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South African exporting firms: What do we know and what should we know?

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  • Edwards, Lawrence
  • Rankin, Neil A.
  • Schöer, Volker

Abstract

Policies to stimulate export growth and diversify the composition of exports in South Africa are now high on the government’s agenda. In order to understand exporting and its impact on job creation, one needs to understand how firms function, what determines, or constrains, exporting at the firm level and the links between export behaviour and labour demand. An understanding of these relationships, particularly over time, is also essential for the implementation and evaluation of export related policies. This paper reviews the evidence on South African exporting firms, highlighting what we know, and what we do not know. A key conclusion is that our understanding of firm level export behaviour is severely constrained by the lack of adequate firm data, particularly panel data.

Suggested Citation

  • Edwards, Lawrence & Rankin, Neil A. & Schöer, Volker, 2008. "South African exporting firms: What do we know and what should we know?," MPRA Paper 16906, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:16906
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:ldr:wpaper:92 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Carli Bezuidenhout & Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin, 2021. "Exporting and the wage premium: The case of South African manufacturing firms," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 2031-2051, November.
    3. Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin & Tasha Naughtin & Carli Bezuidenhout, 2016. "The South African manufacturing exporter story," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-38, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Possenti, Silvia., 2012. "Rural development strategies as a path to decent work and reducing urban informal employment : the case of South Africa," ILO Working Papers 994790883402676, International Labour Organization.
    5. Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin & Carli Bezuidenhout, 2017. "Labour demand and the distribution of wages in South African manufacturing exporters," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-11, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin & Carli Bezuidenhout, 2017. "Labour demand and the distribution of wages in South African manufacturing exporters," WIDER Working Paper Series 011, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. repec:ilo:ilowps:479088 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Marianne Matthee & Waldo Krugell, 2011. "Barriers to Internationalisation: Firm-Level Evidence from South Africa," Working Papers 2011/09, Maastricht School of Management.
    9. Andrew Kerr & Martin Wittenberg & Jairo Arrow, 2014. "Job Creation and Destruction in South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(1), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Marianne Matthee & Neil Rankin & Tasha Naughtin & Carli Bezuidenhout, 2016. "The South African manufacturing exporter story," WIDER Working Paper Series 038, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Konstantin MAKRELOV & David FAULKNER, 2009. "Productivity-Raising Interventions for the South African Economy: A CGE Analysis," EcoMod2009 21500063, EcoMod.
    12. Marianne Matthee & Thomas Farole & Tasha Naughtin & Neil Rankin, 2016. "South African Exporters and the Global Crisis: Intensive Margin Shock, Extensive Margin Hangover," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 84(2), pages 183-198, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    South Africa; exports; firms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • F19 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Other

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