Export Market Participation: The Importance of Sunk Costs and Spillovers

This paper investigates the importance of sunk costs, firm characteristics and spillovers from nearby exporters on a firm’s export participation decision. The empirical analysis involves the estimation of a non-structural, discrete choice, dynamic model with firm heterogeneity. The results suggest that both sunk costs and observable firm characteristics are important determinants of export market participation. In addition, previous history matters, in that, if a firm has been exporting the last period or the period before that it significantly increases the likelihood of the firm exporting in the current period. This conclusion is robust across all specifications. Also, larger firms with high capital intensity and foreign owned are more likely be exporters. Finally, while there is no clear evidence on export spillovers, if a firm operates in an export-oriented industry increases the likelihood of exporting. Dynamic Panel, sunk costs, export decision.