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The nature and causes of intra-industry trade: Back to the comparative advantage explanation? The case of Spain

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Abstract

The Nature and Causes of Intra-Industry Trade: Back to the Comparative Advantage Explanations? The Case of Spain. — The aim of this paper is to contribute empirically to the knowledge of the nature and causes of intra-industry trade (IIT), distinguishing between vertical and horizontal IIT. To this end, we estimate a more general empirical model than those used in previous studies, by introducing simultaneously both national and industry-specific variables which include measures for human and technological capital endowments. The results show that vertical IIT is positively related to industry technological intensity and differences in human and technological capital endowments between countries. On the other hand, horizontal IIT is explained by the traditional monopolistic competition model.

Zusammenfassung

Zum Wesen undzuden Gründen des intraindustriellen Handels: Zurück zu den komparativen Vorteilen als ErklÄrung? Spanien als Fallbeispiel. — Ziel des Artikels ist es, einen empirischen Beitrag zum VerstÄndnis des intraindustriellen Handels zu liefern, wobei zwischen vertikalem und horizontalem intraindustriellem Handel unterschieden wird. Deshalb wird ein Modell geschÄtzt, das allgemeiner angelegt ist als das früherer Untersuchungen und in das simultan nationale und industriespezifische Variable eingeführt werden, die auch die Ausstattung mit Humankapital und technologischem Kapital reprÄsentieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der vertikale intraindustrielle Handel positiv abhÄngt von der technologischen IntensitÄt der Industrien und den Unterschieden in der Ausstattung der LÄnder mit Humankapital und technologischem Kapital. Auf der anderen Seite lÄsst sich der horizontale intraindustrielle Handel mit dem traditionellen Modell der monopolistischen Konkurrenz erklÄren.

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Authors
  1. José V. Blanes
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  2. Carmela Martín
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Blanes, J.V., Martín, C. The nature and causes of intra-industry trade: Back to the comparative advantage explanation? The case of Spain. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv 136, 423–441 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02707288

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