Trading Arrangements and Industrial Development

This paper outlines a new approach for analysing the role of trade in promoting industrial development. It offers an explanation as to why firms are reluctant to move to economies with lower labour costs, and shows how trade liberalisation can change the incentives for firms to locate in developing countries. Unilaterally liberalising imports of manufactures can promote industrialisation, but membership of a preferential trading arrangement is likely to create larger gains. South-South PTAs will be sensitive to the market size of member states, while North-South PTAs seem to offer better prospects for participating Southern economies, if not for excluded countries. * Thanks to Maurice Schiff, Alan Winters and referees for valuable comments on an earlier version. This paper was prepared for the Research Project on Regional Integration of the International Trade Division of the World Bank. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the World Bank or its affiliated organizations.