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A proportionality assumption and measurement biases in the factor content of trade*

* This paper is a replication of an original study

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  • Puzzello, Laura

Abstract

This paper revisits Trefler and Zhu's (2005, 2010) (TZ) empirical examination of the factor content of trade in the presence of international differences in production techniques and trade in inputs. In this framework, knowing the bilateral details of each country's input–output structure is key to the correct calculation of the factor content of trade. Because input–output tables typically lack this detail, TZ impute the relevant input–output coefficients by making a proportionality assumption. This paper uses survey-based input–output coefficients from the Asian Input–output (AIO) tables that do provide bilateral details. Exploiting methodological differences in the compilation of the AIO tables and the data underlying TZ studies, this paper empirically assesses how well the TZ approach fits sourcing patterns of inputs and finds that it understates countries' use and relative use of foreign inputs, especially in those sectors where they are most used. As a result countries' use of domestic factors is overstated. Biases generated on exported and imported factor services cancel each other out. The net effect on the measured factor trade is small.

Suggested Citation

  • Puzzello, Laura, 2012. "A proportionality assumption and measurement biases in the factor content of trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 105-111.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:87:y:2012:i:1:p:105-111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2011.11.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Keith E. Maskus & Shuichiro Nishioka, 2009. "Development‐related biases in factor productivities and the HOV model of trade," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 519-553, May.
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    5. Feenstra, Robert C & Hanson, Gordon H, 1996. "Globalization, Outsourcing, and Wage Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 240-245, May.
    6. Donald R. Davis & David E. Weinstein, 2001. "An Account of Global Factor Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1423-1453, December.
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    8. Trefler, Daniel & Zhu, Susan Chun, 2010. "The structure of factor content predictions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 195-207, November.
    9. Deborah Winkler, William Milberg, 2009. "WP 2009-12 Errors from the “Proportionality Assumption†in the Measurement of Offshoring: Application to German Labor Demand," SCEPA working paper series. 2009-12, Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA), The New School.
    10. Trefler, Daniel, 1995. "The Case of the Missing Trade and Other Mysteries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1029-1046, December.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Sascha O. Becker & Marc-Andreas Muendler, 2015. "Trade and tasks: an exploration over three decades in Germany," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 30(84), pages 589-641.
    4. Tang, Heiwai & Wang, Fei & Wang, Zhi, 2020. "Domestic segment of global value chains in China under state capitalism✰," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 797-821.
    5. Fally, Thibault & Hillberry, Russell, 2018. "A Coasian model of international production chains," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 299-315.
    6. Simon Schulte & Arthur Jakobs & Stefan Pauliuk, 2021. "Relaxing the import proportionality assumption in multi-regional input–output modelling," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, December.
    7. Marcel P. Timmer & Erik Dietzenbacher & Bart Los & Robert Stehrer & Gaaitzen J. Vries, 2015. "An Illustrated User Guide to the World Input–Output Database: the Case of Global Automotive Production," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 575-605, August.
    8. Arne J. Nagengast & Robert Stehrer, 2016. "Accounting for the Differences Between Gross and Value Added Trade Balances," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(9), pages 1276-1306, September.
    9. Feenstra, Robert C. & Jensen, J. Bradford, 2012. "Evaluating estimates of materials offshoring from US manufacturing," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 170-173.
    10. Dr. Laurence Wicht, 2020. "The margin of importing sectors in the gains from trade," Working Papers 2020-07, Swiss National Bank.
    11. Robert C. Johnson, 2018. "Measuring Global Value Chains," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 207-236, August.
    12. Heiwai Tang & Fei Wang & Zhi Wang, 2014. "The Domestic Segment of Global Supply Chains in China under State Capitalism," CESifo Working Paper Series 4797, CESifo.
    13. Arnold Njike, 2021. "Are African exports that weak? A trade in value added approach," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 733-755, March.
    14. Heiwai Tang & Fei Wang & Zhi Wang, 2016. "Extending the Input-Output Table Based on Firm-level Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 5811, CESifo.
    15. Camatte, Hadrien & Daudin, Guillaume & Faubert, Violaine & Rifflart, Christine, 2023. "Estimating the elasticity of consumer prices to the exchange rate: An accounting approach," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    16. Walid Hejazi & Daniel Trefler, 2019. "Implications of Canada’s restrictive FDI policies on employment and productivity," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(2), pages 142-166, June.
    17. Laura Puzzello & Paul Raschky, 2014. "Global supply chains and natural disasters: implications for international trade," Chapters, in: Benno Ferrarini & David Hummels (ed.), Asia and Global Production Networks, chapter 4, pages 112-147, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    18. Njike, Arnold, 2019. "Are African exports that weak ? A trade in value-added approach," MPRA Paper 97658, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Hadrien Camatte & Guillaume Daudin & Violaine Faubert & Antoine Lalliard & Christine Rifflart, 2021. "Global value chains and the transmission of exchange rate shocks to consumer prices," Working Papers hal-03374355, HAL.
    20. Peter H. Egger & Katharina Erhardt, 2016. "EU-Swiss trade integration via input-output linkages:," Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, vol. 67(03), pages 1-23, December.
    21. Pol Antràs & Davin Chor, 2021. "Global Value Chains," NBER Working Papers 28549, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    22. Nishioka, Shuichiro & Ripoll, Marla, 2012. "Productivity, trade and the R&D content of intermediate inputs," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1573-1592.
    23. Johnson, Robert C. & Noguera, Guillermo, 2012. "Accounting for intermediates: Production sharing and trade in value added," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 224-236.

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    Replication

    This item is a replication of:
  • Trefler, Daniel & Zhu, Susan Chun, 2010. "The structure of factor content predictions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 195-207, November.
  • More about this item

    Keywords

    Factor content of trade; Proportionality assumption; International differences in production techniques;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

    Lists

    This item is featured on the following reading lists, Wikipedia, or ReplicationWiki pages:
    1. A proportionality assumption and measurement biases in the factor content of trade (JIE 2012) in ReplicationWiki

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