IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/esx/essedp/28657.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Is Publicly-Reported Firm-Level Trade Data Reliable? Evidence from the UK

Author

Listed:
  • Breinlich, Holger
  • Nolen, Patrick
  • Wright, Greg C

Abstract

In this paper we compare firms’ self-reported overseas sales, as reported in a commonly used UK financial reporting dataset, with their actual exports, as reportedby Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Finding that these flows are inseveral dimensions quite different, we then explore the implications of these differ-ences more formally. Since several studies within the international trade literature report findings based on the self-reported export values in financial datasets, wediscuss these findings in light of the departure of financial dataset-based exportsfrom “true” (HMRC) export values.

Suggested Citation

  • Breinlich, Holger & Nolen, Patrick & Wright, Greg C, 2020. "Is Publicly-Reported Firm-Level Trade Data Reliable? Evidence from the UK," Economics Discussion Papers 28657, University of Essex, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:esx:essedp:28657
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://repository.essex.ac.uk/28657/
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew B. Bernard & J. Bradford Jensen & Peter K. Schott, 2003. "Falling Trade Costs, Heterogeneous Firms, and Industry Dynamics," Working Paper Series WP03-4, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    2. Andrew Bernard & Joachim Wagner, 1997. "Exports and success in German manufacturing," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 133(1), pages 134-157, March.
    3. Sofronis K. Clerides & Saul Lach & James R. Tybout, 1998. "Is Learning by Exporting Important? Micro-Dynamic Evidence from Colombia, Mexico, and Morocco," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(3), pages 903-947.
    4. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. Greenaway, David & Guariglia, Alessandra & Kneller, Richard, 2007. "Financial factors and exporting decisions," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 377-395, November.
    6. John Baldwin & Wulong Gu, 2003. "Export-market participation and productivity performance in Canadian manufacturing," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 36(3), pages 634-657, August.
    7. Holger Görg & Marina-Eliza Spaliara, 2014. "Financial Health, Exports and Firm Survival: Evidence from UK and French Firms," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 81(323), pages 419-444, July.
    8. Baldwin, John R. Gu, Wulong, 2003. "Participation in Export Markets and Productivity Performance in Canadian Manufacturing," Economic Analysis (EA) Research Paper Series 2003011e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    9. Richard Harris & Qian Cher Li, 2008. "Evaluating the Contribution of Exporting to UK Productivity Growth: Some Microeconomic Evidence," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 212-235, February.
    10. A. Isgut, 2001. "What's Different about Exporters? Evidence from Colombian Manufacturing," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 57-82.
    11. Greenaway, David & Kneller, Richard, 2008. "Exporting, productivity and agglomeration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 919-939, July.
    12. Görg, Holger & Spaliara, Marina-Eliza, 2013. "Export market exit, financial pressure and the crisis," CEPR Discussion Papers 9599, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    13. David Greenaway & Richard Kneller & Xufei Zhang, 2010. "The Effect of Exchange Rates on Firm Exports: The Role of Imported Intermediate Inputs," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(8), pages 961-986, August.
    14. Richard I. D. Harris & Qian Cher Li, 2010. "Export‐Market Dynamics And The Probability Of Firm Closure: Evidence For The United Kingdom," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 57(2), pages 145-168, May.
    15. Richard Kneller & Mauro Pisu, 2011. "Barriers to Exporting: What are They and Who do They Matter to?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 893-930, June.
    16. David Greenaway & Richard Kneller, 2007. "Industry Differences in the Effect of Export Market Entry: Learning by Exporting?," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 143(3), pages 416-432, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Tarlok Singh, 2010. "Does International Trade Cause Economic Growth? A Survey," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1517-1564, November.
    2. Yang, Yong & Mallick, Sushanta, 2014. "Explaining cross-country differences in exporting performance: The role of country-level macroeconomic environment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 246-259.
    3. Quang-Thanh Ngo & Canh Thi Nguyen, 2020. "Do export transitions differently affect firm productivity? Evidence across Vietnamese manufacturing sectors," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(8), pages 1011-1037, November.
    4. Martin Andersson & Hans Lööf, 2009. "Learning‐by‐Exporting Revisited: The Role of Intensity and Persistence," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 111(4), pages 893-916, December.
    5. Kazuhiko Yokota & Akinori Tomohara, 2009. "Extending the Learning-By-Exporting Hypothesis: Introducing a Credit Constraint," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 15(2), pages 169-177, May.
    6. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. repec:kap:iaecre:v:15:y:2009:i:2:p:169-177 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Flora Bellone & Patrick Musso & Lionel Nesta & Michel Quere, 2008. "The U-Shaped Productivity Dynamics of French Exporters," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(4), pages 636-659, December.
    9. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    10. Youssouf KIENDREBEOGO, 2012. "Export Activity and Productivity: New Evidence from the Egyptian Manufacturing Industry," Working Papers 201220, CERDI.
    11. Ricardo A. López, 2005. "Trade and Growth: Reconciling the Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Evidence," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 623-648, September.
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/6128 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Claudio Bravo-Ortega & Jose Miguel Benavente & Álvaro González, 2014. "Innovation, Exports, and Productivity: Learning and Self-Selection in Chile," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(1S), pages 68-95, January.
    14. Sushanta Mallick & Yong Yang, 2013. "Productivity Performance of Export Market Entry and Exit: Evidence from Indian Firms," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 809-824, September.
    15. Yong Yang & Sushanta Mallick, 2010. "Export Premium, Self‐selection and Learning‐by‐Exporting: Evidence from Chinese Matched Firms," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(10), pages 1218-1240, October.
    16. Demena, B.A. & Msami, J. & Mmari, D.E. & van Bergeijk, P.A.G., 2021. "Productivity premia and firm heterogeneity in Eastern Africa," ISS Working Papers - General Series 680, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    17. Sharma, Chandan & Mishra, Ritesh Kumar, 2015. "International trade and performance of firms: Unraveling export, import and productivity puzzle," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 61-74.
    18. Pedro Martins & Yong Yang, 2009. "The impact of exporting on firm productivity: a meta-analysis of the learning-by-exporting hypothesis," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 145(3), pages 431-445, October.
    19. Apoorva Gupta & Ila Patnaik & Ajay Shah, 2018. "Exporting and firm performance: evidence from India," Indian Growth and Development Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(1), pages 83-104, December.
    20. Kazuhiko Yokota & Kyosuke Kurita & Shujiro Urata, 2016. "In Search of the Learning-by-Exporting Effect: Role of Economies of Scale and Technology," China Economic Policy Review (CEPR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(01), pages 1-27, June.
    21. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/6128 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Vu, Van Huong, 2012. "Higher productivity in Exporters: self-selection, learning by exporting or both? Evidence from Vietnamese manufacturing SMEs," MPRA Paper 40708, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Sharma, Chandan, 2018. "Exporting, access of foreign technology, and firms’ performance: Searching the link in Indian manufacturing," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 46-62.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Humans; Truth Disclosure; Internationality; Commerce; Industry; Self Report; United Kingdom;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:esx:essedp:28657. 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: Essex Economics Web Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/edessuk.html .

    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.