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Learning, Exporting and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Portuguese Manufacturing and Services Firms

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  • Carlos Carreira

    (GEMF/ Faculty of Economics University of Coimbra, Portugal)

Abstract

Portugal, when compared with the EU-28 average, has a lower degree of openness to foreign trade. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the total factor productivity differences between Portuguese exporters and non-exporters over the period 1996–2004, in manufacturing and service sectors, and their contribution to aggregate productivity growth. It was found that exporters are the dominant source of industry productivity growth. Additionally, the within-firm effect dominates in manufacturing sector, while reallocation effect explains a large proportion of growth in service sector. Exporters in Portugal, like exporters elsewhere, are effectively more productive than non-exporters. However, the capacity of a firm to internalize knowledge from international markets seems to depend on firm’s knowledge. The results have important policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Carreira, 2013. "Learning, Exporting and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Portuguese Manufacturing and Services Firms," GEMF Working Papers 2013-23, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    • Handle: RePEc:gmf:wpaper:2013-23.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Exports; Total factor productivity; Productivity growth; Reallocation; Learning.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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