EXPORTING AND PERFORMANCE:
EVIDENCE FROM GREEK FIRMS
Heather D Gibson
Bank of Greece
Georgia Pavlou
Bank of Greece
Abstract
This paper explores differences in performance between firms that export and those that do not. With only a few exceptions, exporters have characteristics which suggest “better” performance than non-exporters, controlling for observed and unobserved heterogeneity. This paper aims to provide evidence on the differences between exporters and non-exporters in terms of labour productivity and profitability across time, different sectors of economic activity and different size groups, using data from exporting and non-exporting firms incorporated in Greece for the period 2006-2014. The results suggest that the exporter productivity premium is around 14% for the whole sample, pointing to a significant productivity advantage for exporting firms which is even stronger in certain sectors of economic activity. There is also evidence in favour of higher productivity growth for always-exporting firms and starters, while there is a negative, though insignificant, effect for stoppers.
JEL-classifications: F14
Keywords: export premia, labour productivity, Greece, firm performance
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank colleagues in the Department of Economic Analysis and Research for their helpful comments. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bank of Greece. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors.
Correspondence:
Heather Gibson
Economic Analysis and Research Department
Bank of Greece,
21 E. Venizelos Ave,
Athens 10250
Tel: +30 210 320 2415
email: hgibson@bankofgreece.gr