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Import competition and firm innovation: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Qing
  • Lu, Ruosi
  • Lu, Yi
  • Luong, Tuan Anh

Abstract

This paper investigates whether and how import competition affects firm innovation. Using China's World Trade Organization (WTO) accession as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that import competition reduces firm innovation, which is consistent with the Schumpeterian effect. We also find heterogeneous treatment effects across firm productivity and patent types in a way consistent with preference and knowledge spillover effects, but not with escape-competition and trapped-factor effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Qing & Lu, Ruosi & Lu, Yi & Luong, Tuan Anh, 2021. "Import competition and firm innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:151:y:2021:i:c:s0304387821000298
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102650
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kui Wang & Shuang Tao, 2023. "Why Do Chinese Private Enterprises Seek Outward Foreign Direct Investment?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 31(4), pages 200-218, July.
    3. Stiebale, Joel & Vencappa, Dev, 2022. "Import competition and vertical integration: Evidence from India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    4. Liu, Donghua & Ren, Shenggang & Li, Wenming, 2022. "SO2 emissions trading and firm exports in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    5. Feng, Qiyangfan & Wei, Hao, 2023. "Import competition and firm energy intensity: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 543-560.
    6. Haichao Fan & Tuan Anh Luong & Edwin L‐C. Lai & Lina Zhang, 2022. "Import liberalization and export product mix," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(1), pages 419-457, February.
    7. Fubiao Zhu & Delin Zhuang & Shengwu Jin & Lingling Gao & Rui Chen, 2022. "Effects of air pollution on regional innovation and the mediator role of health: Evidence from China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(2), pages 628-650, June.
    8. Liu, Qing & Li, Yuqing & Li, Shuaihang & Wu, Feifei, 2023. "Lose to gain: Heterogeneous impact of trade policy uncertainty on firms’ domestic sales," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    9. Changjie Hu & Ming Liu, 2023. "Protect or Compete? Evidence of Firms’ Innovation from Import Penetration," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-17, April.
    10. Chen, Yongmin & Jiang, Haiwei & Liang, Yousha & Pan, Shiyuan, 2022. "The impact of foreign direct investment on innovation: Evidence from patent filings and citations in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 917-945.
    11. Cui, Chuantao & Li, Leona Shao-Zhi, 2023. "Trade policy uncertainty and new firm entry: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Import competition; Firm innovation; Schumpeterian effect; Spillover effect; Preference effect; Escape-competition effect; Trapped-factor effect;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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