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Importing and Firm Export Performance: New Evidence from South Africa

Author

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  • Lawrence Edwards
  • Marco Sanfilippo
  • Asha Sundaram

Abstract

This article uses firm‐level data from company income tax and customs declarations from South Africa to analyse the complementary relationship between direct access to imported intermediate inputs and firm exports in the manufacturing industry. There are two main findings. The first is on firm heterogeneity, showing that firms that import and export consistently demonstrate premiums in terms of productivity, employment, wages and capital intensity in production compared to firms that do not trade, or only export or import. The second supports the hypothesis that importing raises exports, especially if inputs are sourced from advanced economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence Edwards & Marco Sanfilippo & Asha Sundaram, 2018. "Importing and Firm Export Performance: New Evidence from South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 86(S1), pages 79-95, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:86:y:2018:i:s1:p:79-95
    DOI: 10.1111/saje.12154
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    Cited by:

    1. Kemal Türkcan & Socrates Majune Kraido & Eliud Moyi, 2022. "Export margins and survival: A firm‐level analysis using Kenyan data," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 90(2), pages 149-174, June.
    2. Anmar Pretorius & Carli Bezuidenhout & Marianne Matthee & Derick Blaauw, 2022. "Offshoring within South African manufacturing firms: An analysis of the labour market effects," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 90(2), pages 123-148, June.
    3. Torres Mazzi, Caio & Foster-McGregor, Neil, 2021. "Imported intermediates, technological capabilities and exports: Evidence from Brazilian firm-level data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    4. Lawrence Edwards & Marco Sanfilippo & Asha Sundaram, 2020. "Importing and Productivity: An Analysis of South African Manufacturing Firms," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 57(2), pages 411-432, September.
    5. Polsitty R. Kumar & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2020. "Globalization – Reflective Outlook," Journal of Applied Management and Investments, Department of Business Administration and Corporate Security, International Humanitarian University, vol. 9(1), pages 42-50, March.
    6. Amina Ebrahim & Kezia Lilenstein, 2019. "Gender and the South African labour market: Policy relevant research possibilities using South African tax data," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-31, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Lawrence Edwards & Ayanda Hlatshwayo, 2020. "Exchange rates and firm export performance in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-1, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Anmar Pretorius & Carli Bezuidenhout & Marianne Matthee & Derick Blaauw, 2019. "Offshoring within South African manufacturing firms: An analysis of the labour market effects," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-75, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Marlies Piek & Dieter von Fintel, 2020. "Sectoral minimum wages in South Africa: Disemployment by firm size and trade exposure," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 462-482, May.
    10. Hani Hamed Al-Dmour, 2018. "A Conceptual Framework for Determinants of E-Exporting (Marketing Applications) Practices and the Business Performance: Empirical Study," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(11), pages 358-358, November.
    11. Andre Steenkamp & Mark Schaffer & Wayde Flowerday & John Gabriel Goddard, 2018. "Innovation activity in South Africa: Measuring the returns to R&D," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-42, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    12. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2020. "Aid for Trade, Export Product Diversification and Import Product Diversification," EconStor Preprints 223021, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    13. Francisco Requena & Guadalupe Serrano & Raúl Mínguez, 2022. "The role of imports in the intensive margin of exports," Working Papers 2206, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    14. Zenebech Admasu Gebreamilack & Yin Feng, 2023. "Input Quality Upgrading from Tariff Reduction and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Ethiopian Manufacturing," Studies in Microeconomics, , vol. 11(1), pages 76-100, April.
    15. Irfan Civcir & M. Emir Yücel, 2020. "Effects of Internal and External Imbalances and the Role of Relative Prices on Economic Growth: Evidence From Turkey," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    16. Edwards Lawrence & Hlatshwayo Ayanda, 2020. "Exchange rates and firm export performance in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp2020-1, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    17. Karishma Banga, 2022. "Impact of global value chains on total factor productivity: The case of Indian manufacturing," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 704-735, May.
    18. Francisco Requena & Guadalupe Serrano & Raúl Mínguez, 2021. "Working Papers in Applied Economics," Working Papers 2114, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.

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