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Sizing Up the Impact of Embassies on Exports

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  • Ferguson, Shon

    (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN))

  • Forslid, Rikard

    (Stockholm University)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to test for the effects of trade promotion via the foreign service. We develop a Melitz-based model where firms are heterogeneous with respect to productivity and must pay a beachhead cost to enter a foreign market, which can be reduced by government spending on trade promotion. The model predicts that unilateral trade promotion allows medium-sized firms to export. We test this prediction using Swedish firm-level data and information on the opening and closing of Swedish embassies abroad using Norwegian firms as control group. Our results lend support to the predictions of the model, with large and medium-sized firms responding most strongly to the opening of embassies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ferguson, Shon & Forslid, Rikard, 2014. "Sizing Up the Impact of Embassies on Exports," Working Paper Series 1012, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1012
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    Cited by:

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    2. Andrew J. Cassey, 2016. "The Destinations of State Trade Missions," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo, vol. 62(3), pages 547-571.
    3. Shang-Jin Wei & Ziru Wei & Jianhuan Xu, 2017. "Sizing up Market Failures in Export Pioneering Activities," NBER Working Papers 23893, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Vargas Da Cruz,Marcio Jose, 2014. "Do export promotion agencies promote new exporters ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7004, The World Bank.
    5. Huberman, Michael & Meissner, Christopher M. & Oosterlinck, Kim, 2017. "Technology and Geography in the Second Industrial Revolution: New Evidence from the Margins of Trade," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 77(1), pages 39-89, March.
    6. Firat Demir & Hyeonjin Im, 2020. "Effects of cultural institutes on bilateral trade and FDI flows: Cultural diplomacy or economic altruism?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(9), pages 2463-2489, September.
    7. Wei, Shang-Jin & Wei, Ziru, 2014. "Assessing Market Failures in Export Pioneering Activities: A Structural Estimation Approach," CEPR Discussion Papers 10187, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    9. Lien, Donald & Lo, Melody, 2017. "Economic impacts of cultural institutes," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 12-21.
    10. Aalto, Eero & Gustafsson, Robin, 2020. "Export Promotion Rationales and Impacts – A Review," ETLA Reports 100, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
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    12. Feng, Gen-Fu & Zheng, Mingbo & Wen, Jun & Chang, Chun-Ping & Chen, Yin E., 2019. "The assessment of globalization on innovation in Chinese manufacturing firms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 190-202.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Heterogeneous firms; Trade promotion;

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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