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The impact of trade liberalization on skill upgrading. Evidence from Argentina

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  • Paula Bustos

Abstract

In this paper I study the effects of a regional free trade agreement on the demand for skill. I start by documenting a series of facts to shed light on the determinants of a steep increase in the relative demand of skilled labor in a panel of Argentinean industrial firms covering the trade liberalization period. First, this is not explained by labor reallocation across industries or firms but by skill upgrading within firms. Second, exporters upgrade skill faster than non exporters. Third, firms upgrading skill also upgrade technology. These findings are consistent with a model where a reduction in trading partner’s tariffs induces the most productive firms (exporters) to adopt skill-intensive production technologies. Indeed, I find that the reduction in Brazil’s tariffs induces the most productive Argentinean firms to upgrade skill, while the least productive ones downgrade. One third of the increase in the relative demand for skill can be attributed to the reduction in Brazil’s tariffs.

Suggested Citation

  • Paula Bustos, 2005. "The impact of trade liberalization on skill upgrading. Evidence from Argentina," Economics Working Papers 1189, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Jul 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:upf:upfgen:1189
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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