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New Methods for the Analysis of Links between International Firm Activities and Firm Performance: A Practitioner’s Guide

Author

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  • Joachim Wagner

    (Institute of Economics, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany)

Abstract

This paper is a non-technical introduction to the use of three micro-econometric tools that have only recently been applied in empirical investigations of the links between international firm activities and firm performance. It shows why it is important to use these methods, how to use them in practice and which new insights are found in empirical applications. Topics include the role of extremely different firms (or outliers) in the computation of performance premia of internationally active firms; different performance premia over the distribution of the performance variable when unobserved heterogeneity matters; and the analysis of causal effects of different intensities of international firm activity on firm performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim Wagner, 2012. "New Methods for the Analysis of Links between International Firm Activities and Firm Performance: A Practitioner’s Guide," Working Paper Series in Economics 227, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:lue:wpaper:227
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bernard, Andrew B. & Bradford Jensen, J., 1999. "Exceptional exporter performance: cause, effect, or both?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 1-25, February.
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    3. Helmut Fryges & Joachim Wagner, 2021. "Exports and Productivity Growth — First Evidence from a Continuous Treatment Approach," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Joachim Wagner (ed.), MICROECONOMETRIC STUDIES OF FIRMS’ IMPORTS AND EXPORTS Advanced Methods of Analysis and Evidence from German Enterprises, chapter 6, pages 57-86, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Stephen J. Redding, 2011. "Theories of Heterogeneous Firms and Trade," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 77-105, September.
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    6. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Profitability — First Evidence for German Business Services Enterprises," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 8, pages 279-310, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2007. "Viewpoint: Replication in economics," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(3), pages 715-733, August.
    8. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "From Estimation Results to Stylized Facts: Twelve Recommendations for Empirical Research in International Activities of Heterogeneous Firms," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 15, pages 479-514, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. Joachim Wagner, 2016. "Exports and Productivity: A Survey of the Evidence from Firm Level Data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Microeconometrics of International Trade, chapter 1, pages 3-41, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    10. Vincenzo Verardi & Joachim Wagner, 2021. "Productivity Premia for German Manufacturing Firms Exporting to the Euro-area and Beyond: First Evidence from Robust Fixed Effects Estimations," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Joachim Wagner (ed.), MICROECONOMETRIC STUDIES OF FIRMS’ IMPORTS AND EXPORTS Advanced Methods of Analysis and Evidence from German Enterprises, chapter 7, pages 87-109, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    19. David Powell & Joachim Wagner, 2021. "The Exporter Productivity Premium Along the Productivity Distribution: Evidence from Quantile Regression with Nonadditive Firm Fixed Effects," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Joachim Wagner (ed.), MICROECONOMETRIC STUDIES OF FIRMS’ IMPORTS AND EXPORTS Advanced Methods of Analysis and Evidence from German Enterprises, chapter 9, pages 121-149, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    20. 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.
    21. Alexander Vogel & Joachim Wagner, 2021. "Robust Estimates of Exporter Productivity Premia in German Business Services Enterprises," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Joachim Wagner (ed.), MICROECONOMETRIC STUDIES OF FIRMS’ IMPORTS AND EXPORTS Advanced Methods of Analysis and Evidence from German Enterprises, chapter 14, pages 239-263, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    22. David Greenaway & Richard Kneller, 2007. "Firm heterogeneity, exporting and foreign direct investment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(517), pages 134-161, February.
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    25. Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2000. "The Craft of Labormetrics," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 53(3), pages 363-380, April.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David C. Francis & Helena Schweiger, 2017. "Not so different from non-traders," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 25(2), pages 185-238, April.
    2. Valeria Gattai, 2015. "Internationalisation and performance at the firm-level: what we learn from Italy," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(4), pages 475-509, December.
    3. Alex Coad & Nestor Duch-Brown, 2017. "Barriers to European cross-border E-commerce," JRC Working Papers on Digital Economy 2017-03, Joint Research Centre.
    4. Foster-McGregor, Neil & Isaksson, Anders & Kaulich, Florian, 2014. "Learning-by-exporting versus self-selection: New evidence for 19 sub-Saharan African countries," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 212-214.
    5. Adriana Peluffo, 2016. "The role of investments in export growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 115-137, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Robust fixed effects estimation; fixed-effects quantile regression; generalized propensity score; international firm activity; firm performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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