DISAGGREGATED IMPORT FUNCTIONS FOR THE UK, WEST GERMANY AND FRANCE.

The article estimates disaggregated import functions for Great Britain, West Germany and France to investigate differences in import behavior and economic performance in these countries with perceived similarities in size and broad economic structure. High import income elasticities were observed for manufactured goods in Great Britain with big difference in finished manufactures and an absence of variation between the elasticities for semi-manufactures for Great Britain and West Germany. Differences in import income elasticities may have resulted from income elasticities of demand for manufactures, from increasing specialization in production over time and from diversification of tastes and demands as incomes grow.