Trade and Uneven Growth
Working Paper 3276
DOI 10.3386/w3276
Issue Date
We consider trade between two countries of unequal size, where the creation of new intermediate inputs occurs in both. We assume that the knowledge gained from R&D in one country does not spillover to the other. Under autarky, the larger country would have a higher rate of product creation. When trade occurs in the final goods, we find that the smaller country has its rate of product creation stowed, even in the long run. In contrast, the larger country enjoys a temporary increase in its rate of R&D. We also examine the welfare consequences of trade in the final goods, which depend on whether the intermediate inputs are traded or not.
Published Versions
Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 49, no. 1 (April 1996): 229-256. citation courtesy of