Do African Manufacturing Firms Learn from Exporting?

A. Bigsten, P. Collier, S. Dercon, M. Fafchamps, B. Gautier, J.W. Gunning, A. Oduro, R.H. Oostendorp, C. Pattillo, M Söderbom, F. Teal, A. Zeufack

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademic

Abstract

We use firm-level panel data for the manufacturing sector in four African countries to investigate whether exporting impacts on efficiency, and whether efficient firms self-select into the export market. Based on simultaneous estimation of a production function and an export regression, our preferred results indicate significant efficiency gains from exporting, which can be interpreted as learning by exporting. We show that modelling unobserved heterogeneity by a flexible approach is important for deriving this conclusion. A policy implication of our results is that Africa would gain from orientating its manufacturing sector towards exporting. © 2004 Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)115-141
Number of pages27
JournalJournal of Development Studies
Volume40
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2004

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