Does export and productivity growth linkage exist? Evidence from the Indian manufacturing industry

This paper examines the interrelation between exporting and productivity performance by using a representative sample of Indian manufacturing firms over the period 1994-2006. Specifically, we attempt to test the empirical validity of the learning-by-exporting and the self-selection hypotheses for our sample firms. In order to investigate the linkage, in the first step, we test for causality between TFP and export intensity of firms. Although overall results are rather mixed and provide some support for both hypotheses, still the empirical results are more favorable for the self-selection behavior of firms. In the next stage, we attempt to provide evidence on export and productivity linkage that occurs during various phases of transition in the export market. Our results suggest that entering in the export market does not improve productivity performance. However, the decision to exit from the export market does have an adverse effect on the productivity. In addition, our results indicate the presence of a high sunk cost of exporting coupled with perhaps lesser information about foreign markets. Finally, our results also lend some support to the significant role of in-house research activities and economies of scale in firms' productivity performance.