Granular Comparative Advantage

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2021
Volume: 129
Issue: 3
Pages: 871 - 939

Authors (2)

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

Large firms play a pivotal role in international trade. We develop a multisector granular model of trade where sectors host a finite number of firms. Both aggregate and granular firm-level forces shape comparative advantage. The model is estimated using French microdata on firm domestic and export sales. We find that granularity accounts for about 20% of the sectoral variation in export intensity and is more pronounced in highly export-intensive sectors. An extension to a dynamic environment with both idiosyncratic and aggregate shocks reveals that firm dynamics plays a central role in shaping comparative advantage reversals observed in the data.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/712444
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-02-02