Learning by exporting and heterogeneity in post-entry effects

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1819802 (Table of Contents)

We examine the relationship between export entry and productivity of Turkish manufacturing firms using a rich longitudinal micro dataset of Turkish manufacturing firms in the period between 2006 and 2015. To alleviate the selection bias problem, we employ propensity score reweighting and propensity score matching methods. Another goal of this study is to investigate whether some characteristics, namely firm age, import status, import intensity, export intensity and export destinations by income level, lead to heterogeneity in treatment effects. Our main findings can be listed as follows: i) Both selfselection and learning by exporting hypotheses are verified; ii) Increasing export intensity leads to additional productivity gains for export starters; iii) There is some evidence indicating that starter firms that export to both high income and low income destinations experience larger productivity gains; iv) No noteworthy evidence is found regarding impact of import status, import intensity and age on the treatment effect.