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Social trust and international trade: the interplay between social trust and formal finance

Author

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  • Devesh Roy
  • Abdul Munasib
  • Xing Chen

Abstract

Social trust can facilitate access to alternative sources of finance to firms when formal finance is scarce or entails large transaction costs, especially in economies with less developed financial systems. Since exporting firms are relatively more dependent on external finance, we find that high levels of social trust in an economy with a relatively less developed financial sector have positive effects on exports. We combine the World Values Survey that provides information on social values and the UN Comtrade data for the period 1995–2007. Our analysis is carried out at the level of bilateral trade in 2-digit and 3-digit digit industry classifications that not only allows controlling for industry-level heterogeneities but also mitigates concerns of potential reverse causality. Copyright Kiel Institute 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Devesh Roy & Abdul Munasib & Xing Chen, 2014. "Social trust and international trade: the interplay between social trust and formal finance," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 150(4), pages 693-714, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:weltar:v:150:y:2014:i:4:p:693-714
    DOI: 10.1007/s10290-014-0197-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gideon Onyewuchi Ndubuisi, 2020. "Contractual frictions and the patterns of trade: The role of generalized trust," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(7), pages 775-796, October.
    2. Chen, Linrong & Zeng, Huixiang, 2024. "Can social trust promote the professional division of labor in firms? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 363-377.
    3. Ndubuisi, Gideon, 2020. "Trust and R&D investments: evidence from OECD countries," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(6), pages 809-830, December.
    4. Panagiota Makrychoriti & Fotios Pasiouras & Menelaos Tasiou, 2022. "Financial stress and economic growth: The moderating role of trust," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(1), pages 48-74, February.
    5. Ndubuisi, Gideon & Konte, Maty, 2019. "Credit constraints and trade performance: Does trust-based social capital matter?," MERIT Working Papers 2019-046, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social trust; Financial development; 2-Digit industry; 3-Digit industry; F10; O16; O17; O24;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy

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