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Exchange rate pass-through and product heterogeneity: does quality matter on the import side?

Author

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  • Michele Bernini

    () (University of Sheffield)

  • Chiara Tomasi

    () (University of Trento)

Abstract

Using Italian firm-level data for the period 2000-2006, this paper investigates the role of the quality of imported inputs and exported output in determining the heterogeneous response of exporters' prices to real exchange rate fluctuations. The analysis confirms previous findings that the imports of intermediate inputs and the quality of the exported output increase an exporter's ability to reduce the exchange rate pass-through into the prices perceived by foreign consumers. Our novel finding is that the `intermediate imports channel' has a weaker negative impact on the exchange rate pass-through into the price of higher quality exported varieties. The paper shows that this finding is consistent with the predictions of a model where both the suppliers of high quality intermediate inputs and the exporters of high quality final goods follow pricing strategies that offset exchange rate variations.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Bernini & Chiara Tomasi, 2014. "Exchange rate pass-through and product heterogeneity: does quality matter on the import side?," Working Papers 2014020, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:shf:wpaper:2014020
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    File URL: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/economics/research/serps/articles/2014_020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Natalie & Juvenal, Luciana, 2018. "Quality and the Great Trade Collapse," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 59-76.
    2. Sun, Puyang & Hou, Xinyu & Tan, Yong, 2017. "Export Rivalry and Exchange Rate Pass-Through," MPRA Paper 83369, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Mauro Caselli & Paolo Falco, 2019. "Your Vote is (no) Secret! How Low Voter Density Harms Voter Anonymity and Biases Elections in Italy," EconPol Working Paper 26, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    4. Chen, Natalie & Chung, Wanyu & Novy, Dennis, 2018. "Vehicle Currency Pricing and Exchange Rate Pass-Through," CEPR Discussion Papers 13085, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Eike Berner & Laura Birg & Dominik Boddin, 2017. "Retailers and Consumers: The Pass-through of Import Price Changes," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7), pages 1314-1344, July.
    6. Angelo Secchi & Federico Tamagni & Chiara Tomasi, 2016. "Export price adjustments under financial constraints," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 49(3), pages 1057-1085, August.
    7. Stefano Bolatto & Marco Grazzi & Chiara Tomasi, 2018. "Export Modes and Adjustments to Exchange Rate Movements," DEM Working Papers 2018/02, Department of Economics and Management.
    8. Chen, Natalie & Juvenal, Luciana, 2019. "Markups, Quality, and Trade Costs," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 446, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    9. Ciani, Andrea, 2017. "Income inequality and the quality of imports," DICE Discussion Papers 245, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    10. Mallick, Sushanta & Marques, Helena, 2016. "Does quality differentiation matter in exporters' pricing behaviour? Comparing China and India," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 71-90.
    11. Kazunobu Hayakawa & Toshiyuki Matsuura & Sadayuki Takii, 2017. "Does Trade Liberalization Boost Quality Upgrading? Evidence From Indonesian Plant-Product-Level Data," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 55(3), pages 171-188, September.
    12. Min Zhu & Chiara Tomasi, 2020. "Firms' imports and quality upgrading: Evidence from Chinese firms," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5), pages 1371-1397, May.
    13. Mauro Caselli & Arpita Chatterjee & Alan Woodland, 2017. "Multi‐product exporters, variable markups and exchange rate fluctuations," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(4), pages 1130-1160, November.
    14. Nagengast, Arne J. & Bursian, Dirk & Menz, Jan-Oliver, 2020. "Dynamic pricing and exchange rate pass-through: Evidence from transaction-level data," Discussion Papers 16/2020, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    15. Hu, Cui & Parsley, David & Tan, Yong, 2017. "Exchange Rate Induced Export Quality Upgrading: A Firm-Level Perspective," MPRA Paper 80506, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Chen, Natalie & Juvenal, Luciana, 2016. "Quality, trade, and exchange rate pass-through," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 61-80.
    17. Tan, Yong & Zhao, Chen, 2017. "New Exporters and Continuing Exporters under Exchange Rate Fluctuations," MPRA Paper 77244, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Hock Tsen Wong, 2017. "Exchange rate volatility and bilateral exports of Malaysia to Singapore, China, Japan, the USA and Korea," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 459-492, September.
    19. S. Bolatto & M. Grazzi & C. Tomasi, 2017. "Export intermediaries and adjustments to exchange rate movements," Working Papers wp2004, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    20. 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.
    21. Giuseppe Caivano & Nicola D. Coniglio, 2016. "Long-Run Drivers of Current Account Imbalances in the EU: the Role of Trade Openness," SERIES 03-2016, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", revised May 2016.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Importers; Exporters; Quality; Exchange Rate Disconnect;

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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