ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Interest in the empirical analysis of changes in the structure of imports of less developed countries derives from at least two considerations. First, an understanding of the causes and consequences of such changes could provide an insight into the role of imports in the process of economic development. Second, the extent to which changes in the structure of imports are policy-induced could provide useful information to the planner and policy-maker. Such a knowledge may assist in determining whether and how import control measures of different kinds may be used as instruments for bringing about a given pattern of development.
