Trade Specialisation, Technology and Economic Growth: Theory and Evidence from Advanced Countries

by Keld Laursen

Overview

How does Ricardian specialisation affect economic development in relatively advanced countries? Keld Laursen, inspired by the myriad newly-emergent neoclassical/new industrial economics contributions, makes a detailed study of the role of specialisation and structural change in advanced economies. Until now, these theoretical contributions have not been subjected to a systematic empirical investigation.

The three key questions are:

• Do countries converge or diverge in terms of their specialisation patterns over time?
• Can the role of technology explain the direction of national trade specialisation?
• What are the implications of international specialisation patterns (and their changes) for economic growth?

This study will be of immense interest to postgraduates and researchers working on theories and practices of innovation, trade, and growth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781840643855
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	10/25/2000
Series:	New Horizons in the Economics of Innovation series
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Keld Laursen, Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Table of Contents

Contents: Part I: Introduction 1. The Theme 2. A Survey of the Theoretical Literature on Trade and Growth 3. A Comparison of Measures of International Specialisation Part II: The Development of International Specialisation Patterns 4. Structural Change in OECD Export Specialisation Patterns: De-specialisation and ‘Stickiness’ 5. Do Export and Technological Specialisation Patterns Co-evolve in Terms of Convergence or Divergence? Part III: The Determinants of International Trade Specialisation 6. Horizontal Diversification as a Determinant of Specialisation: The Case of Denmark and Pharmaceuticals 7. Do Inter-sectoral Linkages Matter for International Export Specialisation? Part IV: The Effects of International Specialisation 8. The Impact of Technological Opportunity on the Dynamics of Trade Performance 9. Does Specialisation Matter for Growth? 10. How Structural Change Differs, and Why it Matters (for Economic Growth) Part V: Conclusion 11. Retrospect and Prospect References Index

Editorial Reviews

'. . . the econometric skill shown here indicates that these authors are in the best position to introduce into mainstream economics some of the issues which have for long been debated in science and technology policy studies.'

Daniele Archibugi

'By exploiting newly available data sources, Keld Laursen's pioneering research makes a major empirical contribution to our understanding of the links between technology, structural change and economic growth in the world's industrially advanced countries. It also gives much needed historical perspective for current debates about the "new, knowledge-based" economy.'

The late Keith Pavitt

Examines the role of international Ricardian specialization in economic development processes. Laursen (Copenhagen Business School) considers whether countries converge or diverge in terms of specialization patterns over time; if the role of technology can explain the direction of national trade specialization; and the implications of international specialization patterns and their changes for economic growth. Appreciative theories, neo-classical theories, post-Keynesian approaches, and evolutionary approaches are discussed in relation to each of the three issues. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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