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O-Ring Production Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Banu Demir
  • Ana Cecília Fieler
  • Daniel Xu
  • Kelly Kaili Yang

Abstract

We study a production network where quality choices are interconnected across firms. High-quality firms are skill intensive and trade more with other high-quality firms. Using data from Turkish firms, we document strong assortative matching of skills in the production network. A firm-specific export demand shock from a rich country increases the firm's skill intensity and shifts the firm toward skill-intensive domestic partners. We develop a quantitative model with heterogeneous firms, endogenous quality choices, and network formation. An economy-wide export demand shock of 5 percent induces exporters and non-exporters to upgrade quality, raising the average wage by 1.2 percent. This effect is about nine times the effect in a special case of the model with no interconnection of quality choices.

Suggested Citation

  • Banu Demir & Ana Cecília Fieler & Daniel Xu & Kelly Kaili Yang, 2021. "O-Ring Production Networks," NBER Working Papers 28433, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28433
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    2. Federico Huneeus & Kory Kroft & Kevin Lim, 2021. "Earnings Inequality in Production Networks," NBER Working Papers 28424, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Alfaro-Urena, Alonso & Manelici, Isabela & Vasquez, Jose P, 2019. "The Effects of Multinationals on Workers: Evidence from Costa Rica," Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, Working Paper Series qt51r419w9, Institute of Industrial Relations, UC Berkeley.
    4. Demir, Banu & Cosar, Kerem & Ghose, Devaki & Young, Nathaniel, 2021. "Road Capacity, Domestic Trade and Regional Outcomes," CEPR Discussion Papers 16512, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Rodrigo Adao & Paul E. Carrillo & Arnaud Costinot & Dave Donaldson & Dina Pomeranz, 2020. "International Trade and Earnings Inequality: A New Factor Content Approach," Working Papers 2020-182, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    6. Jonathan EATON & Samuel KORTUM & Francis KRAMARZ, 2016. "Firm-to-Firm Trade: Imports, exports, and the labor market," Discussion papers 16048, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    7. Ali Kabiri & Vlad Malone & Isabelle Roland & Mariana Spatareanu, 2020. "Bank default risk propagation along supply chains: evidence from the UK," CEP Discussion Papers dp1699, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    8. Yoshiyuki ARATA, 2020. "The Role of Granularity in the Variance and Tail Probability of Aggregate Output," Discussion papers 20027, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    9. Lafond, François & Astudillo-Estévez, Pablo & Bacilieri, Andrea & Borsos, András, 2023. "Firm-level production networks: what do we (really) know?," INET Oxford Working Papers 2023-08, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    10. Jaan Masso & Priit Vahter, 2021. "Joining And Exiting The Value Chain Of Multinationals And The Performance Of Suppliers: Evidence From Inter-Firm Transaction Data," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 136, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    11. Dix-Carneiro, Rafael & Traiberman, Sharon, 2023. "Globalization, trade imbalances and inequality," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 48-72.
    12. Martina Kirchberger & Keelan Beirne, 2021. "Concrete Thinking About Development," Trinity Economics Papers tep0621, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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