Multinational Firms and the New Trade Theory

39 Pages Posted: 21 Jul 2000 Last revised: 10 Oct 2022

See all articles by James R. Markusen

James R. Markusen

University of Colorado at Boulder - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Anthony J. Venables

University of Oxford; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Date Written: February 1995

Abstract

A model is constructed in which multinational firms may arise endogenously. Multinationals exist in equilibrium when transport and tariff costs are high, incomes are high, and firm-level scale economies are important relative to plant-level scale economies. Less obvious, multinationals are more important in total economic activity when countries are more similar in incomes, relative factor endowments, and technologies. The model may thus be useful in explaining several stylized facts, including (a) the growing importance of direct investment relative to trade among the developed countries over time and (b) the greater ratio of investment to trade among the developed countries relative to this ratio for 'north-south' or 'south-south' economic relationships. The model offers predictions about the volume of trade that contrast with those of the 'new trade theory', predicting that trade at first rises and then falls as countries converge in incomes, relative endowments, and technologies. Welfare is also considered, and it is shown that direct investment makes the smaller (or high cost) country better off, but may make the larger (or low cost) country worse off.

Suggested Citation

Markusen, James R. and Venables, Anthony J., Multinational Firms and the New Trade Theory (February 1995). NBER Working Paper No. w5036, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=225815

James R. Markusen (Contact Author)

University of Colorado at Boulder - Department of Economics ( email )

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Anthony J. Venables

University of Oxford ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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