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Measuring international specialization

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  • P. Iapadre

Abstract

Statistical indicators used to analyze international specialization are manifold. However, most of them do not measure exactly the intensity of revealed comparative advantages and do not distinguish it from other aspects such as trade performance. This paper surveys the available indicators, discriminating between trade specialization and productive specialization (the gap between domestic supply and demand). It is asserted that in order to describe the international specialization pattern of a country, it is enough to consider the product distribution of the elementary trade balances, normalized with respect to trade (trade specialization) or to internal demand (production specialization). Indeed, while the individual, normalized trade balances are only performance indicators, deviations from their average correctly measure the intensity of specialization. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2001

Suggested Citation

  • P. Iapadre, 2001. "Measuring international specialization," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 7(2), pages 173-183, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:iaecre:v:7:y:2001:i:2:p:173-183:10.1007/bf02296007
    DOI: 10.1007/BF02296007
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    2. Mellati, Ali, 2008. "Technology, Trade Specialization and Development: Jumping to Technology Development Era," MPRA Paper 26643, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Bernardina Algieri & Antonio Aquino & Marianna Succurro, 2022. "Trade Specialisation and Changing Patterns of Comparative Advantages in Manufactured Goods," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(3), pages 607-667, November.
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    5. Bojnec, Stefan & Ferto, Imre, 2009. "Former Central European Free Trade Agreement countries’ agri-food trade specialisation," German Journal of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Department for Agricultural Economics, vol. 58(08), pages 1-9, November.
    6. Depetris Guiguet, Edith & García Arancibia, Rodrigo & Rossini, Gustavo, 2010. "Consistencia de indicadores de especialización en el comercio internacional. Aplicación al caso de la mantequilla en Argentina y Uruguay = Consistency of Specialization Indicators. An Application to A," Revista de Métodos Cuantitativos para la Economía y la Empresa = Journal of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business Administration, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business Administration, vol. 9(1), pages 85-105, June.
    7. Amador, João & Cabral, Sónia & Ramos Maria, José, 2007. "International Trade Patterns over the Last Four Decades: How does Portugal Compare with other Cohesion Countries?," MPRA Paper 5996, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Viet V. Hoang, 2019. "Investigating the evolution of agricultural trade specialization in transition economies: A case study from Vietnam," The International Trade Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(4), pages 361-378, July.
    9. Oana Ancuta Stangaciu, 2011. "The Dynamic Of Regional Trade Specialisation Pattern In Romania," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 3(2), pages 336-354, June.
    10. Kapllan Halimi, 2020. "Export Competitiveness of Food Industry in Kosovo," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 4, pages 648-665, December.
    11. Ferto, Imre & Hubbard, Lionel J., 2003. "The Dynamics Of Agri-Food Trade Patterns - The Hungarian Case," 2003 Annual Meeting, August 16-22, 2003, Durban, South Africa 25851, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Rodrigo García Arancibia, 2009. "Distribución y Movilidad de la Especialización Argentina en el Comercio Mundial de Agroalimentos: Un Estudio Dinámico," Revista de Economía y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Instituto de Economía y Finanzas, vol. 47(1), pages 11-45, Junio.
    13. Aleksandra Parteka, 2010. "Employment and export specialisation along the development path: some robust evidence," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 145(4), pages 615-640, January.
    14. Yose Rizal Damuri & Raymond Atje & Arya B. Gaduh, 2006. "Integration and Trade Specialization in East Asia," Trade Working Papers 21995, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    15. João Amador & Sónia Cabral & José Maria, 2011. "A Simple Cross-Country Index of Trade Specialization," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 447-461, July.
    16. João Amador & Sónia Cabral & José Maria, 2010. "What can we learn from the distribution of trade patterns?," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 9(2), pages 77-95, August.
    17. Keld Laursen, 2015. "Revealed comparative advantage and the alternatives as measures of international specialization," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 5(1), pages 99-115, June.
    18. Fankhauser, Samuel & Kotsch, Raphaela & Srivastav, Sugandha, 2020. "The readiness of industry for a transformative recovery from COVID 19," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 106995, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    19. Moreno-Brieva, Fernando, 2022. "Effective way to measure the specialization levels of an economy in the era of global value chains," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 420-429.
    20. Foders, Federico & Vogelsang, Manuel Molina, 2014. "Why is Germany's manufacturing industry so competitive?," Kiel Policy Brief 69, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    21. Fertő, Imre & Hubbard, Lionel J., 2005. "Az agrárkereskedelem dinamikája - A csatlakozó országok esete [The dynamics of agri-food trade patterns - the accession countries case]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 24-38.
    22. Alessandra Colombelli & Antonio De Marco & Emilio Paolucci & Riccardo Ricci & Giuseppe Scellato, 2021. "University technology transfer and the evolution of regional specialization: the case of Turin," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 933-960, August.
    23. Ufer, Danielle J. & Padilla, Samantha & Link, Noah, 2023. "U.S. Trade Performance and Position in Global Meat, Poultry, and Dairy Exports," USDA Miscellaneous 335422, United States Department of Agriculture.

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