Recently gravity trade models are applied to disaggregated trade data. Here many zeros arecharacteristic. In the presence of excess zeros usual Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood(PPML) is still consistent, the variance covariance matrix however is invalid. Correcteconomic interpretation however...

This study applies the gravity trade model to assess South Africa-Angola trade potential in the agriculturalsector. A step-by-step example of the model's empirical implementation is also provided. It is found thatthe gravity model, with foundations in the physical sciences, is a useful...

The theory of optimum currency areas states that the more two countries trade with each other, the better candidates they are for a currency union. In terms of the endogeneity argument, convergence follows from joining a currency union and the integration process itself turns the countries into...

The opening up process of the central and eastern European (CEE) countries marked new beginnings in terms of greater integration of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) with Western Europe. Adopting a two-stage out-of-sample gravity equation approach to predicting East West trade patterns,...

In this dissertation I examine a set of crucial topics in the political economy of international trade, with an emphasis on firm-level heterogeneity. The first chapter is an empirical study of the new trade theories in which firm heterogeneity and trade costs play central roles in shaping the...

International private equity development is highly volatile with increasing global diversification. This thesis examines the transaction patterns of cross-border private equity investment with a particular focus on the affinity of country pairs. Analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset of 99...

The tradition of gravity models is in the analysis of trade flows with market size and geographic or economic distance as core variables. Both these variables can be important determinants of FDI, too. However, when such models are used to explain FDI, there can be differences in the mode of...

Recently gravity trade models are applied to disaggregated trade data. Here manyzeros are characteristic. In the presence of excess zeros usual Poisson Pseudo MaximumLikelihood (PPML) is still consistent, the variance covariance matrix howeveris invalid. Correct economic interpretation however...