Information Frictions, Internet, and the Relationship between Distance and Trader

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Akerman, Anders; Leuven, Edwin; Mogstad, Magne
• 署名单位: Stockholm University; University of Oslo; Statistics Norway; Centre for Economic Policy Research - UK; University of Chicago; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20190589
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 133-163
• 关键词: monopolistic competition; demand structure; wages; COSTS

摘要

We examine how the adoption of information communication technology affects bilateral trade. The context is a public program in Norway that rolled out broadband access points leading to plausibly exogenous variation in the availability and adoption of broadband by firms. We find that broadband makes trade patterns more sensitive to distance and economic size. These results are consistent with a model of trade with variable elasticity of demand. The model predicts that adoption of a technology that lowers information frictions enlarges the choice set of exporters and importers. This makes demand more elastic with respect to trade costs and thus distance.