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Exports, Imports and Profitability: First Evidence for Manufacturing Enterprises

In: Microeconometrics of International Trade

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  • Joachim Wagner

Abstract

This paper documents for the first time the relationship between profitability and three types of international trade activities — exports, imports, and two-way trade. It uses unique new representative data for manufacturing enterprises from Germany, one of the leading actors in the world market for goods, that merge information from surveys performed by the Statistical Offices and administrative data collected by the Tax Authorities. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis (with and without controlling for unobserved firm heterogeneity and the role of outliers) point to the absence of any statistically significant and economically large effects of trade activities on profits. This demonstrates that any productivity advantages of trading firms are eaten up by extra costs related to selling and buying in foreign markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports, Imports and Profitability: First Evidence for Manufacturing Enterprises," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 9, pages 311-338, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
  • Handle: RePEc:wsi:wschap:9789813109698_0009
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    1. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Higher Wages in Exporting Firms: Self-selection, Export Effect, or Both? First Evidence from Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 6, pages 215-241, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    3. Helmut Fryges & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Profitability — First Evidence for German Manufacturing Firms," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 7, pages 245-277, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Verardi Vincenzo & Wagner Joachim, 2011. "Robust Estimation of Linear Fixed Effects Panel Data Models with an Application to the Exporter Productivity Premium," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 231(4), pages 546-557, August.
    5. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Profitability — First Evidence for German Business Services Enterprises," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 8, pages 279-310, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    13. Vincenzo Verardi & Christophe Croux, 2009. "Robust regression in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 9(3), pages 439-453, September.
    14. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Higher Productivity in Importing German Manufacturing Firms: Self-selection, Learning from Importing or Both?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 4, pages 139-174, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    15. Thorsten Schank & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Do Exporters Really Pay Higher Wages? First Evidence from German Linked Employer–Employee Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 5, pages 177-213, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    16. Temouri, Yama & Vogel, Alexander & Wagner, Joachim, 2013. "Self-selection into export markets by business services firms – Evidence from France, Germany and the United Kingdom," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 146-158.
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    20. David Greenaway & Richard Kneller, 2007. "Firm heterogeneity, exporting and foreign direct investment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 134-161, February.
    21. Maria Caterina Bramati & Christophe Croux, 2007. "Robust estimators for the fixed effects panel data model," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 10(3), pages 521-540, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microeconometrics; International Trade; Exports; Imports; Firm Performance; Productivity; Profits; Wages; Firm Survival;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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