The Impact of Firm- and Industry-Level Characteristics on Export Intensity of Iranian Manufacturing Firms: Dynamic Panel-Data Approach (GMM)

Abstract

In international economics literature, there is a great emphasis on importance of exports on economic development and growth. Because of growth in international trade, all countries try to activate this engine of economy by implementing proper policies. The experience of emerging economies has shown that countries with high intensity of industrial exports have experienced faster economic growth than others. Thus, focusing on industrial export and studying factors which affect export intensity are very important. So, in this study we investigate the impact of firm- and industry-level characteristics on export intensity. For this purpose, the data for Iranian manufacturing firms during 2007 to 2013 have been used. The results of empirical model estimated by using Dynamic Panel-Data approach and GMM Estimator show that export intensity of firms is positively affected by research and development intensity, capital intensity, labor productivity of firms and export intensity of industry while firm size, industry concentration and industry-level labor productivity has negative and significant effect on export intensity.

Keywords

• iranian manufacturing firms
• r&d intensity
• labor productivity
• capital intensity
• dynamic panel-data approach