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An economic evaluation of public programs for internationalization: The case of the Diagnostic program in Spain

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  • Cansino, José M.
  • Lopez-Melendo, Jaime
  • Pablo-Romero, María del P.
  • Sánchez-Braza, Antonio

Abstract

This paper evaluates the Diagnostic Program in Spain which is a publicly funded program to promote internationalization of companies located in Andalusia (south of Spain). The methodology used is the propensity score-matching. The treatment group consists of companies which participated in the Program until 2008. The control group has companies which planned to participate in the Program but had not done so up to that date. The response variable measures the ratio of export to total sales for each company. Four covariates have been taken into account: activity, location, sales and number of employees. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the companies that participated in the Program improved their ratio of exports to total sales by about 10 percentage points.

Suggested Citation

  • Cansino, José M. & Lopez-Melendo, Jaime & Pablo-Romero, María del P. & Sánchez-Braza, Antonio, 2013. "An economic evaluation of public programs for internationalization: The case of the Diagnostic program in Spain," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 38-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:41:y:2013:i:c:p:38-46
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2013.07.002
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    2. Stjepan Srhoj & Vanja Vitezic & Joachim Wagner, 2020. "Export boosting policies and firm behaviour: Review of empirical evidence around the world," Working Paper Series in Economics 395, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    3. Freixanet, Joan, 2022. "Export promotion programs: A system-based systematic review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    4. Abu Ayob & Shamshubaridah Ramlee & Aisyah Abdul Rahman, 2015. "Financial factors and export behavior of small and medium-sized enterprises in an emerging economy," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 49-66, March.
    5. Srhoj Stjepan & Vitezić Vanja & Wagner Joachim, 2023. "Export Boosting Policies and Firm Performance: Review of Empirical Evidence Around the World," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 243(1), pages 45-92, February.
    6. Anna Fornalska-Skurczynska, 2015. "How To Effectively Support Export Activity?," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 6(3), pages 61-71, September.
    7. Ayob, Abu H. & Freixanet, Joan, 2014. "Insights into public export promotion programs in an emerging economy: The case of Malaysian SMEs," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 38-46.
    8. José M. Cansino & Antonio Sánchez-Braza & Nereyda Espinoza, 2018. "Evaluating the Impact of an Active Labour Market Policy on Employment: Short- and Long-Term Perspectives," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-20, April.
    9. Mariya V. PODSHIVALOVA & Irina S. PYLAEVA & Nadehzda N. KUZMINA, 2019. "Evaluation of state support programs for small business: A regional aspect," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 28-39, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public policies evaluation; Internationalization programs; Statistical causal inference; Propensity score-matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth
    • H - Public Economics
    • H - Public Economics

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