North-South Technological Diffusion and Dynamic Gains from Trade

Abstract

This paper revisits the question of gains from trade in a dynamic setting from the perspective of an R&D based growth model of technological diffusion. The transition paths, as well as steady-state growth paths, are analyzed for a developed and a developing nation trading in intermediate and final goods. Static computable general equilibrium (CGE) models have yielded only small welfare gain estimates (.5-1%) for trade liberalization. Dynamic models have increased these estimates (up to 10%), but often ignore feedback effects caused by technological diffusion and generally consider only steady-state welfare effects. These feedback effects are especially important due to the long transition paths they induce for both countries.

This paper studies the transitional dynamics in a quality ladder model of endogenous growth in which North-South trade leads to technological diffusion through reverse engineering of intermediate goods. The concept of learning-to-learn is incorporated into both imitative and innovative processes, which in turn drive domestic technological progress. International trade with imitation leads to feedback effects between Southern imitators and Northern innovators who compete for the world market. Consequently, both regions face transition paths dependent on their relative technologies. When the South liberalizes its trade, world growth increases, leading to welfare gains of 5% for the South. While the North also experiences steady-state welfare gains, the transition costs borne by the North during the long transition lead to an overall loss in Northern welfare. Still, this loss is attributable to the lack of intellectual property rights (IPRs) rather than trade per se. Interestingly, imposition of IPRs not only leads to an overall welfare gain for the North, but also further boosts Southern welfare gains up to 16%, again because of the feedback effects in technology.

Keywords: Trade, Technology, Economic development