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Exports and Productivity: Comparable Evidence for 14 Countries

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Abstract

We use comparable micro level panel data for 14 countries and a set of identically specified empirical models to investigate the relationship between exports and productivity. Our overall results are in line with the big picture that is by now familiar from the literature: Exporters are more productive than non-exporters when observed and unobserved heterogeneity are controlled for, and these exporter productivity premia tend to increase with the share of exports in total sales; there is strong evidence in favour of self-selection of more productive firms into export markets, but nearly no evidence in favour of the learning-by-exporting hypothesis. We document that the exporter premia differ considerably across countries in identically specified empirical models. In a meta-analysis of our results we find that countries that are more open and have more effective government report higher productivity premia. However, the level of development per se does not appear to be an explanation for the observed cross-country differences.

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  • Flora Bellone & Liza Jabbour & Patrick Musso & Lionel Nesta & Stefano Schiavo, 2007. "Exports and Productivity: Comparable Evidence for 14 Countries," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2007-36, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    • Handle: RePEc:fce:doctra:0736
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    Cited by:

    1. Azam, Sardor, 2017. "A cross-country empirical test of cognitive abilities and innovation nexus," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 128-136.
    2. Francesco Serti & Chiara Tomasi, 2008. "Firm Heterogeneity: do destinations of exports and origins of imports matter?," LEM Papers Series 2008/14, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    3. Bellone, Flora & Kiyota, Kozo & Matsuura, Toshiyuki & Musso, Patrick & Nesta, Lionel, 2014. "International productivity gaps and the export status of firms: Evidence from France and Japan," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 56-74.
    4. Markus Kelle, 2013. "Crossing Industry Borders: German Manufacturers as Services Exporters," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(12), pages 1494-1515, December.
    5. Davide Castellani & Francesco Serti & Chiara Tomasi, 2010. "Firms in International Trade: Importers’ and Exporters’ Heterogeneity in Italian Manufacturing Industry," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 424-457, March.
    6. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2008. "Higher Wages in Exporting Firms: Self-selection, Export Effect, or Both? First Evidence from German Linked Employer-Employee Data," Working Paper Series in Economics 74, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    7. Arjan Lejour & harold creusen, 2011. "Uncertainty and the export decisions of Dutch firms," CPB Discussion Paper 183, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    8. Julian P. Christ & Patricia Hofmann, 2010. "International Openness and Patent Activity: First Descriptive Results Very preliminary draft," DEGIT Conference Papers c015_055, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    9. Osadume Richard & Blessing Uzoma, C., 2020. "Maritime Trade and Economic Development: A Granger Causality and Bound Test Approach," LOGI – Scientific Journal on Transport and Logistics, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 23-32, November.
    10. 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.
    11. Emir Malikov & Shunan Zhao & Subal C. Kumbhakar, 2020. "Estimation of firm‐level productivity in the presence of exports: Evidence from China's manufacturing," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(4), pages 457-480, June.
    12. Kostevc, Crt & Damijan, Jože, 2008. "Causal Link between Exporting and Innovation Activity. Evidence from Slovenian Firms," Papers DYNREG22, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    13. Joachim Wagner, 2008. "Exports, Imports, and Productivity at the Firm Level. An International Perspective: Introduction by Guest Editor," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(4), pages 591-595, December.
    14. Mohamed Ayadi & Wided Matoussi, 2014. "Working Paper - 214 - From Productivity to Exporting or Vice Versa Evidence from Tunisian Manufacturing Sector," Working Paper Series 2150, African Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exports; productivity; micro data; international comparison;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory

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