Two-sided Search in International Markets

We develop a dynamic model of the many-to-many matching processes through which international business relationships are formed. Our formulation characterizes exporters' and importers' search efforts as functions of their type, their current portfolio of business partners, and the market conditions they face. After calibrating our model to customs records on Colombian retailers, we use it to study the steady state and transitory effects of China's emergence as a major supplier of consumer goods. In doing so we focus on the induced changes in matching patterns, the associated reallocation of rents across businesses, and the net effects on consumer welfare.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel Yi Xu Economics