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Structural change in OECD comparative advantage

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  • Steven Brakman
  • Robert Inklaar
  • Charles Van Marrewijk

Abstract

In the post-war period, the goods composition of trade in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries has changed considerably. We analyze the evolution of comparative advantage using a detailed trade data set and a new analytical tool: the Harmonic Mass index (HM index), which enables us to identify periods of structural change. We then discuss which forces may be responsible for the main structural changes, which primarily took place in many OECD countries in the mid 1980s. The advantage of the HM analysis is that it indicates when structural breaks occur in history.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Brakman & Robert Inklaar & Charles Van Marrewijk, 2013. "Structural change in OECD comparative advantage," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(6), pages 817-838, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jitecd:v:22:y:2013:i:6:p:817-838
    DOI: 10.1080/09638199.2011.605460
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaomeng Li & Hongbo Cai & Siyu Huang & Jiajun Ma & Qinghua Chen, 2022. "The universal pathway to commodity structure upgrading in global trade evolution," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 17(4), pages 1047-1067, October.
    2. Ioannis Bournakis & Michela Vecchi & Francesco Venturini, 2011. "Offshoring and Specialisation: Are Industries Moving Abroad?," Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia, Finanza e Statistica 98/2011, Università di Perugia, Dipartimento Economia.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General

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