Trade Liberalization and Industry Dynamics: A Difference in Difference Approach

Recent models of trade with firm heterogeneity predict that opening to trade reduces the number of firms, increases the average size of firms, and decreases firms’ markups. This paper uses a large dataset for 28 manufacturing industries and 46 countries to test these predictions. The econometric analysis based on the treatment effects literature shows that on average, trade liberalizations do not decrease the number of firms nor increase the average size of firms. Markups appear to decrease during the three years after the liberalization. We also find that the number of firms and the average size of firms increase in comparative advantage industries.

Skill Upgrading and the Real Exchange Rate

This paper examines the effect of changes in the real exchange rate on skill upgrading in the case of Chile. Using plant-level data from the manufacturing sector we find that a real depreciation increases the share of skilled workers in the total wage bill in exporters but not in non-exporters. This result suggests that depreciations or, more generally, increases in export profitability, may induce exporters to adopt more skilled-intensive technologies. This finding gives support to recent models of trade that highlight the possible effect of the real exchange rate on skill upgrading and wage inequality. This paper also finds that real depreciations increase plants’ export intensity, suggesting that skill upgrading for already exporters is the channel through which real exchange depreciations affect wage inequality.