IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/worlde/v30y2007i1p39-59.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Firm‐level Examination of the Exports Puzzle: Why East Asian Exports Didn't Increase After the 1997–1998 Financial Crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Garrick Blalock
  • Sonali Roy

Abstract

We analyse a detailed panel dataset on Indonesian manufacturing firms to characterise the exports puzzle: the surprising absence of export‐led growth after the massive currency devaluation during the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis. Our results show that, consistent with trade theory predictions following better terms of trade, entry into export markets increased dramatically. In conflict with the same predictions, however, many pre‐crisis exporters quit exporting. Thus stagnant export growth cannot be attributable to a lack of entrepreneurial ambition or activity amongst would‐be exporters. Rather, it apparently resulted from constraints prohibiting continued exporting by pre‐crisis exporters. Managerial reports of perceived constraints reveal little about why so many firms ceased exporting. However, ‘better’ firms, as proxied by foreign ownership, involvement in research and development, or investment in training, were more likely to continue exporting post‐crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Garrick Blalock & Sonali Roy, 2007. "A Firm‐level Examination of the Exports Puzzle: Why East Asian Exports Didn't Increase After the 1997–1998 Financial Crisis," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 39-59, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:30:y:2007:i:1:p:39-59
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9701.2007.00871.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9701.2007.00871.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1467-9701.2007.00871.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Blalock, Garrick & Gertler, Paul J & Levine, David I. I., 2005. "Financial Constraints on Investment in an Emerging Market Crisis: An Empirical Investigation of Foreign Ownership," Center for International and Development Economics Research, Working Paper Series qt13z7799m, Center for International and Development Economics Research, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    2. Corsetti, Giancarlo & Pesenti, Paolo & Roubini, Nouriel, 1999. "What caused the Asian currency and financial crisis?," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 305-373, October.
    3. Mihir A. Desai & C. Fritz Foley & James R. Hines, Jr., 2003. "A Multinational Perspective on Capital Structure Choice and Internal Capital Markets," NBER Working Papers 9715, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Steven Radelet & Jeffrey Sachs, 1998. "The Onset of the East Asian Financial Crisis," NBER Working Papers 6680, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Steven Radelet & Jeffrey D. Sachs, 1998. "The East Asian Financial Crisis: Diagnosis, Remedies, Prospects," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 29(1), pages 1-90.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Joel Stiebale, 2011. "Do Financial Constraints Matter for Foreign Market Entry? A Firm‐level Examination," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 123-153, January.
    2. Matthew A. Cole & Robert J. R. Elliott & Supreeya Virakul, 2010. "Firm Heterogeneity, Origin of Ownership and Export Participation," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 264-291, February.
    3. Akarım, Yasemin Deniz, 2013. "The impact of financial factors on export decisions: The evidence from Turkey," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 305-308.
    4. David Urbano & Maribel Guerrero & João J. Ferreira & Cristina I. Fernandes, 2019. "New technology entrepreneurship initiatives: Which strategic orientations and environmental conditions matter in the new socio-economic landscape?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1577-1602, October.
    5. Güzin Bayar, 2018. "Estimating export equations: a survey of the literature," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 629-672, March.
    6. Joel Stiebale, 2008. "Do Financial Constraints Matter for Foreign Market Entry? – A Firm-Level Examination," Ruhr Economic Papers 0051, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    7. Nicolas Berman & Antoine Berthou, 2009. "Financial Market Imperfections and the Impact of Exchange Rate Movements on Exports," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(1), pages 103-120, February.
    8. Youssouf KIENDREBEOGO, 2012. "Export Activity and Productivity: New Evidence from the Egyptian Manufacturing Industry," Working Papers 201220, CERDI.
    9. Alexandru Voicu, 2008. "Adding Rungs to the Exporting Ladder: Plant-Level Exporting Dynamics and Total Factor Productivity Growth," DEGIT Conference Papers c013_013, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    10. Kin Tang & Hui Tan & Niaz Naseem, 2013. "The effect of foreign currency borrowing and financial development on exports: a dynamic panel analysis on Asia-Pacific countries," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 460-476.
    11. Greenaway, David & Guariglia, Alessandra & Kneller, Richard, 2007. "Financial factors and exporting decisions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 377-395, November.
    12. Blalock, Garrick & Gertler, Paul J. & Levine, David I., 2008. "Financial constraints on investment in an emerging market crisis," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 568-591, April.
    13. Mohamed Ben Abdallah & Zouheir Bouchaddakh, 2013. "Banking and Monetary Crises: Impacts on Exports of MENA Countries," Working Papers 786, Economic Research Forum, revised Oct 2013.
    14. Greenaway, David & Kneller, Richard, 2008. "Exporting, productivity and agglomeration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 919-939, July.
    15. Voicu, Alexandru, 2008. "Adding Rungs to the Exporting Ladder: Plant-Level Exporting Dynamics and Total Factor Productivity Growth," IZA Discussion Papers 3807, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. repec:zbw:rwirep:0051 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Bergin, Paul R. & Feng, Ling & Lin, Ching-Yi, 2021. "Trade and firm financing," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bleakley, Hoyt & Cowan, Kevin, 2010. "Maturity mismatch and financial crises: Evidence from emerging market corporations," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 189-205, November.
    2. Shin-ichi Fukuda & Yoshifumi Kon, 2012. "Macroeconomic Impacts of Foreign Exchange Reserve Accumulation: Theory and International Evidence," Chapters, in: Masahiro Kawai & Peter J. Morgan & Shinji Takagi (ed.), Monetary and Currency Policy Management in Asia, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Johnson, Simon & Boone, Peter & Breach, Alasdair & Friedman, Eric, 2000. "Corporate governance in the Asian financial crisis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 141-186.
    4. Claudio Borio & Philip Lowe, 2002. "Assessing the risk of banking crises," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, December.
    5. Choe, Heungsik & Lee, Bong-Soo, 2003. "Korean bank governance reform after the Asian financial crisis," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 483-508, September.
    6. Reuven Glick, 1998. "Thoughts on the origins of the Asia crisis: impulses and propagation mechanisms," Pacific Basin Working Paper Series 98-07, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    7. Wided BEN MOUSSA, 2015. "The Models of Third Generation: Controversies on the Profound Nature of the Asian Crisis," Asian Development Policy Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 3(4), pages 76-92, December.
    8. F. Gulcin Ozkan, 2005. "Currency and Financial Crises in Turkey 2000 –2001: Bad Fundamentals or Bad Luck?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 541-572, April.
    9. Gu, Xinhua & Tam, Pui Sun & Lei, Chun Kwok, 2021. "The effects of inequality in the 1997–98 Asian crisis and the 2008–09 global tsunami: The case of five Asian economies," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    10. Karel Jansen, 2001. "Thailand, Financial Crisis And Monetary Policy," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 124-152.
    11. José Donadieu, 2003. "La libéralisation financière : une déstructuration de la cohérence des modèles de développement thaïlandais et malais," Revue Tiers Monde, Programme National Persée, vol. 44(173), pages 171-194.
    12. Sahut, Jean-Michel & Mili, Mehdi, 2011. "Banking distress in MENA countries and the role of mergers as a strategic policy to resolve distress," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 138-146.
    13. Alba, Pedro & Bhattacharya, Amar & Claessens, Stijn & Ghosh, Swati & Hernandez, Leonardo, 1998. "Volatility and contagion in a financially integrated world : lessons from East Asia's recent experience," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2008, The World Bank.
    14. Plasmans, J.E.J., 2001. "Currency Crises and Economic Monetary Cooperation : An Application to South East Asia and Comparison with Mexico, Brazil and Europe," Other publications TiSEM d740e32a-4dff-44ad-ae39-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    15. Leonardo Hernández & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, 2002. "Banking, Financial Integration, and International Crises: An Overview," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Leonardo Hernández & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Se (ed.),Banking, Financial Integration, and International Crises, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 1, pages 001-030, Central Bank of Chile.
    16. Brian L. Bentick & Mervyn K. Lewis, 2004. "Real Estate Speculation as a Source of Banking and Currency Instability: Some Different Lessons from the Asian Crisis," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 14(2), pages 256-275, January.
    17. Tahir Mukhtar & Aliya H. Khan, 2016. "The Current Account Deficit Sustainability: An Empirical Investigation for Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 55(4), pages 397-419.
    18. Li, Kui-Wai & Kwok, Ming-Lok, 2009. "Output volatility of five crisis-affected East Asia economies," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 172-182, March.
    19. Delphine Lahet, 2001. "L'occurrence d'une crise financière dans un modèle de troisième génération," Revue Française d'Économie, Programme National Persée, vol. 16(2), pages 179-206.
    20. Franz R. Hahn, 1998. "Currency Crises. A Challenge for Economic Theory and Policy," Austrian Economic Quarterly, WIFO, vol. 3(4), pages 183-190, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:30:y:2007:i:1:p:39-59. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0378-5920 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.