Trade, offshoring, and the invisible handshake

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of International Economics
Year: 2010
Volume: 82
Issue: 1
Pages: 26-34

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

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

Abstract

We study the effect of globalization on the volatility of wages and worker welfare in a model in which risk is allocated through long-run employment relationships (the 'invisible handshake'). Globalization can take two forms: international integration of commodity markets (i.e., free trade) and international integration of factor markets (i.e., offshoring). In a two-country, two-good, two-factor model we show that free trade and offshoring have opposite effects on rich-country workers. Free trade hurts rich-country workers, while reducing the volatility of their wages; by contrast, offshoring benefits them, while raising the volatility of their wages. We thus formalize, but also sharply circumscribe, a common critique of globalization.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:inecon:v:82:y:2010:i:1:p:26-34
Journal Field
International
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25