Changing Patterns in the Export of Goods Versus International Competitiveness. A Comparative Analysis for Central-East European Countries in the Period 2000–2011

Ewa Lechman

doi:10.2478/cer-2014-0014

Authors

Ewa Lechman Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Management and Economics

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2478/cer-2014-0014

Keywords:

competitiveness, export, technology-intensity, comparative analysis

Abstract

This paper discusses the existing links between changing patterns in the export of goods, broken down by technology-intensity, versus intrenational competitiveness. The study covers nine Central-East European (CEE) economies: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic, in the time span 2000-2011. We examine the hypothesis of a strong, positive and statistically significant relationship between flows of export of high-tech and ICT manufactures industries goods, and an economy’s level of international competitiveness (approximated by the Global Competitiveness Index - GCI, see: World Economic Forum). Our methodological approach relies on elaboration of each country`s individual export patterns with regard to industries of different technology-intensities, and statistical analysis between the international GCI variable and variables identifying shares in total export of certain industries. Contrary to what was initially expected, our empirical results do not seem to support the hypothesis on statistically positive links between growing shares of high-tech and ICT manufactures industries in the total value of export versus the Global Competitiveness Index in the analyzed countries.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arrow, Kenneth J. (1962), Economic Welfare and the Allocation of Resources to Invention, The Rand Corporation, United States

Aiginger, K. (2006), Competitiveness: From a Dangerous Obsession to a Welfare Creating Ability with Positive Externalities, ‘Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade’, Springer, 6 (2)

Alcalá, F. and Ciccone, A. (2004), Trade and Productivity, ‘Quarterly Journal of Economics’, Oxford Journals, 119 (2)

Amable, B., Verspagen, B. (1995), The role of technology in market shares dynamics, Open Access publications from Maastricht University, Maastricht, no. 27-18070

Bernard, A., J. Jensen, S. Redding and P. Schott. (2007), Firms in International Trade, Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, 21(3)

Cantwell, J. (1989), Technological Innovation and Multinational Corporations, B.Blackwell Publishing

Carolyn, F. (2001), Rebating environmental policy revenues: output-based allocation and tradable performance standards, Discussion Chapters db-01-22, Resources for the Future, 01-22

Chesnais, F. (1992), National Systems of Innovation, Foreign Direct Investment and the Operations of Multinational Enterprises, in Lundvall, B. A. (ed) National Systems of Innovation, Pinter Publishers: London

Delgado M., Ketels C., Porter M., Stern S. (2012), The determinants of national competitiveness, Working Paper 18249, National Bureau Of Economic Research, United States

Delgado, M. and C. Ketels. (2011), Assessing Country Competitiveness: Case of Spain, in P.Cooke, J.L. Curbelo and M.D. Parrilli (eds.) Innovation, Global Change and Territorial Resilience, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

Dollar, D. and A. Kraay. (2003), Institutions, Trade, and Growth, Journal of Monetary, Economics, Elsevier, 50 (1)

Dosi, G., K.L.R. Pavitt and L.L.G. Soete, (1990), The Economics of Technical Change and International Trade, Harvester Wheatsheaf, Hemel Hempstead

Dunning, J.H. (1993), Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy, Wokingham, Berks: Addison-Wesley

Fagerberg, J., M. Srholec and M. Knell. (2007), The Competitiveness of Nations: Why Some Countries Prosper While Others Fall Behind, World Development, Elsevier, 35 (10)

Fagerberg, J. (1989), Innovation, catching-up and growth, Working Chapter 1989137, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Olso

Hatzichronoglou, T. (1997), Revision of the high-technology sector and product classification, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Chapter 1997/02, OECD

Hausmann, R. and B. Klinger. (2006), Structural Transformation and Patterns of Comparative Advantage in the Product Space, Working Paper No. 128.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Center for International Development

Krugman P. (1994), Competitiveness – a dangerous obsession, Foreign Affairs. Issue: March/April 1994 (volume 73, number 2)

Lall, S. (2000), The technological structure and performance of developing country manufactured exports, 1985-98, Oxford Development Studies, Oxford, vol. 28(3)

Lall, S. (2001), Competitiveness, Technology and Skills. Edgar Elgar, Cheltenham

Leontief, W. (1953), Domestic production and foreign trade; the American position re-examined, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, American Philosophical Society, Vol. 97, No.4

Lopez, R.A. (2005), Trade and growth: reconciling the international and microeconomic evidence, Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4)

MacGarvie, M. (2006), Do firms learn from international trade?, Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, 88 (1)

Narula, R. (1993), Technology, international business and Porter`s diamond: synthesising a dynamic competitive development model, Management International Review, Springer, special issue, vol. 2

Nicoletti, G., Scarpatta S. (2003), Regulation, Productivity and Growth, OECD Working Paper, OECD, No. 347

Porter, M. E. (2006), The Microeconomic Foundations of Prosperity: Findings from the Business Competitiveness Index, with C. Ketels and M. Delgado, in World Economic Forum (ed.), Global Competitiveness Report 2006-2007, Geneva: World Economic Forum

Porter, M.E., M. Delgado, C. Ketels, and S. Stern. (2008), Moving to a New Global Competitiveness Index, in World Economic Forum (ed.), 2008, The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009

Posner, M.V. (1961), International Trade and Technical Change, Oxford Economic Chapters, Oxford, 13

Rodríguez, F. and D. Rodrik. (2000), Trade Policy and Economic Growth: A Skeptic's Guide to the Cross-National Evidence, in B. Bernanke and K. Rogoff (eds.), NBER Internationals Annual 2000. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research

Roztocki N., Weistroffer, H.R. (2008), Information Technology in transition economies, Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Ivy League Publishing, Vol.11, No.4

Spencer, B. and J. Brandner. (2008), Strategic Trade Policy, in: The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, ed. by S.N. Durlauf and L. E. Blume, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan

Trabold, H. (1995), Die internationale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit einer Volkswirtschaft, DIW- Vierteljahresheft, Berlin, No. 2

Wood, A. (1994), Give Heckscher and Ohlin a Chance!, Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, Kiel, Vol. 130(1)