Market size, division of labor, and firm productivity

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of International Economics
Year: 2013
Volume: 90
Issue: 1
Pages: 177-180

Score contribution per author:

2.018 = (α=2.02 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

We generalize Krugman's (1979) ‘new trade’ model by allowing for an explicit production chain in which a range of tasks is performed sequentially by a number of specialized teams. We demonstrate that an increase in market size induces a deeper division of labor among these teams which leads to an increase in firm productivity. The paper can be thought of as a formalization of Smith's (1776) famous theorem that the division of labor is limited by the extent of the market. It also sheds light on how market size differences can limit the scope for international technology transfers.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:inecon:v:90:y:2013:i:1:p:177-180
Journal Field
International
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25