Navigating Bilateral Digital Trade Flows

The Role of Digital Intellectual Property Agreement Networks

Bibliographic Data

ID21543792
AuthorsZhaobin Fan (0000-0002-4472-7418, International Business School Jinan University Guangzhou Guangdong China, corresponding author), Rui Long (0000-0002-0044-0001, School of Management Jinan University Guangzhou Guangdong China), Fei Wu (0000-0003-2139-8807, Jinan University), Wen Fei (International Business School Jinan University Guangzhou Guangdong China)
Year2025
Volume48
Issue8
Pages1922-1941
Publication date2025-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWorld Economy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0378-5920 • E-ISSN: 1467-9701
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/twec.70000
OpenAlexW4411324996
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited50

As digital trade becomes a crucial driver of global economic growth, the protection of digital intellectual property (DIP) has emerged as a central concern in regional trade agreements. This study explores how a country's centrality within regional DIP agreement networks influences its digital product exports to other network members. The empirical analysis is conducted using a global panel dataset during the period from 2001 to 2021. The findings show that greater centrality within regional DIP networks significantly increases a country's digital product exports to its network partners. This effect is primarily driven by two mechanisms: improved market access and enhanced technological innovation associated with central positioning. Moreover, the results indicate that this positive relationship is more pronounced for developing economies than for developed ones, suggesting that developing countries may derive greater benefits from central positioning in regional DIP networks. A series of robustness checks, including tests addressing potential endogeneity due to reverse causality, further confirm the reliability of our findings

Business · Economics · Epistemology · Intellectual property · International economics · International trade · Computer Science · Global trade and economics · Innovation Policy and RD · Intellectual Property and Patents · Philosophy

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