Posted 5/7/09
CEPR/SNB CONFERENCE
PRODUCT HETEROGENEITY AND QUALITY HETEROGENEITY IN
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Zurich
28th and 29th of August 2009
ORGANIZERS:
Raphael Auer
Richard Baldwin
Marc Melitz
Stephen Redding
Philip Saure
An important strand in recent trade literature seeks to
understand the implications of firm heterogeneity and firm
selection into export markets. Recent empirical and
theoretical work has pointed out that there are many
sources and forms of firm heterogeneity, and that the form
and source matter for how trade affects the evolution of
industry. To encourage this branch of research, the
International Research Unit of the Swiss National Bank
(SNB), in association with the Centre for Economic Policy
Research (CEPR) and the Centre for Trade and Economic
Integration at the University of Geneva (CTEI), is
organising a conference on the role of product
heterogeneity and quality heterogeneity in international
trade.
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:
- Raphael Auer (SNB)
- Richard Baldwin (CTEI & CEPR)
- Marc Melitz (Princeton & CEPR)
- Stephen Redding (LSE, Yale, and CEPR)
- Philip Saure (SNB)
TOPICS:
The scientific committee invites both theoretical and
empirical work related to the following aspects:
I. Mapping Global Product Trade
What are the margins of product trade across and
within firms? How can we conceptually distinguish
between product-and-firm heterogeneity? To what
extent do product characteristics determine whether
goods are traded or not?
II. Product Heterogeneity and Industry Dynamics
How does trade integration affect the evolution of
industry when product differences, rather than
productivity differences, are the driver of trade?
III. Product Trade, Pricing to Market, and Pass-Through
How do firms price product characteristics to market?
How does the endogenous selection of exporters affect
pricing-to-market behavior and aggregate pass-through
rates?
PAPER SUBMISSIONS/REGISTRATION:
The conference will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on
the 28th and 29th of August. We invite researchers in this
field to submit their paper by the 31st of May 2009 on the
CEPR website. Preliminary drafts will be considered.
Researchers who do not present but are willing to discuss a
paper should also register using the CEPR website. The
conference program will be distributed during late June.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
The SNB will reimburse travel and accommodation expenses
for presenting authors and discussants. For further
information, please contact:
Email: MAILTO:Raphael.Auer@snb.ch