Endogenous Comparative Advantage

B-Tier
Journal: Scandanavian Journal of Economics
Year: 2019
Volume: 121
Issue: 3
Pages: 1088-1124

Authors (2)

Andrea Moro (Vanderbilt University) Peter Norman (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We develop a model of trade between identical countries. Workers endogenously acquire skills that are imperfectly observed by firms; therefore, firms use aggregate country investment as the prior when evaluating workers. This creates an informational externality interacting with general equilibrium effects on each country's skill premium. Asymmetric equilibria with comparative advantages exist even when there is a unique equilibrium under autarky. Symmetric, no‐trade equilibria can be unstable under free trade. Welfare effects are ambiguous: trade can be Pareto‐improving even if it leads to an equilibrium between rich and poor countries, with no special advantage regarding country size.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:scandj:v:121:y:2019:i:3:p:1088-1124
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-26