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The Origins and Dynamics of Export Superstars

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  • Freund, Caroline
  • Pierola, Martha Denisse

Abstract

This paper uses firm-level data on manufacturing trade from 40 developing countries to explore how the five largest exporters in a country contribute to export growth and diversification. The origins of these firms are also studied. The data show that the top five exporters account for on average one third of exports, over half of export growth, and almost all of export diversification over a five-year period. Controlling for country and industry fixed effects, the share of exports in the top five firms increases significantly as exports grow. Most top five exporters were already large five years ago or are new firms; it is extremely rare for these export superstars to emerge from the bottom half of the firm-size distribution. They are producers, not traders, and are primarily foreign owned.

Suggested Citation

  • Freund, Caroline & Pierola, Martha Denisse, 2016. "The Origins and Dynamics of Export Superstars," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 7947, Inter-American Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:brikps:7947
    DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0011771
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    Cited by:

    1. Porcile, Gabriel & Spinola, Danilo & Yajima, Giuliano, 2021. "Patterns of Growth in Structuralist Models: The Role of PoliticalEconomy," CAFE Working Papers 12, Centre for Accountancy, Finance and Economics (CAFE), Birmingham City Business School, Birmingham City University.
    2. Fukunari Kimura & Mari Pangestu & Shandre M. Thangavelu & Christopher Findlay (ed.), 2021. "Handbook on East Asian Economic Integration," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 18644, August.
    3. Federico J. Diez & Jesse Mora & Alan C. Spearot, 2016. "Firms in international trade," Working Papers 16-25, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    4. Stjepan Srhoj & Alex Coad & Janette Walde, 2024. "HGX: the anatomy of high growth exporters," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 1695-1720, December.
    5. Sun, Meng, 2021. "The Internet and SME Participation in Exports," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Clément Nedoncelle & Julien Wolfersberger, 2025. "Weather shocks and firm exports in developing countries," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 161(2), pages 743-784, May.
    8. Zoltán Lakner & Anna Kiss & József Popp & Zoltán Zéman & Domicián Máté & Judit Oláh, 2019. "From Basic Research to Competitiveness: An Econometric Analysis of the Global Pharmaceutical Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, June.
    9. repec:hal:wpaper:hal-03753384 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Zhao, Xiaoxia & Jia, Chi & Li, Haoru, 2025. "Cost pressure or innovation-driven? Social insurance and firm exporting," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    11. Ivus, Olena & Park, Walter, 2019. "Patent reforms and exporter behaviour: Firm-level evidence from developing countries," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 129-147.
    12. Pattnayak, Sanja Samirana & Chadha, Alka, 2022. "Servicification and manufacturing exports: Evidence from India," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    13. Jaud, Melise & Cadot, Olivier & Disdier, Anne-Célia & Suwa-Eisenmann, Akiko, 2024. "Big hits in export growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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