Firms' Export Dynamics: Experience vs. Size

40 Pages Posted: 30 Nov 2013

See all articles by Antoine Berthou

Antoine Berthou

Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne - Centre Maison des Sciences Economiques; Paris School of Economics (PSE)

Vincent Vicard

Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d'Info. Internationales (CEPII)

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Date Written: November 14, 2013

Abstract

This paper provides evidence about the impact that size and experience in exporting have on firms' dynamics, a critical input in models of firms' dynamics. The analysis uses a census of French exports by firm-destination-product over the period 1994-2008 with a monthly frequency. We first uncover a large calendar year bias: the growth of exporters between the first and the second year of export is biased upwards because new exporters may start exporting late during the year. This incomplete calendar year reduces export revenue by 32% on average for the first year of export. We then show that, controlling for size, export experience is negatively related to net growth of exports for surviving exporters. Controlling for export experience, the relationship between average size and net growth of exports shows no systematic pattern. Finally, churning in foreign markets is decreasing with export experience and (sharply) with size.

Keywords: international trade, firms' heterogeneity, firms' dynamics, churning

JEL Classification: F14

Suggested Citation

Berthou, Antoine and Vicard, Vincent, Firms' Export Dynamics: Experience vs. Size (November 14, 2013). ECB Working Paper No. 1616, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2354251 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2354251

Antoine Berthou (Contact Author)

Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne - Centre Maison des Sciences Economiques ( email )

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Paris Cedex 13, 75647
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Paris School of Economics (PSE) ( email )

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Paris, 75014 75014
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Vincent Vicard

Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d'Info. Internationales (CEPII) ( email )

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Paris Cedex 07, F-75334
France

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