期刊名称：CORE Discussion Papers / Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (UCL), Louvain
出版年度：2010
卷号：2010
期号：1
出版社：Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (UCL), Louvain
摘要：In this paper, we empirically analyze the evolution of firms’ productivity and how the efficiency changes
with variations in the inputs’ origin. Using firm-level information on a sample of Irish firms, we assess
the importance of the imported inputs’ quota for a firm’s efficiency, as well as starting import activity.
The main findings are that an increase in the intensive margin of imports raises firms’ efficiency of
domestic firms; in addition heterogeneous effects across firms are detected. Unlike the findings of most of
the literature, there is weak evidence of self-selection in import activity; differently from previous
research when we introduce fixed effects, the self-selection disappears. Instead, the few observed firms
that start importing raise their productivity compared to non-importing firms; learning by importing is
suspected. The results suggest an important policy implication: policies that favor the imports of
intermediates enhance the productivity of domestic firms, making them more competitive in the
international markets.
