Abstract
Fragmentation and Trade: US Inward Processing Trade in the EU. — Fragmentation, which refers to the splitting up of a previously integrated production process into separate components, is seen as one of the reasons for the increasing globalization of the world economy. This paper undertakes an empirical study of the extent of US inward processing trade (IPT) in the EU, which we use as a proxy for fragmentation in trade. We also provide empirical evidence on the determinants of the distribution of US IPT across manufacturing sectors in the twelve EU member states. Our results give support to the importance of comparative advantage for the sectoral distribution of US IPT. Also, we find that the labour costs and the level of US FDI stocks affect US IPT in EU peripheral countries, while they do not seem to have any impact on EU core countries.
Zusammenfassung
Die Aufspaltung von Produktionsprozessen und internationaler Handel: Die Lohnveredelung amerikanischer Unternehmen in der EU. — Die Fragmentation, die sich auf die Aufspaltung von bislang vertikal integrierten Produktionsprozessen bezieht, wird als einer der Gründe für die zunehmende Globalisierung der Weltwirtschaft gesehen. Dieser Artikel unternimmt es, empirisch den Umfang der Lohnveredelung amerikanischer Unternehmen in der EuropÄischen Union zu untersuchen, bei der amerikanische Unternehmen im Rahmen ihrer weltweiten Strategie zunÄchst Zwischenprodukte in die EU-LÄnder importieren, dort in Tochterfirmen weiter veredeln und dann wieder aus den EU-LÄndern exportieren. Aufgezeigt wird die empirische Evidenz von Determinanten, die die Verteilung der Lohnveredelung über die Industriesektoren in den zwölf EU-Mitgliedstaaten bestimmen. Die Ergebnisse bekrÄftigen die Bedeutung der komparativen Vorteile für die sektorale Verteilung der Lohnveredelung. Au\erdem zeigt sich, dass die Lohnkosten und der Bestand amerikanischer Direktinvestitionen die Lohnveredelung amerikanischer Unternehmen in den LÄndern am Rande der EU beeinflussen, wÄhrend sie für die KernlÄnder nicht von Bedeutung sind.
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