Critical Review of the Paper 'A Simple Model of Firm Heterogeneity, International Trade and Wages', Stephen Ross Yeaple (2005), Journal of International Economics, vol. 65, pp. 1-20

Abstract

This report critically analyses the paper "A Simple Model of Firm Heterogeneity, International Trade and Wages' authored by, Stephen Ross Yeaple. Yeaple (2005) introduces a static model in which ex-ante homogeneous firms are differentiated based on heterogeneity in technology adoption and skill selection. The process of decision making is based on comparative study of revenues and costs associated with acquisition of technology and labor. By segmenting technology into high- and low-tech, and labor into high- and low-skilled, Yeaple suggests that high-tech firms hire skilled labor at greater wages and yield the access to international market, while on the other hand, the low-tech firms hire moderate skilled labor, pay lower wages and supply to the domestic market only. Furthermore, he shows that under an open economy, a reduction in costs of international trade leads to an increase in share of high-tech (exporting) firms and induces some low-tech firms to switch to the high-tech industry