Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-18DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100642
Xinxin Ma
Using national survey data from the Chinese Household Income Project and regional official data, this study examines the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the gender wage gap in China from 2002 to 2018. Four findings emerge. First, FDI, measured as working in foreign-invested enterprises (FIE) and regional FDI rate, significantly increases the wage level. Second, the gender difference in wage return to FIE differs by industrial sector: It is significant in the service sector while insignificant in the manufacturing sector. Third, the decomposition results indicate that both gender differences in FIE employment (endowment effect) and wage return to FIE (price effect) widen the wage gap, while both effects of regional FDI reduce the wage gap. Lastly, both the endowment and price effects of regional FDI contribute to reducing the wage gap in each ownership sector, while the price effect is greatest for FIEs.
{"title":"Foreign direct investment and the gender wage gap: Evidence from China","authors":"Xinxin Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using national survey data from the Chinese Household Income Project and regional official data, this study examines the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the gender wage gap in China from 2002 to 2018. Four findings emerge. First, FDI, measured as working in foreign-invested enterprises (FIE) and regional FDI rate, significantly increases the wage level. Second, the gender difference in wage return to FIE differs by industrial sector: It is significant in the service sector while insignificant in the manufacturing sector. Third, the decomposition results indicate that both gender differences in FIE employment (endowment effect) and wage return to FIE (price effect) widen the wage gap, while both effects of regional FDI reduce the wage gap. Lastly, both the endowment and price effects of regional FDI contribute to reducing the wage gap in each ownership sector, while the price effect is greatest for FIEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 100642"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145227496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-21DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100630
Ababacar Mbaye Sambe
This paper aims to measure the role of public-private partnership (PPP) investments in the ports and electricity sectors in shifting the efficient production frontier, as well as their role in determining inefficiency in the electricity sector, using stochastic frontier analysis and fixed-effects estimation. It also examines the effect of the governance framework in influencing the efficiency of PPPs. The results show a positive contribution of sectoral PPPs to the shift of the efficient frontier. However, the contribution of PPPs in the ports sector (3%) is greater than that in the electricity sector (1%). In the electricity sector, PPPs, along with the governance framework—proxied by credit to the private sector and CPIA criterion 5 (financial sector development) —help reduce inefficiency. In contrast, CPIA criterion 13 (quality of budgetary and financial management) is associated with increased inefficiency. In the port sector, trade openness, exchange rate, and CPIA criterion 3 (debt policy) reduce inefficiency, whereas CPIA criterion 1 (monetary policy) contributes to increase the inefficient frontier.
{"title":"Measuring public-private partnership efficiency: A sectoral analysis of electricity and ports","authors":"Ababacar Mbaye Sambe","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper aims to measure the role of public-private partnership (PPP) investments in the ports and electricity sectors in shifting the efficient production frontier, as well as their role in determining inefficiency in the electricity sector, using stochastic frontier analysis and fixed-effects estimation. It also examines the effect of the governance framework in influencing the efficiency of PPPs. The results show a positive contribution of sectoral PPPs to the shift of the efficient frontier. However, the contribution of PPPs in the ports sector (3%) is greater than that in the electricity sector (1%). In the electricity sector, PPPs, along with the governance framework—proxied by credit to the private sector and CPIA criterion 5 (financial sector development) —help reduce inefficiency. In contrast, CPIA criterion 13 (quality of budgetary and financial management) is associated with increased inefficiency. In the port sector, trade openness, exchange rate, and CPIA criterion 3 (debt policy) reduce inefficiency, whereas CPIA criterion 1 (monetary policy) contributes to increase the inefficient frontier.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 100630"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-23DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100653
Weiyang Zhai
We apply a Bayesian structural vector autoregression (VAR) model to estimate the impact of oil and exchange rate shocks on Japan's gasoline prices, as well as the pass-through of Japan's gasoline prices into CPI inflation. In addition to the traditional zero and sign restrictions, we adopt a Bayesian framework that provides a broader set of credible regions. After evaluating the influence of oil supply shocks, economic activity shocks, oil-specific demand shocks, and exchange rate shocks, we found evidence that increases in gasoline prices are associated with positive economic activity shocks and oil-specific demand shocks. In contrast, the estimated results suggest that none of these shocks have a significant impact on Japan’s consumer price index.
{"title":"Gasoline price pass-through into CPI inflation: Evidence from a structural VAR","authors":"Weiyang Zhai","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We apply a Bayesian structural vector autoregression (VAR) model to estimate the impact of oil and exchange rate shocks on Japan's gasoline prices, as well as the pass-through of Japan's gasoline prices into CPI inflation. In addition to the traditional zero and sign restrictions, we adopt a Bayesian framework that provides a broader set of credible regions. After evaluating the influence of oil supply shocks, economic activity shocks, oil-specific demand shocks, and exchange rate shocks, we found evidence that increases in gasoline prices are associated with positive economic activity shocks and oil-specific demand shocks. In contrast, the estimated results suggest that none of these shocks have a significant impact on Japan’s consumer price index.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 100653"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145358539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-25DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100617
Youliang Jin, Xuan Feng, Huixiang Zeng
The value-added taxes (VAT) retained rebate policy, as an important fiscal initiative to stimulate corporations, has provided new avenues for enterprises to improve their resilience. Using China's VAT retained rebate policy enacted in 2018 as an exogenous shock, this paper examines its impact on corporate resilience using the Difference-In-Differences (DID) model based on a sample of A-share listed companies. The results show that this policy significantly enhances corporate resilience. Further research reveals that the value-added tax (VAT) credit refund policy is particularly more effective when companies have a high likelihood of accumulating VAT credits, bear heavy tax burdens, operate with low commercial credit levels, possess weak bargaining power with suppliers, and are located in regions with strong tax administration capacity. Moreover, the policy has a sustained positive effect on firms' financial performance. Notably, this paper not only evaluates the microeconomic effects of the VAT retained rebate policy from the perspective of corporate resilience, but also provides decision-making insights for tax incentives aimed at supporting enterprises and promoting their high-quality development.
{"title":"Does tax incentive improve corporate resilience?A quasi-natural experiment based on value-added tax retained rebate policy","authors":"Youliang Jin, Xuan Feng, Huixiang Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The value-added taxes (VAT) retained rebate policy, as an important fiscal initiative to stimulate corporations, has provided new avenues for enterprises to improve their resilience. Using China's VAT retained rebate policy enacted in 2018 as an exogenous shock, this paper examines its impact on corporate resilience using the Difference-In-Differences (DID) model based on a sample of A-share listed companies. The results show that this policy significantly enhances corporate resilience. Further research reveals that the value-added tax (VAT) credit refund policy is particularly more effective when companies have a high likelihood of accumulating VAT credits, bear heavy tax burdens, operate with low commercial credit levels, possess weak bargaining power with suppliers, and are located in regions with strong tax administration capacity. Moreover, the policy has a sustained positive effect on firms' financial performance. Notably, this paper not only evaluates the microeconomic effects of the VAT retained rebate policy from the perspective of corporate resilience, but also provides decision-making insights for tax incentives aimed at supporting enterprises and promoting their high-quality development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100617"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-02DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100602
Jang Ping Thia , Yumin Hu
This paper presents evidence of different upstream-downstream location configurations for China and Indonesia, leveraging provincial input-output (IO) tables. While both upstream and downstream sectors in China exhibit a relatively even geographical distribution across provinces, Indonesia's sectors (even upstream raw material-processing ones) are notably concentrated in Jakarta and Java. To better account for these location differences, we develop a stylized spatial new economic geography model where an upstream competitive raw material processing and a downstream CES sector locate together or separately in different Nash equilibria. Both are located at the large market if transport costs are high, separately given moderate transport costs, and again together but towards the geographic center when transport costs are low. Given the pull of raw materials, low transport costs thus spread upstream and downstream sectors away from the large market. Conversely, low raw material access cost results in both locating in large market.
{"title":"Transport costs and the locations of upstream-downstream sectors in China and Indonesia","authors":"Jang Ping Thia , Yumin Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents evidence of different upstream-downstream location configurations for China and Indonesia, leveraging provincial input-output (IO) tables. While both upstream and downstream sectors in China exhibit a relatively even geographical distribution across provinces, Indonesia's sectors (even upstream raw material-processing ones) are notably concentrated in Jakarta and Java. To better account for these location differences, we develop a stylized spatial new economic geography model where an upstream competitive raw material processing and a downstream CES sector locate together or separately in different Nash equilibria. Both are located at the large market if transport costs are high, separately given moderate transport costs, and again together but towards the geographic center when transport costs are low. Given the pull of raw materials, low transport costs thus spread upstream and downstream sectors away from the large market. Conversely, low raw material access cost results in both locating in large market.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100602"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-30DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100625
Adrián Rial , Daniel Herrero , Walter Paternesi Meloni
The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent economic slowdown pushed the Mediterranean economies – Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain – to place particular reliance on exports as a driver of recovery. To do so, these countries implemented a series of reforms aimed at strengthening their international competitiveness and at narrowing the divide with Germany, the benchmark for trade performance. Against this backdrop, we examine the evolution of relevant competitiveness indicators and empirically assess how they have influenced the export of manufactured goods (timespan: 1995–2018). We discern two distinct dimensions of competitiveness, encompassing, on the one hand, prices and labour costs, and on the other hand, non-price elements. Our analysis features two noteworthy characteristics: first, we explore the manufacturing sector by categorising it based on technological intensity; second, we employ a vertically-integrated subsystem approach. Despite the reduction in the gap with the ‘leading’ economy, we document the persistence of a substantial disparity in competitiveness between Mediterranean countries and Germany, extending beyond the high-tech segment of manufacturing. Moreover, our econometric evidence highlights the importance of quality (and complexity differentials) in intercepting foreign demand, while challenging the view that cost competition is only relevant for less sophisticated sectors.
{"title":"Navigating competitiveness in Mediterranean countries: drivers of manufacturing exports by technological intensity","authors":"Adrián Rial , Daniel Herrero , Walter Paternesi Meloni","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent economic slowdown pushed the Mediterranean economies – Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain – to place particular reliance on exports as a driver of recovery. To do so, these countries implemented a series of reforms aimed at strengthening their international competitiveness and at narrowing the divide with Germany, the benchmark for trade performance. Against this backdrop, we examine the evolution of relevant competitiveness indicators and empirically assess how they have influenced the export of manufactured goods (timespan: 1995–2018). We discern two distinct dimensions of competitiveness, encompassing, on the one hand, prices and labour costs, and on the other hand, non-price elements. Our analysis features two noteworthy characteristics: first, we explore the manufacturing sector by categorising it based on technological intensity; second, we employ a vertically-integrated subsystem approach. Despite the reduction in the gap with the ‘leading’ economy, we document the persistence of a substantial disparity in competitiveness between Mediterranean countries and Germany, extending beyond the high-tech segment of manufacturing. Moreover, our econometric evidence highlights the importance of quality (and complexity differentials) in intercepting foreign demand, while challenging the view that cost competition is only relevant for less sophisticated sectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100625"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100622
Simplice A. Asongu , Tii N. Nchofoung
This paper investigates the effect of terrorism on financial development and how globalisation and governance moderate the incidence of terrorism on financial development in Africa. Two terrorism indicators are adopted for this study, namely, the number of terrorism incidences and number of terrorism deaths. The methodology involves the pooled data technique running from 1996 to 2018 for 34 African countries. The results from the POLS, Driscoll-Kraay and the Newey-West standard error corrections show that terrorism is detrimental to financial development. From the interactive regressions, three major tendencies are apparent. First, terrorism dynamics consistently have an unconditional negative effect on financial development. Second, the globalization and governance dynamics moderate the terrorism dynamics to broadly induce a negative net effect on financial development. Third, policy thresholds at which the moderating variables reverse the net effect on financial development from negative to positive are: (i) 82.0000 trade (% of GDP) and 16.2500 FDI (% of GDP) for the incidence of terror and (ii) 1.1685 trade (% of GDP) for terror deaths. The computed thresholds make economic sense and worthwhile in terms of policy implications because they are within statistical range. The result is robust to alternative measures of terrorism and financial development. Implications are discussed.
{"title":"The terrorism-finance nexus contingent on globalisation and governance dynamics in Africa","authors":"Simplice A. Asongu , Tii N. Nchofoung","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the effect of terrorism on financial development and how globalisation and governance moderate the incidence of terrorism on financial development in Africa. Two terrorism indicators are adopted for this study, namely, the number of terrorism incidences and number of terrorism deaths. The methodology involves the pooled data technique running from 1996 to 2018 for 34 African countries. The results from the POLS, Driscoll-Kraay and the Newey-West standard error corrections show that terrorism is detrimental to financial development. From the interactive regressions, three major tendencies are apparent. First, terrorism dynamics consistently have an unconditional negative effect on financial development. Second, the globalization and governance dynamics moderate the terrorism dynamics to broadly induce a negative net effect on financial development. Third, policy thresholds at which the moderating variables reverse the net effect on financial development from negative to positive are: (i) 82.0000 trade (% of GDP) and 16.2500 FDI (% of GDP) for the incidence of terror and (ii) 1.1685 trade (% of GDP) for terror deaths. The computed thresholds make economic sense and worthwhile in terms of policy implications because they are within statistical range. The result is robust to alternative measures of terrorism and financial development. Implications are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100622"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100612
Hari Venkatesh , Gourishankar S. Hiremath
This study investigates the impact of currency mismatches on economic growth in advanced and developing economies. We introduce novel indices – broad original sin and new currency mismatch – constructed using a unique dataset on the currency composition of cross-border bank loans and international debt securities. These indices provide a comprehensive measure of currency exposure compared to previous studies. Our empirical findings reveal that currency mismatches significantly hinder economic growth, with depreciation further amplifying this adverse effect. Notably, exchange rate movements negatively impact growth through the financial channel, offsetting potential benefits through the trade channel. The empirical analysis suggests that countries with currency mismatches tend to perform better under fixed exchange rates. Importantly, this study shows that currency exposure is relevant for advanced economies as well, not just developing ones. To mitigate these negative effects, policymakers should consider limiting foreign currency-denominated debt issuance and promoting domestic bond market development.
{"title":"Currency exposure and economic growth: Friend or foe?","authors":"Hari Venkatesh , Gourishankar S. Hiremath","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of currency mismatches on economic growth in advanced and developing economies. We introduce novel indices – broad original sin and new currency mismatch – constructed using a unique dataset on the currency composition of cross-border bank loans and international debt securities. These indices provide a comprehensive measure of currency exposure compared to previous studies. Our empirical findings reveal that currency mismatches significantly hinder economic growth, with depreciation further amplifying this adverse effect. Notably, exchange rate movements negatively impact growth through the financial channel, offsetting potential benefits through the trade channel. The empirical analysis suggests that countries with currency mismatches tend to perform better under fixed exchange rates. Importantly, this study shows that currency exposure is relevant for advanced economies as well, not just developing ones. To mitigate these negative effects, policymakers should consider limiting foreign currency-denominated debt issuance and promoting domestic bond market development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100612"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100614
Theresa M. Greaney, Pratistha Gyawali
We investigate the importance of deep-water ports for international trade using a structural gravity model. To avoid confounding port depth effects with the well-known landlocked country penalty in international trade, we focus our inquiry on non-landlocked countries. Using ports data from year 2000 and trade data from 2000–2019, we find that countries with at least one port capable of hosting a Panamax ship (i.e., port depth of at least 41 ft) trade tremendously more manufactured goods than non-landlocked countries without such ports. Ten additional feet of maximum port depth corresponds with 18.3 to 19.8 percent more international trade in manufactured goods and 19.1 to 22.2 percent more trade in all commodities sectors for a non-landlocked country, while it is unrelated to trade in services. For trade in commodities, having more ports at deeper cutoff depths also corresponds with greater trade volumes.
{"title":"Deep-water ports and international trade: A structural gravity estimation","authors":"Theresa M. Greaney, Pratistha Gyawali","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigate the importance of deep-water ports for international trade using a structural gravity model. To avoid confounding port depth effects with the well-known landlocked country penalty in international trade, we focus our inquiry on non-landlocked countries. Using ports data from year 2000 and trade data from 2000–2019, we find that countries with at least one port capable of hosting a Panamax ship (i.e., port depth of at least 41 ft) trade tremendously more manufactured goods than non-landlocked countries without such ports. Ten additional feet of maximum port depth corresponds with 18.3 to 19.8 percent more international trade in manufactured goods and 19.1 to 22.2 percent more trade in all commodities sectors for a non-landlocked country, while it is unrelated to trade in services. For trade in commodities, having more ports at deeper cutoff depths also corresponds with greater trade volumes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100614"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144518781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper uses firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) for the years 2013 and 2019 conducted in 33 countries to investigate the effect of certification to an international standard on firms' performance. Unlike past studies that lumped together all international certificates a firm possesses before assessing its performance, we focus on the release of ISO 9001:2015 standard as a quasi-experiment and apply a kernel propensity score matching difference-in-difference method to panel data. We find that certification to ISO 9001:2015 increases firms’ total sales by 48.3 %. This effect is higher than the one obtained from previous studies that combined all international certificates (45.8 %). Results also show that small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), as well as firms in the manufacturing sector appear to benefit more from international certification. The study further suggests that cost reduction, direct international exports, foreign participation, and access to credit are key potential drivers of the positive effect of ISO 9001:2015 certification on total sales.
{"title":"Upfront efforts for upcoming benefits? ISO 9001:2015 certification and firms’ performance in 33 countries","authors":"Didier Wayoro, Wilfried Nonguierma, Michelle Parkouda","doi":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.inteco.2025.100620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper uses firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) for the years 2013 and 2019 conducted in 33 countries to investigate the effect of certification to an international standard on firms' performance. Unlike past studies that lumped together all international certificates a firm possesses before assessing its performance, we focus on the release of ISO 9001:2015 standard as a quasi-experiment and apply a kernel propensity score matching difference-in-difference method to panel data. We find that certification to ISO 9001:2015 increases firms’ total sales by 48.3 %. This effect is higher than the one obtained from previous studies that combined all international certificates (45.8 %). Results also show that small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), as well as firms in the manufacturing sector appear to benefit more from international certification. The study further suggests that cost reduction, direct international exports, foreign participation, and access to credit are key potential drivers of the positive effect of ISO 9001:2015 certification on total sales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13794,"journal":{"name":"International Economics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 100620"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144557425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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