Export Dynamics in Colombia: Firm-Level Evidence

47 Pages Posted: 24 Oct 2007 Last revised: 23 Dec 2022

See all articles by Jonathan Eaton

Jonathan Eaton

Leonard N. Stern School of Business - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Marcela Eslava

University of the Andes (CEDE)

Maurice Kugler

Wilfrid Laurier University - School of Business & Economics; Harvard University - Center for International Development (CID); Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

James Tybout

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 2007

Abstract

Using transactions-level customs data from Colombia, we study firm-specific export patterns over the period 1996-2005. Our data allow us to track firms' entry and exit into and out of individual destination markets, as well as their revenues from selling there. We find that, in a typical year, nearly half of all Colombian exporters were not exporters in the previous year. These new exporters tend to be extremely small in terms of their overall contribution to export revenues, and most do not continue exporting in the following year. Hence export sales are dominated by a small number of very large and stable exporters. Nonetheless, out of each cohort of new exporters, a fraction of firms go on to expand their foreign sales very rapidly, and over the period of less than a decade, these successful new exporters account for almost half of total export expansion. Finally, we find that new exporters begin in a single foreign market and, if they survive, gradually expand into additional destinations. The geographic expansion paths they follow, and their likelihood of survival as exporters, depend on their initial destination market.

Suggested Citation

Eaton, Jonathan and Eslava, Marcela and Kugler, Maurice and Tybout, James R., Export Dynamics in Colombia: Firm-Level Evidence (October 2007). NBER Working Paper No. w13531, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1024135

Jonathan Eaton (Contact Author)

Leonard N. Stern School of Business - Department of Economics ( email )

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Marcela Eslava

University of the Andes (CEDE) ( email )

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Maurice Kugler

Wilfrid Laurier University - School of Business & Economics ( email )

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Harvard University - Center for International Development (CID) ( email )

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James R. Tybout

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics ( email )

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United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
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United States

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