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Are seminars on export promotion effective? Evidence from a randomised controlled trial

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  • Yu Ri Kim
  • Yasuyuki Todo
  • Daichi Shimamoto
  • Petr Matous

Abstract

This paper investigates the impacts of informational and motivational seminars on export promotion targeting small and medium enterprises in the traditional apparel and textile clusters in Vietnam. To control for biases due to self‐selection, we conducted a randomised controlled trial and invited randomly selected firms to participate in 1‐day seminars. Because only some of the invited firms participated in the seminars, we employ an instrumental variable approach in which the dummy variable for a random invitation is used as an instrument for quantifying the effects of participation. We find that seminar participants were more likely to sense the difficulties of the export procedures and were, on average, unlikely to start exporting in the short run. However, the seminars encouraged large firms, which possibly embody higher productivity and absorptive capacity, to start exporting shortly after the seminars. This effect was not sustained in the long term without additional stimuli. We have also identified spillover effects of participants on non‐participants through informal information networks within the cluster. Overall, the results suggest that the provision of information about export is useful only to adequately productive larger firms with a sufficient absorptive capacity.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Ri Kim & Yasuyuki Todo & Daichi Shimamoto & Petr Matous, 2018. "Are seminars on export promotion effective? Evidence from a randomised controlled trial," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(11), pages 2954-2982, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:41:y:2018:i:11:p:2954-2982
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.12658
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    Cited by:

    1. Srhoj, Stjepan & Vitezic, Vanja & Wagner, Joachim, 2020. "Export boosting policies and firm behaviour: Review of empirical evidence around the world," MPRA Paper 104330, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. repec:wbk:wbrwps:10256 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Freixanet, Joan, 2022. "Export promotion programs: A system-based systematic review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    4. Daichi SHIMAMOTO & Yasuyuki TODO & Yu Ri KIM & Petr MATOUS, 2016. "Identifying and Decomposing Peer Effects on Participation Decisions Using a Randomized Controlled Trial," Discussion papers 16083, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    5. Daichi Shimamoto & Yasuyuki Todo & Yu Ri Kim & Petr Matous, 2022. "Identifying and decomposing peer effects on decision-making using a randomized controlled trial," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 1029-1058, August.
    6. Jeong Hugh Han & Hyun-Yong Park, 2019. "Sustaining Small Exporters’ Performance: Capturing Heterogeneous Effects of Government Export Assistance Programs on Global Value Chain Informedness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-24, April.
    7. (ed.), 0. "Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16053, August.
    8. Leonardo Iacovone & David McKenzie & Rachael Meager, 2025. "Bayesian Impact Evaluation With Informative Priors: An Application to a Colombian Management and Export Improvement Program," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 93(5), pages 1915-1935, September.
    9. Agarwal, Natasha & Chan, Jackie M.L. & Lodefalk, Magnus & Tang, Aili & Tano, Sofia & Wang, Zheng, 2023. "Mitigating information frictions in trade: Evidence from export credit guarantees," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    10. Cusolito, Ana P. & Darova, Ornella & McKenzie, David, 2023. "Capacity building as a route to export market expansion: A six-country experiment in the Western Balkans," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    11. Yasuyuki Todo & Hiroyasu Inoue, 2021. "Geographic Diversification of the Supply Chains of Japanese Firms," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 16(2), pages 304-322, July.
    12. Wim Naudé & Martin Cameron, 2021. "Export-Led Growth after COVID-19: The Case of Portugal," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 52, pages 7-53, July.
    13. Yasuyuki TODO, 2022. "Resilient and Innovative Supply Chains: Evidence-based policy and managerial implications," Policy Discussion Papers 22024, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Kahiya, Eldrede T., 2024. "A problematization review of export assistance: Debates and future directions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1).

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