Vertical Specialization Between Developed and Developing Countries: A Modification of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model

This article analyzes the implications for the Heckscher-Ohlin model of a split of the production of a final good into the intermediate good production and the further working of the good. Through this split, the different parts of the production process can be matched to fit the factor endowment of each country. The new and quite central distinction from earlier contributions is that we take into account an exactly defined need of intermediate goods according to a certain kind of specification in every link of the production process. We show that the potential trade pattern thereby becomes much more varied and significantly distinct from the traditional Heckscher-Ohlin model. The input-output ratio of labor increases relatively to the input-output ratio of capital in the capital-abundant country's production of the capital-intensive split product and thereby the Rybczynski theorem is reinforced.