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Are Seminars on Export Promotion Effective? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

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  • Yu Ri KIM
  • TODO Yasuyuki
  • SHIMAMOTO Daichi
  • Petr MATOUS

Abstract

This paper investigates the impacts of informational and motivational seminars on export promotion targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the traditional apparel and textile clusters in Vietnam. To control for biases due to self-selection, we conducted a randomized controlled trial and invited randomly selected firms to participate in one-day seminars. Because only some of the invited firms participated in the seminars, we employ an instrumental variable approach in which dummies for random invitation are used as instruments for quantifying participation. We find that the seminars had no significant effect on most firms' preparation for, perception of, or engagement in exporting activity. However, the seminars encouraged large firms and firms with prior export experience, which possibly embody higher productivity and absorptive capacity, to (re-)start exporting. Our results suggest that productivity improvement is an effective means to encourage underdeveloped firms to export, whereas provision of information is effective for productive firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Ri KIM & TODO Yasuyuki & SHIMAMOTO Daichi & Petr MATOUS, 2016. "Are Seminars on Export Promotion Effective? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial," Discussion papers 16078, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    • Handle: RePEc:eti:dpaper:16078
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    Cited by:

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    2. Freixanet, Joan, 2022. "Export promotion programs: A system-based systematic review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    3. (ed.), 0. "Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16053.
    4. Cusolito, Ana P. & Darova, Ornella & McKenzie, David, 2023. "Capacity building as a route to export market expansion: A six-country experiment in the Western Balkans," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    5. Wim Naudé & Martin Cameron, 2021. "Export-Led Growth after COVID-19: The Case of Portugal," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 52, pages 7-53, July.
    6. Kahiya, Eldrede T., 2024. "A problematization review of export assistance: Debates and future directions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1).
    7. SHIMAMOTO Daichi & TODO Yasuyuki & Yu Ri KIM & Petr MATOUS, 2016. "Identifying and Decomposing Peer Effects on Participation Decisions Using a Randomized Controlled Trial," Discussion papers 16083, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    8. Daichi Shimamoto & Yasuyuki Todo & Yu Ri Kim & Petr Matous, 2022. "Identifying and decomposing peer effects on decision-making using a randomized controlled trial," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 1029-1058, August.
    9. Jeong Hugh Han & Hyun-Yong Park, 2019. "Sustaining Small Exporters’ Performance: Capturing Heterogeneous Effects of Government Export Assistance Programs on Global Value Chain Informedness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-24, April.
    10. Agarwal, Natasha & Chan, Jackie M.L. & Lodefalk, Magnus & Tang, Aili & Tano, Sofia & Wang, Zheng, 2023. "Mitigating information frictions in trade: Evidence from export credit guarantees," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    11. Yasuyuki Todo & Hiroyasu Inoue, 2021. "Geographic Diversification of the Supply Chains of Japanese Firms," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 16(2), pages 304-322, July.
    12. TODO Yasuyuki, 2022. "Resilient and Innovative Supply Chains: Evidence-based policy and managerial implications," Policy Discussion Papers 22024, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

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