The U-Shaped Productivity Dynamics of French Exporters

Lionel Nesta, Flora Bellone (), Patrick Musso and Michel Quéré
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Flora Bellone: OFCE - Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po
Patrick Musso: GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur
Michel Quéré: GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur

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Abstract: We use data on French manufacturing firms to reveal that the productivity dynamics of new exporters is typically U-shaped. Prior to entry, firm productivity temporarily decreases, then recovers contemporaneously with entry, as the benefits from sales to foreign markets accrue. We show that the U-shaped pattern is more pronounced for intensively exporting firms and for firms operating in capital-intensive or high-technology sectors. This finding suggests that firms prepare to become exporters through prior specific investments and learning-to-export mechanisms. We then point to the limitations of studies that focus only on date of entry to exporting to discriminate between self-selection versus learning mechanisms.

Keywords: Trade; firm productivity; export strategy; learning; firm level data; France (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-12
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published in Review of World Economics, 2008, 144 (4), pp.636 - 659. ⟨10.1007/s10290-008-0164-x⟩

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Related works:
Working Paper: The U-Shaped Productivity Dynamics of French Exporters (2008)
Working Paper: The U-Shaped productivity dynamics of French Exporters (2007)
Working Paper: The U-Shaped Productivity Dynamics of French Exporters (2007)
Working Paper: The U-Shaped Productivity Dynamics of French Exporters (2007)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-03417076

DOI: 10.1007/s10290-008-0164-x

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