Learning, Incomplete Contracts and Export Dynamics: Theory and Evidence from French Firms
Abstract
We consider a model where exporting requires finding a local partner in each market. Contracts are incomplete and exporters must learn the reliability of their partners through experience. In the model, export behavior is state-dependent due to matching frictions, although there are no sunk costs. Better legal institutions alleviate contracting frictions especially in sectors with large contracting problems. Thus, measures of legal quality help reduce the risk that a match between an exporter and a local distributor splits, and they are all the more effective in sectors that are more exposed to hold-up problems. Moreover, the breaking risk declines with the age of the relationship, as unreliable partners are weeded out. We find strong evidence in favor of the model's predictions when testing them with a French dataset that includes information on firm-level exports by destination country.Download Info
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Paper provided by Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques, DESE in its series Documents de Travail de la DESE - Working Papers of the DESE with number g2011-16.Length:
Date of creation: 2011
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:crs:wpdeee:g2011-16
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Keywords: Trade Dynamics; Learning; Incomplete Contracts; State dependence; Firm-level Trade Data;Other versions of this item:
- Romain Aeberhardt & Ines Buono & Harald Fadinger, 2012. "Learning, incomplete contracts and export dynamics: theory and evidence from French firms," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 883, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
- Romain Aeberhardt & Ines Buono & Harald Fadinger, 2009. "Learning, Incomplete Contracts and Ecport Dynamics: Theory and Evidence from French Firms," Vienna Economics Papers 1006, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
- F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies
- F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
- L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2011-11-28 (All new papers)
- NEP-CSE-2011-11-28 (Economics of Strategic Management)
- NEP-CTA-2011-11-28 (Contract Theory & Applications)
- NEP-INT-2011-11-28 (International Trade)
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Citations
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.Cited by:
- Heyman, Fredrik & Gustavsson Tingvall, Patrik, 2012.
"The Dynamics of Offshoring and Institutions,"
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919, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
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- Söderlund, Bengt & Gustavsson Tingvall, Patrik, 2012. "Dynamic Effects of Institutions on Firm-Level Exports," Ratio Working Papers 184, The Ratio Institute.
- Ines Buono & Harald Fadinger, 2012.
"The micro dynamics of exporting: evidence from French firms,"
Temi di discussione (Economic working papers)
880, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
- Buono, Ines & Fadinger, Harald & Berger, Stefan, 2008. "The Micro Dynamics of Exporting: Evidence from French Firms," MPRA Paper 12940, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Ines Buono & Harald Fadinger & Stefan Berger, 2008. "The Micro Dynamic of Exporting-Evidence from French Firms," Vienna Economics Papers 0901, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
- Gabriel Felbermayr & Benjamin Jung, 2011.
"Trade Intermediation and the Organization of Exporters,"
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Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 634-648, 09.
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