Productivity and export capacity of manufacturing companies: evidence for Colombia 2015-2022
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This document aims to explain the relationship between productivity and export status among Colombian manufacturing firms. The argument is guided by the hypothesis that companies that begin exporting have higher levels of productivity compared to companies that do not sell in the international market. Through panel data estimations, the study seeks to determine whether companies that become exporters have higher levels of productivity before participating in international trade, compared to companies that do not export. The results show that productivity determines the probability of companies becoming exporters, and not the other way around. Similarly, the relative size of the company, compared to its competitors in the local market, becomes a factor that favors the likelihood of a company expanding into international markets. Companies with greater local market power can develop and leverage technological and financial capabilities that facilitate innovation in products and processes, leading to gains in productivity and competitiveness in both the local and foreign markets.
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