Learning-by-Doing, Learning-by-Exporting, and Productivity: Evidence from Colombia

Ana Fernandes () and Alberto Isgut

DEGIT Conference Papers from DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade

Abstract: The empirical evidence on whether participation in export markets increases plant-level productivity has been inconclusive so far. We explain this inconclusiveness by drawing on Arrow's (1962) characterization of learning-by-doing, which suggests focusing on young plants and using measures of export experience rather than export participation. We find strong evidence of learning-by-exporting for young Colombian manufacturing plants between 1981 and 1991: total factor productivity increases 4%-5% for each additional year a plant has exported, after controlling for the effect of current exports on total factor productivity. Learning-by-exporting is more important for young than for old plants and in industries that deliver a larger percentage of their exports to high-income countries.

Keywords: learning; trade; total factor productivity; exports; export-led growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 59 pages JEL Classification: D21, F10, L60
Date: 2005-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-eff and nep-int
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (48)

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Working Paper: Learning-by-doing, learning-by-exporting, and productivity: evidence from Colombia (2005)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:deg:conpap:c010_018

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