Production versus Transportation Technologies: Theory and Evidence

Abstract

The impacts of production and transportation technology changes are studied in a general-equilibrium trade model with an analytical solution where agents in each location produce different varieties of a common set of goods. Wages are equalized in nominal terms across locations, with differences in purchasing power offset by agents' preferences for particular locations in the initial steady-state. Instead of assuming iceberg costs, a transportation sector is modeled to allow an efficient distribution of workers across the production and transportation sectors. The counterfactuals have current and historical implications on the national, regional, and industrial variables of the U.S. economy.