Export Orientation and Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Analysis of firm-level panel data from three Sub-Saharan African economies shows that export manufacturers have an average total factor productivity premium of 17 percent. In addition to the effect on productivity levels, exporters enjoy productivity growth that is 10 percent faster than do non expo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inIMF staff papers Vol. 51; no. 2; p. 327
Main Authors Mengistae, Taye, Pattillo, Catherine
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Houndmills, Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan 01.01.2004
SeriesIMF Staff Papers
Subjects
Economic models
Equity participations
Estimates
Exports
Hypotheses
International trade
Manufacturers
Manufacturing
Monopolistic competition
Productivity
Random variables
Statistical analysis
Studies
Sub-Saharan Africa
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Summary:Analysis of firm-level panel data from three Sub-Saharan African economies shows that export manufacturers have an average total factor productivity premium of 17 percent. In addition to the effect on productivity levels, exporters enjoy productivity growth that is 10 percent faster than do non exporters. The data does not allow testing of whether these premiums are because of more efficient producers go into exporting, or because of a process of learning-by-exporting. In thinking about the mechanisms behind selectivity and learning, however, our finding of higher premiums for direct exporters, and for those who export to areas outside of Africa, could be interpreted as being consistent with learning-by-exporting effects. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1020-7635
2041-4161
1564-5150
2041-417X
DOI:10.2307/30035878