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Does bilateral trust across countries really affect international trade and factor mobility?

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  • Eva Spring
  • Volker Grossmann

Abstract

This paper examines whether bilateral trust across countries affects international trade and migration. Following Guiso et al. (Q J Econ, 2009 ; henceforth GSZ), we capture the exogenous variance in bilateral trust by measuring physical dissimilarities (‘somatic distance’) between country pairs. We employ seven alternative somatic distance indicators in addition to the one by GSZ. As they are all equally valid instruments, it should not matter in two-stage least-squares estimations which one of them we use at the first stage. However, bilateral trust significantly affects international trade only if employing the indicator by GSZ. In the context of international migration, bilateral trust never enters significantly at the second stage. Overall, we find little evidence that bilateral trust and/or cultural proximity affect international trade or migration. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

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  • Eva Spring & Volker Grossmann, 2016. "Does bilateral trust across countries really affect international trade and factor mobility?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 103-136, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:50:y:2016:i:1:p:103-136
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-015-0915-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Yann Algan & Pierre Cahuc, 2010. "Inherited Trust and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(5), pages 2060-2092, December.
    2. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/432sbils8u9t7qa99cii5psht1 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Ndubuisi, Gideon, 2020. "Trust and R&D investments: evidence from OECD countries," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(6), pages 809-830, December.
    4. Chiara Franco & Daniela Maggioni, 2022. "Does international trade favor proximity in cultural beliefs?," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 12(3), pages 449-477, September.
    5. Jacques Melitz & Farid Toubal, 2019. "Somatic distance, trust and trade," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 786-802, August.
    6. Jacques Melitz & Farid Toubal, 2018. "Somatic Distance, Cultural Affinities, Trust and Trade," CESifo Working Paper Series 7051, CESifo.
    7. Gideon Onyewuchi Ndubuisi, 2020. "Contractual frictions and the patterns of trade: The role of generalized trust," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(7), pages 775-796, October.
    8. Olivier BARGAIN & Jean-Marie CARDEBAT & Raphaël CHIAPPINI, 2020. "Trade Uncorked: Genetic Resistance and Quality Heterogeneity in Wine Exports," Bordeaux Economics Working Papers 2020-18, Bordeaux School of Economics (BSE).
    9. Matteo Fiorini & Giorgia Giovannetti & Mauro Lanati & Filippo Santi, 2021. "Asymmetric cultural proximity and greenfield foreign direct investment," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(9), pages 2572-2603, September.
    10. Ndubuisi, Gideon & Konte, Maty, 2019. "Credit constraints and trade performance: Does trust-based social capital matter?," MERIT Working Papers 2019-046, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Tim Krieger & Laura Renner & Jens Ruhose, 2015. "Genetic Distance and International Migrant Selection," CESifo Working Paper Series 5453, CESifo.
    12. Liu, Min & Su, Cong & Wang, Fangfang & Huang, Liangxiong, 2020. "Chinese cross-border M&As in the “One Belt One Road” countries: The impact of Confucius Institutes," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    13. Rindler, Michael, 2021. "Changing Language Skills and Trade in Europe," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242449, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bilateral trust; Cultural proximity; International migration; International trade; Somatic distance; F10; F22; Z10;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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