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Productivity, exporting and the learning-by-exporting hypothesis: direct evidence from UK firms

Author

Listed:
  • Crespi, Gustavo
  • Criscuolo, Chiara
  • Haskel, Jonathan

Abstract

Case study evidence suggests that exporting firms learn from their clients. But econometric evidence, mostly using exporting and TFP growth, is mixed. We use a UK panel data set with firm-level information on exporting and productivity. Our innovation is that we also have direct data on the sources of learning (in this case about new technologies). Controlling for fixed effects we have two main findings. First, we find firms who exported in the past are more likely to then report that they learnt from buyers (relative to learning from other sources). Second, firms who had learned from buyers (more than they learnt from other sources) in the past are more likely to then have productivity growth. This suggests some support for the learning-by-exporting hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Crespi, Gustavo & Criscuolo, Chiara & Haskel, Jonathan, 2006. "Productivity, exporting and the learning-by-exporting hypothesis: direct evidence from UK firms," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19857, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:19857
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Exporting; Learning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation

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