Product Variety and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence for the Oecd Countries

Author/Editor:

Michael Funke

Publication Date:

January 1, 2000

Electronic Access:

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Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

This paper uses panel data for 19 OECD countries and finds support for the hypothesis that a greater degree of product variety relative to the United States helps to explain relative per capita GDP levels. The empirical work relies upon some direct measures of product variety calculated from 6-digit OECD export and import data. Although the issue is still far from being settled, the emerging conclusion is that the index of relative product variety across countries is significantly correlated with relative per capita income levels.

Series:

Working Paper No. 2000/005

Subject:

Exports Human capital International trade Labor National accounts Personal income

English

Publication Date:

January 1, 2000

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451842173/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA0052000

Pages:

25

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