Helping Differentiated-Goods Producers Succeed in Exports Markets through Good Exporting Practices: Experimental evidence from Argentina

Seminario de Investigación del IIEP

Helping Differentiated-Goods Producers Succeed in Exports Markets through Good Exporting Practices: Experimental evidence from Argentina

Expositor | Juan Carlos Hallak | IIEP (UBA-CONICET)

Autores: Andrea Gonzalez IIEP (UBA-CONICET), Juan Carlos Hallak IIEP (UBA-CONICET), Leonardo Iacovone World Bank, Santiago Llamas Analysis Group, Martín Rossi Universidad de San Andrés

Abstract

We evaluate a novel export consulting program implemented as a Randomized Controlled Trial by Argentina’s National Export Promotion Agency. The program is intended to help producers of differentiated goods enter and succeed in exports markets. We designed the program relying on a codification effort that resulted in a set of 20 “good exporting practices” (GEP). The GEP program disseminated those practices among businesses –both existing and prospective exporters– in the food-and-beverages sector, providing 72 hours of one-on-one consulting support. We find no discernible results for the overall set of participating firms.
However, when we focus on the subset of “good selection firms” –those selected without political and administrative constraints– the results exhibit large, consistent, and significant impacts of the program on the extensive margin of exports. The results shed light on a broad set of potential interventions to help SMEs export as well as on risks to avoid when conducting this type of intervention.

Lugar | FCE-UBA | Aula Olivera