Structural Characteristics of the OECD International Trade Network and Their Association with Economic Development

Stamatia Almalioti () and Dimitrios Tsiotas ()
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Stamatia Almalioti: Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
Dimitrios Tsiotas: Department of Regional and Economic Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece

Sustainable Regional Development Scientific Journal, 2025, vol. II, issue 2, 21-32

Abstract: Trade interactions among states play a central role in enhancing productive capacity, disseminating technology, and fostering social, institutional, and diplomatic linkages, forming a longstanding foundation of economic and regional development. This study investigates the economic interdependence generated by international trade in the contemporary global economy by examining the structural and spatial organization of trade flows using complex network analysis. Focusing on trade interactions among 42 OECD countries, the paper analyzes how countries participate in international trade across different levels of transaction intensity, reflecting varying economic scales. Assuming a positive relationship between trade intensity and economic development, the analysis evaluates network topology and centrality at three structural levels: microscopic (node-level), mesoscopic (community-level), and macroscopic (global network-level). The findings reveal key patterns of strategic cooperation and systemic vulnerability, highlighting that while international trade supports global growth and prosperity, it may also expose economies to heightened risks during global financial crises.

JEL-codes: F14 O19 R12 R15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bfb:srdjou:2025-02_2

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