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Export variety, technological content and economic performance: The case of Portugal

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  • Francisco Rebelo

    (Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto)

  • Ester Gomes da Silva

    (Faculdade de Letras/ISFLUP; CEF.UP, Universidade do Porto)

Abstract

Although the analysis of the relationship between international trade and economic growth has an important tradition in the economic literature, the specific focus on a related matter, the link between export variety and economic growth, remains a relatively unexplored field of research. Recently, a few studies have approached this issue, adopting a neo-Schumpeterian framework. In line with this general frame of analysis, in this paper we investigate the impact of export variety on economic growth, cross-relating the variety dimension with technological upgrading. Cointegration econometric results based on the Portuguese experience over the past four decades (1967-2010) show that increased related variety has led to a significant growth bonus, but only in the case of technology advanced sectors. The impact of export variety on economic performance seems, therefore, to be conditioned by the technological intensity of the products involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Rebelo & Ester Gomes da Silva, 2013. "Export variety, technological content and economic performance: The case of Portugal," FEP Working Papers 491, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    • Handle: RePEc:por:fepwps:491
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    2. Nicola Daniele Coniglio & Raffaele Lagravinese & Davide Vurchio, 2016. "Production sophisticatedness and growth: evidence from Italian provinces before and during the crisis, 1997–2013," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 9(2), pages 423-442.
    3. Xiaozhen Qin & Shan Li & Weipan Xu & Xun Li, 2019. "Which Export Variety Matters for Urban Economic Growth, Related or Unrelated Variety?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Arash Ketabforoush Badri & Parsa Ketabforoush Badri, 2017. "Effective Factors on Exports with Emphasis on Human Capital in Selected Developing Countries," Noble International Journal of Business and Management Research, Noble Academic Publsiher, vol. 1(12), pages 160-167, December.
    5. Beata Udvari, 2016. "The Aid for Trade initiative and the export performance of the Iberian EU-countries," IWE Working Papers 225, Institute for World Economics - Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade; variety; economic growth; technical change; Portugal.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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