Explaining Home Bias in Consumption: The Role of Intermediate Input Trade / Russell Hillberry, David Hummels.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hillberry, Russell.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Hummels, David.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w9020.

NBER working paper series no. w9020

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Explaining Home Bias in Consumption

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2002.

Summary:

We show that 'home bias' in trade patterns will arise endogenously due to the co-location decisions of intermediate and final goods producers. Our model identifies four implications of home bias arising out of specialized industrial demands. Regions absorb different bundles of goods. Buyers and sellers of intermediate goods co-locate. Intermediate input trade is highly localized. The effect of spatial frictions on trade are magnified. These implications are examined and confirmed using a unique data source that matches the detailed subnational geography of shipments to the characteristics of the shipping establishments. Our results broaden the measurement and interpretation of home bias, and provide new evidence on the role of intermediate inputs in concentrating production.

Notes:

Print version record

June 2002.