Distorted Gravity: The Intensive and Extensive Margins of International Trade

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2008
Volume: 98
Issue: 4
Pages: 1707-21

Score contribution per author:

8.073 = (α=2.02 / 1 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

By considering a model with identical firms, Krugman (1980) predicts that a higher elasticity of substitution between goods magnifies the impact of trade barriers on trade flows. In this paper, I introduce firm heterogeneity in a simple model of international trade. I prove that the extensive margin and the intensive margin are affected by the elasticity of substitution in exact opposite directions. When the distribution of productivity across firms is Pareto, the predictions of the Krugman model with representative firms are overturned: the impact of trade barriers on trade flows is dampened by the elasticity of substitution, and not magnified. (JEL F12, F13)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:98:y:2008:i:4:p:1707-21
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25