Export Variety and Economic Growth in East European Transition Economies

33 Pages Posted: 19 Sep 2007

See all articles by Michael Funke

Michael Funke

University of Hamburg - Department of Economics; Tallinn University of Technology (TUT)

Ralf Ruhwedel

University of Hamburg

Date Written: July 3, 2003

Abstract

Utilising panel data for 14 East European transition economies, we find support for the hypothesis that a greater degree of export variety relative to the U.S. helps to explain relative per capita GDP levels. The empirical work relies upon some direct measures of product variety calculated from 5-digit OECD trade data. Although the issue is far from settled, the emerging view is that the index of relative export variety across countries correlates significantly with relative per capita income levels.

Keywords: product variety, transition economies, Eastern Europe, economic growth, panel data

JEL Classification: C33, F43, O31, O33, O52

Suggested Citation

Funke, Michael and Ruhwedel, Ralf, Export Variety and Economic Growth in East European Transition Economies (July 3, 2003). BOFIT Discussion Paper No. 8/2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1015462 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1015462

Michael Funke (Contact Author)

University of Hamburg - Department of Economics ( email )

Von-Melle-Park 5
room 2128 C rise
Hamburg, 20146
Germany

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) ( email )

Ehitajate tee 5
Tallinn, 12618
Estonia

Ralf Ruhwedel

University of Hamburg ( email )

Von-Melle-Park 5
20146 Hamburg
Germany

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