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Export Orientation and Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author:
Ms. Catherine A Pattillo
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and
Mr. Taye Mengistaenull

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Series:
IMF Working Papers
Volume/Issue:
Volume 2002: Issue 089
Language:
English
Publication Date:
01 May 2002
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451851298.001
ISBN:
9781451851298
ISSN:
1018-5941
Pages:
30
Keywords:
WP; productivity premium; firm age; firms export; Ethiopian firm; productivity equation; Exports; productivity; Africa; learning-by-exporting; direct exporter; Imports; Total factor productivity; Sub-Saharan Africa
Legal-disclaimer:
IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.
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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.
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Cover IMF Working Papers
IMF Working Papers
ISSN:
1018-5941
Publisher:
International Monetary Fund
Volume 2002: Issue 089