Do Firms Learn by Exporting or Learn to Export? Evidence from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Swedish Manufacturing

Arbeitspapier

Using a matching approach, we compare the productivity trajectories of future exporters and matched and unmatched non-exporters. Future exporters have higher productivity than do unmatched non-exporters before entry into the export market, which indicates self-selection into exports. More interestingly, we also find a productivity increase among future exporters relative to matched non-exporters 1-2 years before export entry. However, the productivity gap between future exporters and matched non-exporters does not continue to grow after export entry. Our results suggest that learning-to-export occurs but that learning-by-exporting does not. In contrast to previous studies on Swedish manufacturing, we focus particularly on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Working Paper ; No. 15/2009

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity ; Empirical Studies of Trade
• Subject: productivity ; learning-to-export ; learning-by-exporting ; matching

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Hansson, Pär ; Eliasson, Kent ; Lindvert, Markus
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Örebro University School of Business
• (where): Örebro
• (when): 2009

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/244455
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET