Geographical Advantage: Home Market Effect in a Multi-Region World

Kiminori Matsuyama

No 12352, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: This paper proposes a theoretical framework, which allows us to study the effects of geographical factors on the distribution of industries across many regions. The geographical feature of each region is summarized by a proximity matrix, whose elements measure the closeness between every pair of regions and depend on the parameters representing the transport and other costs of using a variety of trade routes. A change in these costs of trade affects the distribution of industries by amplifying the geographical advantages and disadvantages of regions. Through a series of examples, we demonstrate how this framework can be used not only to examine the effects of an improvement in transport infrastructure, but also to address some problems from economic history, regional economic integration, and the north-south division, and discuss some geopolitical issues.

Keywords: Monopolistic competition; A multi-region model of costly trade in differentiated goods; Home market effect; Regional economic integration; Uneven development; Convergence versus divergence; Geographical advantages and disadvantages; Proximity matrix; Trade routes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F12 F15 O11 R12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-int and nep-tre
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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