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Imports and Productivity

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Author Info
Halpern, László
Koren, Miklós
Szeidl, Adam

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Abstract

What is the effect of imports on productivity? To answer this question, we estimate a structural model of producers using product-level import data for a panel of Hungarian manufacturing firms from 1992 to 2001. In our model with heterogenous firms, producers choose to import or purchase domestically varieties of intermediate inputs. Imports affect firm productivity through expanding variety as well as improved input quality. The model leads to a production function where the total factor productivity of a firm depends on the share of inputs imported. To estimate this import-augmented production function, we extend the Olley and Pakes (1996) procedure for a setting with an additional state variable, the number of input varieties imported. Our results suggest that the role of imports is both statistically and economically significant. Imports are responsible for 30% of the growth in aggregate total factor productivity in Hungary during the 1990s. About 50% of this effect is through imports advancing firm level productivity, while the remaining 50% comes from the reallocation of capital and labour to importers.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 5139.

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Date of creation: Jul 2005
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5139

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Related research
Keywords: imports; intermediate inputs; productivity;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies
F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Country and Industry Studies of Trade
L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Andrew B. Bernard & J. Bradford Jensen & Peter K. Schott, 2005. "Importers, Exporters, and Multinationals: A Portrait of Firms in the U.S. that Trade Goods," NBER Working Papers 11404, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Bernard, Andrew B. & Bradford Jensen, J., 1999. "Exceptional exporter performance: cause, effect, or both?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 1-25, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Marc-Andreas Muendler, 2004. "Trade, Technology, and Productivity: A Study of Brazilian Manufacturers, 1986-1998," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series 2004-06, Department of Economics, UC San Diego. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Choi, E Kwan & Harrigan, James, 2004. "Handbook of International Trade," Staff General Research Papers 11375, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
  5. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341, 04. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Halpern, László & Koren, Miklós, 2004. "Pricing to Firm: An Analysis of Firm- and Product-Level Import Prices," CEPR Discussion Papers 4568, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. G. Steven Olley & Ariel Pakes, 1992. "The Dynamics of Productivity in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry," NBER Working Papers 3977, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. David Hummels & Volodymyr Lugovskyy, 2005. "Trade in Ideal Varieties: Theory and Evidence," NBER Working Papers 11828, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Jeffrey A. Frankel & David Romer, 1999. "Does Trade Cause Growth?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(3), pages 379-399, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Olley, G Steven & Pakes, Ariel, 1996. "The Dynamics of Productivity in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(6), pages 1263-97, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  1. Davide Castellani & Francesco Serti & Chiara Tomasi, 2008. "Firms in International Trade: Importers and Exporters Heterogeneity in the Italian Manufacturing Industry," LEM Papers Series 2008/04, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy. [Downloadable!]
  2. Eslava, Marcela & Haltiwanger, John C. & Kugler, Adriana & Kugler, Maurice, 2009. "Trade Reforms and Market Selection: Evidence from Manufacturing Plants in Colombia," IZA Discussion Papers 4256, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Francesco Serti & Chiara Tomasi, 2008. "Firm Heterogeneity: do destinations of exports and origins of imports matter?," LEM Papers Series 2008/14, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy. [Downloadable!]
  4. Gábor Békés & Péter Harasztosi & Balázs Muraközy, 2009. "Firms and Products in International Trade: Data and Patterns for Hungary," CeFiG Technical Papers 1, Center for Firms in the Global Economy, revised 12 Oct 2009. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Landon, Stuart & Smith, Constance, 2007. "Investment and the exchange rate: Short run and long run aggregate and sector-level estimates," MPRA Paper 9958, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Pinelopi K. Goldberg & Amit Khandelwal & Nina Pavcnik & Petia Topalova, 2008. "Imported Intermediate Inputs and Domestic Product Growth: Evidence from India," NBER Working Papers 14416, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Francesco Serti & Chiara Tomasi & Antonello Zanfei, 2007. "Exporters, Importers and Two-way Traders: the Links between Internationalization, Skills and Wages," Working Papers 0713, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, revised 2007. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Lööf, Hans & Andersson, Martin, 2008. "Imports, Productivity and the Origin Markets -the role of knowledge-intensive economies," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 146, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies. [Downloadable!]
  9. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2008. "Export, Import und Produktivität wissensintensiver KMUs in Deutschland," Working Paper Series in Economics 104, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  10. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2008. "Higher Productivity in Importing German Manufacturing Firms: Self-selection, Learning from Importing, or Both?," Working Paper Series in Economics 106, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. Mauro Pisu, 2008. "Job creation, job destruction and firms’ international trade involvement," Research series 200803-17, National Bank of Belgium. [Downloadable!]
  12. Augier, Patricia & Cadot, Olivier & Dovis, Marion, 2009. "Imports and TFP at the Firm Level: The Role of Absorptive Capacity," CEPR Discussion Papers 7218, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Hiroyuki Kasahara & Beverly Lapham, 2008. "Productivity and the Decision to Import and Export: Theory and Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
  14. Hans Lööf, 2009. "Multinational enterprises and innovation: firm level evidence on spillover via R&D collaboration," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 41-71, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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