Imported inputs and exporting in the Africa’s manufacturing sector

Peer Reviewed
20 February 2019

Edward Bbaale, Ibrahim Mike Okumu, Suzan Namirembe Kavuma

The purpose of this paper is to estimate both direct and indirect channels through which imported inputs spur exporting in the African manufacturing sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors estimated models for all exporters, direct exporters and indirect exporters using a probit model. The authors circumvented the endogeneity of imported inputs and productivity in the export status models by using their lagged values. The authors employed the World Bank Enterprise Survey data for a set of 26 African countries.

Findings

From the direct channel, the authors find that importers of inputs in the previous period increase the probability of exporting in the current period pointing to the possibility of sunk cost complementarities. Indirectly, high lagged firm productivity spurs exporting in the current period. Being a direct importer of inputs in the previous period increases the probability of exporting directly but has no effect on indirect exporters. Both channels are complimentary because their interaction term is positive and significant.

Topics

Files and links

Country
Sustainable Development Goals
Publication reference
Bbaale, E., Okumu, I. M., & Kavuma, S. N. (2019). Imported inputs and exporting in the Africa’s manufacturing sector. World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 15(1), 19–30. doi:10.1108/wjemsd-04-2018-0043

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Publication | 7 May 2020