IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nwe/eajour/y2025i4p1149-1161.html

Digitalization and Global Value Chain Participation: Microdata Evidence from a Transitional Country

Author

Listed:
  • Viet Ha Hoang

    (aculty of International Business and Economics, VNU University of Economics and Business, Hanoi, Viet Nam)

  • Duc Tri Chu

    (Thuong Mai University, Hanoi, Vietnam)

  • Thu Phuong Pham

    (Faculty of International Business and Economics, VNU University of Economics and Business, Hanoi, Viet Nam)

  • Van-Chung Dong

    (International School, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Viet Nam)

Abstract

In the context of Fourth Industrial Revolution, digitalization has been recognized as a key driver of long-term development in developing countries. This study aims to explore the impact of digitalization on the global value chain (GVC) participation of Vietnamese enterprises between 2005 and 2023. Utilizing a probit model, the findings show that digitalization positively affects firms’ GVC participation. The results are robust across various definitions of GVC participation. The study also finds that labor productivity, costs at custom gates, and import licenses play important roles in promoting firms engaged in GVCs. Meanwhile, firm age does not have significant effect on GVC engagement. Regarding heterogeneous effects, digitalization has a more profound effect on medium-sized firms than on large ones. Based on these findings that we propose several policy implications to encourage Vietnamese firms to adopt digitalization and deepen their involvement in global value chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Viet Ha Hoang & Duc Tri Chu & Thu Phuong Pham & Van-Chung Dong, 2025. "Digitalization and Global Value Chain Participation: Microdata Evidence from a Transitional Country," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 4, pages 1149-1161, Desember.
  • Handle: RePEc:nwe:eajour:y:2025:i:4:p:1149-1161
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.unwe.bg/doi/eajournal/2025.4/EA.2025.4.08.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2023. "Digitalization and global value chain participation: firm-level evidence from Indian manufacturing," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 50(3), pages 551-574, September.
    2. Wenjie Chen & Fariha Kamal, 2016. "The impact of information and communication technology adoption on multinational firm boundary decisions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(5), pages 563-576, June.
    3. Christopher Foster & Mark Graham & Laura Mann & Timothy Waema & Nicolas Friederici, 2018. "Digital Control in Value Chains: Challenges of Connectivity for East African Firms," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 94(1), pages 68-86, January.
    4. Ruey-Jer (Bryan) Jean & Rudolf R Sinkovics & S Tamer Cavusgil, 2010. "Enhancing international customer–supplier relationships through IT resources: A study of Taiwanese electronics suppliers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(7), pages 1218-1239, September.
    5. Feriel Nasser & Feryel Ouerghi, 2023. "Global Value Chains and Digitalization under Industry 4.0: The Hansen Threshold Regression Model in the Case of Africa," Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy (JICEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(03), pages 1-29, October.
    6. Teresa C. Fort, 2017. "Technology and Production Fragmentation: Domestic versus Foreign Sourcing," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 84(2), pages 650-687.
    7. Eva Hagsten & Patricia Kotnik, 2017. "ICT as facilitator of internationalisation in small- and medium-sized firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 431-446, February.
    8. Viet Ha Hoang & Cuong N. N. Tran & Hoa Phuong Tran & Thu Phuong Pham & Van-Chung Dong, 2025. "Does engagement in global value chains enhance export survivability? Evidence from a transitional country," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 2492199-249, December.
    9. Costa, Eric & Soares, António Lucas & de Sousa, Jorge Pinho, 2020. "Industrial business associations improving the internationalisation of SMEs with digital platforms: A design science research approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    10. Delera, Michele & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Calza, Elisa & Lavopa, Alejandro, 2022. "Does value chain participation facilitate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in developing countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    11. Nam Hoang Vu & Tuan Anh Bui & Tram Bao Hoang & Hanh My Pham, 2022. "Information technology adoption and integration into global value chains: Evidence from small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises in Vietnam," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 259-286, March.
    12. Ivan Ledezma & Antonia Lopez Villavicencio, 2024. "Global Value Chains and Productivity: Causal Evidence for Firms Worldwide," Working Papers hal-04452390, HAL.
    13. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
    14. Minetti, Raoul & Zhu, Susan Chun, 2011. "Credit constraints and firm export: Microeconomic evidence from Italy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 109-125, March.
    15. Davide Rigo, 2021. "Global value chains and technology transfer: new evidence from developing countries," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 157(2), pages 271-294, May.
    16. Gopalan, Sasidaran & Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2022. "Does digitalization spur global value chain participation? Firm-level evidence from emerging markets," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    17. Gniniguè, Moukpè & Wonyra, Kwami Ossadzifo & Tchagnao, Abdou-Fataou & Bayale, Nimonka, 2023. "Participation of developing countries in global value chains: What role for information and communication technologies?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2023. "Digitalization and global value chain participation: firm-level evidence from Indian manufacturing," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 50(3), pages 551-574, September.
    2. Gopalan, Sasidaran & Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2022. "Does digitalization spur global value chain participation? Firm-level evidence from emerging markets," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    3. Subash Sasidharan & Ketan Reddy, 2021. "The Role of Digitalisation in Shaping India’s Global Value Chain Participation," Working Papers DP-2021-09, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
    4. Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2024. "Global value chains, productivity and markup: Evidence from India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 250-271.
    5. Michele Imbruno & Joël Cariolle & Jaime de Melo, 2025. "Digital connectivity and firm participation in foreign markets: An exporter-based bilateral analysis," Post-Print hal-05570207, HAL.
    6. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan & Shandre Thangavelu, 2023. "Does servicification of manufacturing increase the GVC activities of firms? Case of India," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 153-181, January.
    7. Dolores Añón Higón & Daniel Bonvin, 2024. "Digitalization and trade participation of SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 857-877, March.
    8. Imbruno, Michele & Cariolle, Joël & de Melo, Jaime, 2025. "Digital connectivity and firm participation in foreign markets: An exporter-based bilateral analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    9. Sasidaran Gopalan & Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2025. "Can participation in global value chains improve female labor force participation? A firm-level empirical investigation," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 161(2), pages 611-634, May.
    10. Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash & Thangavelu, Shandre Mugan, 2025. "Does economic policy uncertainty impact global value chain participation of Indian firms? The role of financial constraints," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    11. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2025. "Trade Facilitation and Global Value Chain Participation: Cross-country Analysis," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 60(3), pages 291-313, August.
    12. Carsten Eckel & Florian Unger, 2023. "Credit Constraints, Endogenous Innovations, And Price Setting In International Trade," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 64(4), pages 1715-1747, November.
    13. Fernandes, Ana P. & Duanmu, Jing-Lin, 2025. "Foreign banks and firms’ export dynamics: Evidence from China’s banking reform," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    14. Maria Luisa Mancusi & Andrea Vezzulli & Serena Frazzoni & Zeno Rotondi & Maurizio Sobrero, 2018. "Export and Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises: The Role of Concentrated Bank Borrowing," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 85(337), pages 177-204, January.
    15. Wagner, Joachim, 2015. "Credit constraints and the extensive margins of exports: First evidence for German manufacturing," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy, vol. 9, pages 1-17.
    16. Giordano, Claire & Lopez-Garcia, Paloma, 2019. "Firm heterogeneity and trade in EU countries: a cross-country analysis," Occasional Paper Series 225, European Central Bank.
    17. Yao Amber Li & Albert Park & Chen Zhao, 2015. "Credit Distribution and Exports: Microeconomic Evidence from China," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2015-31, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised Nov 2015.
    18. Uwizeyemungu, Sylvestre & Poba-Nzaou, Placide & St-Pierre, Josée, 2022. "Back-end information technology resources and manufacturing SMEs’ export commitment: An empirical investigation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    19. Siewers, Samuel & Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada & Baghdadi, Leila, 2024. "Global value chains and firms’ environmental performance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    20. Joël Cariolle & Michele Imbruno & Jaime de Melo, 2020. "Bilateral digital connectivity and firm participation in export markets," Working Papers hal-03182438, HAL.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nwe:eajour:y:2025:i:4:p:1149-1161. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Vanya Lazarova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/unweebg.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.