Export Orientation and Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

May 1, 2002

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Catherine A Pattillo, and Taye Mengistae. Export Orientation and Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2002) accessed December 26, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

Analysis of firm-level panel data from three sub-Saharan African economies shows that exporting manufacturers have a total factor productivity premium of 11-28 percent. The data do not allow testing of whether these premiums are caused by selection of more efficient producers into exporting or by learning-by-exporting. By thinking about the mechanisms behind selectivity and learning, however, our finding of higher premiums for direct exporters and exporters to outside Africa could be interpreted as being consistent with learning-by-exporting effects. However, if learning-by-exporting is indeed present in the data, we cannot disentangle its effect on productivity from those of more traditionally recognized channels of international technology diffusion.

Subject: Exports, Foreign aid, Imports, International trade, Labor, Production, Productivity, Total factor productivity

Keywords: Africa, Direct exporter, Ethiopian firm, Exports, Firm age, Firms export, Imports, Learning-by-exporting, Productivity, Productivity equation, Productivity premium, Sub-Saharan Africa, Total factor productivity, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

30
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2002/089
Stock No:

WPIEA0892002
ISBN:

9781451851298
ISSN:

1018-5941

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