Automation and the Margins of Export Performance: Evidence from French Firms

Thao Trang Nguyen, Giacomo Domini, Marco Grazzi, Daniele Moschella and Tania Treibich

LEM Papers Series from Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy

Abstract: We examine the effects of adopting automation technologies on the export performance of French manufacturing firms during the 2002-2019 period. Adoption is identified through imports of automation-related capital goods, and its effects are estimated by means of a staggered difference-in-differences method. Our results indicate that automation significantly improves export outcomes, such as export value, the export-to-sales ratio and particularly the number of destination countries. However, its effect on the number of exported products is limited. These results are primarily driven by single-product firms, which expand their product portfolios, often toward more complex products, and increase their presence in high-income countries. Multi-product firms, instead, tend to streamline their product offerings while targeting low-income markets. These findings underscore the distinct mechanisms of learning effects and resource reallocation that shape automation strategies and drive export success.

Keywords: Automation; exports; firm heterogeneity; single-product firms; multi-product firms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-12-16
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Working Paper: Automation and the Margins of Export Performance: Evidence from French Firms (2025)
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