Working Paper Series:

No. 503

July 2005

Ray Barrell and Stephane Dees

World Trade And Global Integration In Production Processes:

Almost all discussions of globalization and the internationalization of production highlight the growing share of trade in output.

Indeed, trade's growing share in the world economy is one of the most striking features of the world economy since World War II, and even more in the last twenty years.

Since 1980, world real imports have grown faster than world real GDP.

Most countries, no matter their types – small and large, rich and poor, fast growers and slow growers – have experienced such developments.

Working Paper No. 503, page 7

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