Specialization dynamics

Redding, Stephen

Specialization dynamics

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: This paper proposes a new empirical framework for analyzing specialization dynamics. A country’s pattern of specialization is viewed as a distribution across sectors, and statistical techniques for analyzing the evolution of this entire distribution are employed. The empirical framework is implemented using data on 20 industries in 7 OECD countries since 1970. We find substantial mobility in patterns of specialization. Over time horizons of 5 years, this is largely explained by forces common across countries including world prices and common changes in technical efficiency. Over longer time horizons, country-specific changes in factor endowments become more important. There is no evidence of an increase in countries’ overall degree of specialization.

Keywords: distribution dynamics; factor endowments; international trade; neoclassical model. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 F11 F14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002-12
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (47)

Published in Journal of International Economics, December, 2002, 58(2), pp. 299-334. ISSN: 0022-1996

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Journal Article: Specialization dynamics (2002)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:210

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