Baltic Journal of Economics (Jul 2018)
Network-based macro fluctuations: what about an open economy?
Abstract
Do input–output linkages of intermediate products affect the spread of sectoral shocks at the aggregate level in Lithuania, a small and open economy? What role does openness play in the empirical exercise? We answer these questions by: (i) constructing the Lithuanian input–output transactions tables with domestic-only and domestic and imported sector-by-sector direct requirements, and (ii) applying Acemoglu, Carvalho, Ozdaglar, and Tahbaz-Salehis [(2012). The network origins of aggregate fluctuations. Econometrica, 80(5), 1977–2016] network-based methodology and Gabaix and Ibragimov's [(2011). Rank-1/2: A simple way to improve the ols estimation of tail exponents. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, 29(1), 24–39] modified log rank-log size regression. Our results indicate that the structure of input–output linkages cause aggregate economic volatility to decay at a rate lower than the established theoretical prediction. Indirect linkages play an equally important role for both domestic-only and aggregated domestic and import transactions.
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