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South Africa's Export Predicament

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  • Hausmann, Ricardo

    (Harvard U)

  • Klinger, Bailey

Abstract

This paper explores export performance in South Africa over the past 50 years, and concludes that a lagging process of structural transformation is part of the explanation for stagnant exports per capita. Slow structural transformation in South Africa is found to be a consequence of the peripheral nature of South Africa’s productive capabilities. We apply new tools to evaluate South Africa’s future prospects for structural transformation, as well as to explore the sectoral priorities of the DTI’s draft industrial strategy. We then discuss policy conclusions, advocating an ‘open-architecture’ industrial policy where the methods applied herein are but one tool to screen private sector requests for sector-specific coordination and public goods. [Jointly published as Center for International Development Working Paper No. 129 and KSG Faculty Research Working Paper Series RWP06-040.]

Suggested Citation

  • Hausmann, Ricardo & Klinger, Bailey, 2006. "South Africa's Export Predicament," Working Paper Series rwp06-040, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp06-040
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jaffe, Adam B, 1986. "Technological Opportunity and Spillovers of R&D: Evidence from Firms' Patents, Profits, and Market Value," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(5), pages 984-1001, December.
    2. Ricardo Hausmann & Bailey Klinger, 2007. "The Structure of the Product Space and the Evolution of Comparative Advantage," CID Working Papers 146, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
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    5. C. A. Hidalgo & B. Klinger & A. -L. Barabasi & R. Hausmann, 2007. "The Product Space Conditions the Development of Nations," Papers 0708.2090, arXiv.org.
    6. Hausmann, Ricardo & Klinger, Bailey, 2006. "Structural Transformation and Patterns of Comparative Advantage in the Product Space," Working Paper Series rwp06-041, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
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    11. Ricardo Hausmann & Dani Rodrik & Charles F. Sabel, 2008. "Reconfiguring Industrial Policy: A Framework with an Application to South Africa," CID Working Papers 168, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sandra Poncet & Felipe Starosta de Waldemar, 2015. "Product Relatedness and Firm Exports in China," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 29(3), pages 579-605.
    2. Rattsø, Jørn & Stokke, Hildegunn E., 2012. "Trade policy in a growth model with technology gap dynamics and simulations for South Africa," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 1042-1056.
    3. Massie, Natanael Waraney Gerald & Mangunsong, Carlos, 2022. "Products as Network: An Empirical Approximation of the Manufacturing Production Network in Indonesia," MPRA Paper 114647, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Shan Li & Xun Li & Wei Lang & Haohui Chen & Xiaoguang Huang, 2021. "The Spatial and Mechanism Difference in the Export Evolution of Product Space in Global Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Berhanu Abegaz, 2008. "The Speed Of Structural Convergence In The Manufacturing Industries Of Newly Industrialising Economies," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 76(s2), pages 89-109, August.
    6. Danie Francois Toerien, 2022. "Temporal and Geographic Stress Testing of Entrepreneurial Proportionalities in United States Counties," World, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-31, July.
    7. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2007. "A Growth Model For South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 75(4), pages 616-630, December.
    8. Iyoboyi, Martins, 2019. "Macroeconomic Analysis of Export Diversification in Nigeria," Empirical Economic Review, Department of Economics and Statistics, Dr Hassan Murad School of Management, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, vol. 2(1), pages 83-116.
    9. Madani , Dorsati H. & Mas-Guix, Natalia, 2011. "The impact of export tax incentives on export performance : evidence from the automotive sector in South Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5585, The World Bank.
    10. Andrews, Matthew, 2008. "Is Black Economic Empowerment a South African Growth Catalyst? (Or Could It Be...)," Working Paper Series rwp08-033, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    11. Matt Andrews, 2008. "Is Black Economic Empowerment a South African Growth Catalyst? (Or Could it Be...)," CID Working Papers 170, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    12. Jørn Rattsø & Hildegunn E. Stokke, 2009. "Trade barriers to growth in South Africa: Endogenous investment-productivity-trade interaction," DEGIT Conference Papers c014_010, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    13. Francis Lwesya, 2018. "Export Diversification and Poverty Reduction in Tanzania," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 21(68), pages 93-110, June.
    14. Hausmann, Ricardo & Chauvin, Jasmina, 2015. "Moving to the Adjacent Possible: Discovering Paths for Export Diversification in Rwanda," Working Paper Series rwp15-022, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    15. Ricardo Hausmann & Bailey Klinger, 2009. "Erratum," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 17(1), pages 211-212, January.
    16. Berhanu Abegaz, 2007. "The Speed of Structural Convergence in the Manufacturing Industries of Newly Industrializing Economies," Working Papers 67, Department of Economics, College of William and Mary.
    17. Wouter G. Bam & Karolien Bruyne & Mare Laing, 2021. "The IO–PS in the context of GVC-related policymaking: The case of the South African automotive industry," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(3), pages 410-432, September.
    18. Hilsenrath, Peter & Pogue, Thomas, 2017. "Distributed dynamic capabilities in South Africa's mineral resource-finance network," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 57-67.

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    • F19 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Other

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