Immigration, trade and productivity in services: evidence from U.K. firms

Ottaviano, Gianmarco I. P., Peri, Giovanni and Wright, Greg C. (2018) Immigration, trade and productivity in services: evidence from U.K. firms. Journal of International Economics, 112. pp. 88-108. ISSN 0022-1996

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Abstract

This paper explores the impact of immigrants on the imports, exports and productivity of service-producing firms in the U.K. Immigrants may substitute for imported intermediate inputs (offshore production) and they may impact the productivity of the firm as well as its export costs. The first effect can be understood as the re-assignment of offshore tasks to immigrant workers. The second can be seen as a cost cutting effect due to immigration, and the third as a trade-cost reducing effect. To test the empirical significance and size of these effects, we exploit differences in immigrant inflows across U.K. labor markets and a new firm-level dataset on U.K. service firms. We find that immigrants increase overall productivity in service-producing firms, revealing a cost cutting impact on these firms. They also reduce the extent of country-specific offshoring, consistent with a reallocation of tasks, and they increase country-specific exports, consistent with a reduction in bilateral communication and trade costs.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-inter...
Additional Information:	© 2018 Elsevier B.V.
Divisions:	Economics
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HF Commerce J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
JEL classification:	F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F10 - General F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F16 - Trade and Labor Market Interactions F - International Economics > F2 - International Factor Movements and International Business > F22 - International Migration F - International Economics > F2 - International Factor Movements and International Business > F23 - Multinational Firms; International Business
Date Deposited:	22 Mar 2018 12:23
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2024 21:35
Funders:	Volkswagen Foundation
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/87333

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