlighting the importance of considering the interconnectedness of transportation and supply chains in policymaking and future work.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharat Ganapati & Woan Foong Wong, 2023. "How Far Goods Travel: Global Transport and Supply Chains from 1965-2020," NBER Working Papers 31167, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31167
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    Cited by:

    1. Guo, Jingyuan & Deng, Kent, 2024. "Laying off old guards to rebuild state capacity: Deng Xiaoping’s bloodless coup d’etat in post-Mao China, 1980-2000," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 126083, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Eichengreen, Barry, 2024. "Globalization and growth in a bipolar world," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 714-722.
    3. Eichengreen, Barry, 2024. "Geopolitics and the global economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Sylvia Kor & Md. Qamruzzaman, 2024. "Decoding the Environmental Synergy in BRI Nations: Analyzing the Influence of Renewable Energy Adoption, Financial Evolution, FDI, and Capital Resilience on Sustainability," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 582-599, May.
    5. Baier, Scott & Standaert, Samuel, 2024. "Gravity, globalization and time-varying heterogeneity," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Richard Pomfret, 2023. "Connecting Eurasian Supply Chains the Impact of Covid-19 and the Russia–Ukraine War on the EU-China Rail Landbridge," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 9(3), pages 1049-1062, November.
    7. Guo, Jingyuan & Deng, Kent, 2024. "Laying off old guards to rebuild state capacity: Deng Xiaoping’s bloodless coup d’etat in post-Mao China, 1980-2000," Economic History Working Papers 126083, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    8. Chen, Ying-Ju & Gui, Zhengqing & von Thadden, Ernst-Ludwig & Zhao, Xiaojian, 2024. "Supply Chain Frictions," CEPR Discussion Papers 19013, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Anh D. Do & Sharat Ganapati & Woan Foong Wong & Oren Ziv, 2025. "Transshipment Hubs, Trade, and Supply Chains," NBER Working Papers 34361, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Woan Foong Wong & Simon Fuchs, 2022. "Multimodal Transport Networks," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2022-13, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, revised Oct 2024.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • L91 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Transportation: General
    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

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