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Outsourcing, factor prices and skill formation in countries with non-overlapping time zones

Author

Listed:
  • Biswajit Mandal

    (Visva-Bharati University)

  • Sugata Marjit

    (Centre for Studies in Social Sciences Calcutta)

  • Noritsugu Nakanishi

    (Kobe University)

Abstract

Time zone difference induced changes in trade and factor prices are relatively new concerns in trade literature. Here in this paper, we formulate a trade model capturing the issue of time zone difference and communication technology revolution together to show that due to these developments skilled workers benefit. Though wage inequality between skilled and unskilled workers is widened under reasonable and, of course, sensible condition. Return to capital dwindles while educational capital gets relatively high return. These changes also attract educational capital from abroad and eventually alter the sectoral composition of the economy in favor of more skill based one. One interesting implication of our results points to a provocative choice problem for the country concerned regarding high wage disparity and low skill formation which itself is a question of political economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Biswajit Mandal & Sugata Marjit & Noritsugu Nakanishi, 2018. "Outsourcing, factor prices and skill formation in countries with non-overlapping time zones," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(2), pages 289-304, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurase:v:8:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s40822-017-0086-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s40822-017-0086-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Sugata Marjit & Biswajit Mandal, 2017. "Virtual trade between separated time zones and growth," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 13(2), pages 171-183, June.
    2. Biswajit Mandal & Sujata Ghosh, 2020. "Communication Cost, Skilled-Unskilled Wage, and Informality," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 18(4), pages 927-939, December.
    3. Alaka Shree Prasad & Biswajit Mandal, 2019. "Time zone difference, skill formation and corrupt informal sector: the role of virtual trade," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 261-290, December.
    4. Mandal, Biswajit & Prasad, Alaka Shree, 2018. "Time Zone Differences, Communication Cost and Service Trade," MPRA Paper 87465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Prasad, Alaka Shree & Mandal, Biswajit, 2019. "Virtual trade between different time zones, educational capital and corrupt informal sector," MPRA Paper 96963, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Biswajit Mandal & Sugata Marjit & Noritsugu Nakanishi, 2018. "Outsourcing, factor prices and skill formation in countries with non-overlapping time zones," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(2), pages 289-304, August.
    7. Biswajit Mandal & Alaka Shree Prasad, 2020. "A simple model of time zone differences, virtual trade and informality," Indian Growth and Development Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(1), pages 81-96, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time zone differences; Trade in business services; Skilled and unskilled labor; Day-shift and night-shift work; Educational capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements

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