International trade,technological change and wage inequality in the UK economy

This paper examines the joint impact of international trade and technological change on UK wages across different skill groups. International trade is measured as changes in product prices and technological change as total factor productivity (TFP) growth. We take account of a multi-sector and multi-factor of production economy and use mandated wage methodology in order to create an well-balanced approach in terms of theoretical and empirical cohesion. We use data from the EU KLEMS database and analyse the impact of both product price changes and TFP changes of 11 UK manufacturing sectors on factor rewards of high-, medium- and low-skilled workers. Results show that real wages of skill groups are significantly driven by the sector bias of price change and TFP growth of several sectors of production. Furthermore, we estimate the share of the three different skill groups on added value for each year from 1970 to 2005. The shares indicate structural change in the UK economy. Results show a structural change owing to decreasing shares of low-skilled workers and increasing shares of medium-skilled and high-skilled workers over the years.     

Openness,Efficiency and Technology: An Industry Assessment

Most trade and macroeconomic models imply positive impacts on the economy from greater openness. And a key factor linking openness and progress is the efficiency with which resources are used. Empirically, however, the efficiency impacts of trade have been ambiguous. Using a stochastic frontier analysis, we examine the impact of openness on technical (in)efficiency for a sample of OECD economies. Unlike the bulk of related studies, we work at the industry level. Given recent debates, we additionally examine whether Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) expenditures impact openness and efficiency. We establish the elasticity of openness with respect to (in)efficiency; TFP and Scale Economies; and Technical Inefficiency across countries and sectors. Both openness and ICT usage have robustly positive impacts on efficiency. Our results shed light on the impact of, spillovers between, and heterogeneity across countries and industries from, increasing openness interacted with the use of advanced technologies.     

Trade Liberalization and Productivity Growth: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing

The impact of trade liberalization on productivity growth is still an empirical issue; the theoretical literature is as yet unclear on the direction of any such association. This paper develops an analytical framework and employs it to empirically test whether trade liberalization in Indian manufacturing has raised total factor productivity (TFP) growth. The answer is in the affirmative. The results also support a key postulate of the new growth theories, that liberalization of the intermediate-good sectors has a larger favorable impact on TFP growth than that of the final-good sectors.     

福建省农业全要素生产率变动原因的实证分析

本文利用Malmquist指数方法,测算了1990—2007年福建省的农业技术进步率、技术效率增长率以及全要素生产率增长率;然后,利用协整检验和脉冲响应函数动态模拟福建省对外开放(对外开放度)对福建省农业技术进步变化率、技术效率变化率的影响,以及对外开放和两者的协整关系,进而说明福建省对外开放对其农业全要素生产率变动的作用。结果表明:20世纪90年代以来,福建省对外开放与其农业技术进步、技术效率变化和全要素生产率增长具有长期稳定均衡关系;福建省对外经济开放对福建省农业技术效率具有促进作用,但对农业技术进步具有"挤出效应"。     

Misallocation and productivity effects of the Smoot–Hawley tariff

Using a newly created microeconomic archive of US imports at the tariff line level for 1930–1933, we construct industry-level tariff wedges incorporating the input–output structure of US economy and the heterogeneous role of imports across sectors of the economy. We use these wedges to show that the average tariff rate of 46% in 1933 substantially understated the true impact of the Smoot–Hawley (SH) tariff structure, which we estimate to be equivalent to a uniform tariff rate of 70%. We use these wedges to calculate the impact of the Smoot–Hawley tariffs on total factor productivity and welfare. In our benchmark parameterization, we find that tariff protection reduced TFP by 1.2% relative to free trade prior to the Smoot–Hawley legislation. TFP fell by an additional 0.5% between 1930 and 1933 due to Smoot–Hawley. We also conduct counterfactual policy exercises and examine the sensitivity of our results to changes in the elasticity of substitution and the import share. A doubling of the substitution elasticities yields a TFP decline of almost 5% relative to free trade, with an additional reduction due to SH of 0.4%.     

资源配置、产业结构与全要素生产率：基于真实经济周期模型的分析*

本文旨在测算、分析中国经济及各产业部门的全要素生产率和年均增长率、产业结构高度及其合理化程度，再结合其他37个国家的相应数据进行国际比较。本文依据真实经济周期模型推导出全要素生产率的测算方程并构建了测算产业结构高度及其合理化程度的两个指标。本文发现，由三大产业部门全要素生产率水平之间的差异和部门间规模巨大的人力资本转移而形成的“结构效益”，能够合理解释中国经济整体全要素生产率年均增长率较高但三大产业部门却处在较低水平甚至负增长这两个看似矛盾的经济事实。本文从数理逻辑和经验研究两个角度验证了“产出增长率效应”和“结构效益”的存在。本文通过国际比较发现，中国经济产业结构高度及其合理化程度大幅落后于多数高收入国家。     

The Canadian productivity stagnation, 2002–2014

Total factor productivity (TFP) growth in Canada between 2002 and 2014 has been only 0.16% per year. This figure is substantially smaller than that of the United States, or that of Canada in the past. We perform multiple counterfactual exercises to show that this small TFP growth cannot be accounted for by several compositional effects or mismeasurements of factors of production. We identify two key sectors (mostly Mining and to a lesser extent Manufacturing) that drive all of the TFP growth difference with the United States. Despite the lack of TFP growth, Canada has experienced sustained income growth due to a prolonged period of appreciation of the terms of trade (while US terms of trade have deteriorated), making real income in the two countries grow at similar rates.     

A Model of Structural Change and Openness: Applications to the Argentine economy

This paper describes a dynamic, multisectoral model of a less developed economy in which investment and income distribution policies influence structural change and the pattern of trade. That is, the model considers a Keynesian 'socialised investment' function and distributional policies that, by their effect on demand, could be also described as Keynesian. The model is used to analyse the effects of different policy regimes in the Argentine economy. In an environment characterised by enduring stagnation, investment policies aimed at increasing the degree of economic autonomy and self-sufficiency do not succeed in significantly changing output and trade patterns, and in reducing the degree of openness of the economy. From a long term perspective, however, stagnation is not necessarily a permanent condition. A new environment of higher growth could evolve from the consolidation of a new technological paradigm and the emergence of new socioeconomic norms and mechanisms. In an environment of lower uncertainty and higher efficacy of the investment, model simulation shows that investment policy is quite successful in augmenting the degree of autonomy and self-sufficiency of the economy. Also, income redistribution has a positive impact on income and welfare growth.     

TFP冲击对两部门经济增长的影响研究

首先将两位数工业行业分为投资品部门和消费品部门,然后通过DEA-Malmquist指数方法测算出了2006—2017年的两部门技术进步效率及其变化情况,两部门的全要素生产率(TFP)变化指数都超过了1,且投资品部门的TFP变化指数相对于消费品部门更高,投资品部门TFP变化指数呈波动上升趋势而消费品部门呈波动下降趋势,最后运用PVAR模型考察了两部门TFP冲击对产出、投资和就业的影响。TFP冲击的结果显示:两部门TFP冲击对经济发展都具有扩张效应,促进了产出增加,且TFP冲击对投资品部门的影响作用更大,消费品部门的TFP冲击对投资和就业具有负向影响且大于投资品部门的影响。     

经济结构变化和经济增长

本文试图从生产技术角度构建一个多部门的经济增长模型，同时容纳Kuznets事实和Kaldor事实。模型经济由最终部门和多个中间部门组成，最终产品由各中间产品以CES函数形式生产。各中间部门的技术增长率不同，而这种差异引起经济结构变化，并导致中间产品的相对价格变化，进而决定各中间部门之间要素流动和产值相对份额变动。最终产品的技术增长率为各中间部门的技术增长率加权平均和，并随经济增长单方向变动，变动方向与中间产品之间的替代弹性大小相关。     

The long-run effect of foreign direct investment on total factor productivity in developing countries: a panel cointegration analysis

This paper examines the long-run effect of the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the level of total factor productivity (TFP) for 49 developing countries for the period 1981–2011 using panel cointegration and causality techniques. It is found that (i) FDI has, on average, a negative long-run effect on TFP in developing countries, (ii) long-run causality runs in only one direction, from FDI to TFP, (iii) in the short run, TFP has a negative effect on FDI, and (iv) the long-run effect of FDI of TFP differs between selected groups of countries: While the estimated long-run FDI–TFP coefficients are always relatively large, negative, and significant for countries with lower levels of human capital, financial development, and trade openness, the estimated effects are relatively small, insignificant, or even significantly positive for subgroups of countries with higher levels of human capital, financial development, and trade openness.     

TFP growth and its determinants: a model averaging approach

Total Factor Productivity (TFP) accounts for a sizable proportion of the income differences across countries. Two challenges remain to researchers aiming to explain these differences: on the one hand, TFP growth is hard to measure empirically; on the other hand, model uncertainty hampers consensus on its key determinants. This paper combines a non-parametric measure of TFP growth with Bayesian model averaging techniques in order to address both issues. Our empirical findings suggest that the most robust TFP growth determinants are time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity and trade openness. We also investigate the main determinants of two TFP components: efficiency change (i.e., catching up) and technological progress.     

Trade-related spillovers and industrial competitiveness: Exploring the linkages for OECD countries

This study examines how trade-related spillovers impact the OECD countries' industrial competitiveness; with an emphasis on China's innovative efforts and reintegration into the global economy. In comparison with the major R&D countries, benefits attributable to spillovers are found to be more sizable for the rest of the OECD countries.This result is consistent with the observed convergence of competitiveness between the two groups of countries during 1990–2009.Moreover, our empirical results suggest China's trade-related spillovers can produce both positive and negative effects on OECD countries' industrial competitiveness. The persistence of the spillover effects is found even after controlling for trade openness creating possible spurious association. Finally, our finding TFP growth as the competitiveness driver stresses the consequential role of STI (science, technology, and innovation) policies in supporting sustainable and balanced growth.     

Trade, Technology and UK Wage Inequality

This paper examines the impact of international trade and technical change on changes in the UK skill premium. We first measure trade as changes in product prices and technical change as TFP growth. Then we relate price and TFP changes to a set of underlying forces. Among our results are (a) changes in prices, not TFP, were the major force behind the rise in inequality in the 1980s; (b) changes in OECD prices and UK tariffs significantly raised 1980s skill premia through their effects on prices, and that industry concentration significantly raised 1980s skill premia through its effect on TFP.     

贸易开放对中国区域增长的空间效应研究:1987-2009

本文在新增长理论和空间经济学框架下,构建贸易开放与区域增长的空间面板数据模型,运用空间计量方法分析1987—2009年间中国省际贸易开放对经济增长的空间效应。研究发现,中国省域经济和产业经济层面的增长均存在空间相关性;控制空间相关性后,贸易开放对省域经济的增长效应为正,伴有空间收敛与发散双向效应,并因地区发展水平、基础设施和人力资本差异而存在空间异质性;产业层面的空间效应体现了产业特征,与整体经济并不完全相同。     

Trade openness,internet finance development and banking sector development in China

This paper investigates the impact of trade openness on Internet finance development in China. Using a unique panel data set for 29 Chinese provinces, we find that trade openness has a positive impact on Internet finance development and is a leading indicator of Internet finance development. Further analyses show that higher trade openness is associated with faster Internet finance development in wealthier provinces. Moreover, we investigate the effect of Internet finance development on the banking sector development. The empirical results suggest that Internet finance development has a positive effect on the banking sector size and efficiency.     

Understanding TFP growth in inland regions of China: an empirical study of the effects of three factors

In this paper, we empirically examine the potential effects of international openness, domestic coastal-inland market integration, and human capital accumulation on TFP growth in inland provinces in China. By using a nonlinear technique as our main regression approach as well as an extended GMM method as robustness checks, we show that human capital accumulation plays an important role in promoting TFP growth in the inland provinces. Our results support the argument that the most important contribution of human capital to income growth lies not in its static, direct effect as an accumulable factor in the production function, but in its dynamic role in promoting TFP growth. Our regression results also provide evidence for the positive roles international openness and domestic coastal-inland market integration play in promoting TFP growth in inland provinces in China.     

Why is TFP growth sectorally concentrated?

Research shows that total factor productivity (TFP) growth is weak in European countries. This is inter alia attributed to the fact that substantial TFP growth is limited to a few industries. Because TFP growth is typically understood as technological progress, it is concluded that technology diffusion between sectors in Europe is hampered. We use EU KLEMS data sets to decompose sectoral TFP for nine European countries by means of a Malmquist approach in order to identify potential sources besides technical progress. Applying Harberger diagrams, we describe the sectoral distribution of TFP growth, efficiency gains and losses, economies of scale and technological progress. The analysis reveals that technological progress is quite evenly distributed across sectors in most European countries. The wide scattering of TFP growth is explained by deviating efficiency developments and the unused economies of scale. We conclude that the technology transfer between sectors in most European countries seems to work. Therefore, Europe in general does not need a new technology policy, but a further integration of the markets and a reduction of national market entry barriers. This requires further unification of pan-European standards in fields like trade and crafts codes or consumer protection policies.     

Regional origins of employment volatility: evidence from German states

Greater openness for trade can have positive welfare effects in terms of higher growth. But increased openness may also increase uncertainty through a higher volatility of employment. We use regional data from Germany to test whether openness for trade has an impact on volatility. We find a downward trend in the unconditional volatility of employment, paralleling patterns for output volatility. The conditional volatility of employment, measuring idiosyncratic developments across states, in contrast, has remained fairly unchanged. In contrast to evidence for the US, we do not find a significant link between employment volatility and trade openness.     

Structural transformation in Egypt,Morocco and Tunisia: Patterns,drivers and constraints

This study analyses structural transformation in three Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries: Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt over a large time period (1960–2010). We examine labour productivity evolution and structural change contribution to productivity growth over different sub‐periods. We analyze the contribution of different economic sectors to aggregate structural change in the three countries. An econometric analysis is also performed to identify the main factors underlying the intensity and the pattern of structural change. Results suggest that the three countries initiated and achieved some progress in structural transformation over the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. However, this process has stagnated at low‐income levels and has remained unfinished. Deindustrialization occurred at an early stage of development in the three countries, in contrast to that noticed in developed and emergent countries. The results of the econometric analysis suggest a significant and positive association between investment and structural change as capital accumulation increases the future productive capacity and triggers reallocative efficiency. The human capital quality and availability has a positive and significant impact on structural change. Trade openness is also expected to boost structural transformations. However, labour market rigidity hampers structural transformation.