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Cited by 170Global trade and economicsGlobal trade, sustainability, and social impactGlobal Trade and Competitiveness

On the Measurement of Upstreamness and Downstreamness in Global Value Chains

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Antràs, Pol, Chor, Davin·2018·National Bureau of Economic Research
DOI 10.3386/w24185
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Abstract

This paper offers four contributions to the empirical literature on global value chains (GVCs).First, we provide a succinct overview of several measures developed to capture the upstreamness or downstreamness of industries and countries in GVCs.Second, we employ data from the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) to document the empirical evolution of these measures over the period 1995-2011; in doing so, we highlight salient patterns related to countries' GVC positioning -as well as some puzzling correlations -that emerge from the data.Third, we develop a theoretical framework -which builds on Caliendo and Parro's (2015) variant of the Eaton and Kortum (2002) model -that provides a structural interpretation of all the entries of the WIOD in a given year.Fourth, we resort to a calibrated version of the model to perform counterfactual exercises that: (i) sharpen our understanding of the independent effect of several factors in explaining the observed empirical patterns in the period 1995-2011; and (ii) provide guidance for how future changes in the world economy are likely to shape the positioning of countries in GVCs.

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  • The ratio of world GDP to world gross output has been quite stable at a value of one-half in recent decades.

    “This ratio has in fact been quite stable at a value of one -half in recent decades (see Antràs and Chor, 2018).”

    From De-Globalisation? Global Value Chains in the Post-COVID-19 Age (2020) · cites this paper as Antràs and Chor, 2018

    Section 2.3 equates the world value-added-to-gross-output ratio with the final-use-to-gross-output ratio; world value added corresponds to world GDP. Section 3.1 places that ratio near one-half from 1995 to 2011, but describes a perceptible, steady decline from 0.526 to 0.486. Thus the approximate value is supported, while calling it quite stable omits the reported trend. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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2 of the 43 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Mas-Colell, Andreu, Michael Whinston, and Jerry Green, (1995), Microeconomic Theory, Oxford University Press.

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Authors
Antràs, P., & Chor, D.
Affiliations
National Bureau of Economic Research (US)
ORCID
Chor, Davin
Venue
National Bureau of Economic Research
Publisher
National Bureau of Economic Research
Published
2018-01
DOI
10.3386/w24185
OpenAlex
W2784225229
Cited by
167
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
Type
report
Language
en
Open access
Locations
National Bureau of Economic Research (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1628852)
  • National University of Singapore
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › General Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Global trade and economics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Global trade, sustainability, and social impact
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Global Trade and Competitiveness
Keywords
global value chains, upstreamness, World Input-Output Database, Eaton-Kortum model, counterfactual analysis, international trade

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