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Firm export diversification and change in workforce composition

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Guillou

    (OFCE Sciences Po Paris)

  • Tania Treibich

    (Maastricht University (The Netherlands), Sant'Anna School of advanced studies and OFCE, Sciences PO Paris)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to show that part of the fixed cost of firms' trade expansion is due to the acquisition of new internal capabilities (e.g. technology, production processes or skills), which imply a costly change in the firm's internal labor organisation. We investigate the relationship between a firm's structure of labor, in terms of relative number of managers, and the scope of its export portfolio, in terms of product-destination varieties. The empirical analysis is based on a matched employer-employee dataset covering the population of French firms from tradable sectors over the period 2009-2014. Our analysis suggests that market expansion, and in particular export diversification, is associated with a change in the firm's workforce composition, namely an increase in the number of managerial layers and in the ratio of managers. We show how these results are consistent with a simple model where the complexity of a firm's operations increases in the number of product-destination couples exported, and where managers' role is to address the unsolved problems arising from such increased complexity of operations.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Guillou & Tania Treibich, 2019. "Firm export diversification and change in workforce composition," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2019-09, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    • Handle: RePEc:fce:doctra:1909
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    File URL: http://www.ofce.sciences-po.fr/pdf/dtravail/OFCEWP2019-09.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah Guillou & Tania Treibich, 2019. "Firm export diversification and change in workforce composition," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 155(4), pages 645-676, November.
    2. Domini, Giacomo & Grazzi, Marco & Moschella, Daniele & Treibich, Tania, 2021. "Threats and opportunities in the digital era: Automation spikes and employment dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(7).
    3. Yu, Ziliang & Tong, Jiadong, 2020. "Financing benefit from exporting: An indirect identification approach," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 57.
    4. Domini, Giacomo & Grazzi, Marco & Moschella, Daniele & Treibich, Tania, 2022. "For whom the bell tolls: The firm-level effects of automation on wage and gender inequality," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis

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