On Empirical Distribution of RCA Indices

Kaveri Deb and Bodhisattva Sengupta

IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, 2017, vol. 6, issue 1, 23-41

Abstract: Revealed comparative advantage (RCA) indices form an integral part of the application of trade theory. The indices help in identifying the comparative advantage or disadvantages of countries in various products and thus aid the policy makers in formulation of policies oriented towards export expansion. However, given the application of such indices as a cardinal or ordinal measure over time, an important question that arises is how reliable such indices are for the said purposes. In this regard, the stability of index distributions has important implications for applicability of the indices as a cardinal or ordinal measure over time. This article, therefore, makes an important contribution to the literature by trying to analyze the stability of empirical distributions of RCA indices and identify the index that would be most reliable as a cardinal or ordinal measure, among alternative RCA indices suggested in the literature.

Keywords: Revealed comparative advantage index; exports; imports; distribution; cardinal; ordinal; non-parametric tests. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:iimkoz:v:6:y:2017:i:1:p:23-41

DOI: 10.1177/2277975216676125

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