Peluffo, Adriana

Idioma: Inglés

In this work, we analyze the effect of export destinations on Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of manufacturing Uruguayan firms for the period 1997-2006. We study two effects: self-selection and learning by exporting. There is evidence of self-selection with a stronger effect for firms exporting to developed countries. Nevertheless, applying transition groups methodology in order to mitigate endogeneity issues, there is no evidence that exporting to developed countries enhances productivity through learning by exporting. However, evidence of learning by exporting is found for those firms starting to export to less developed countries. These findings suggest an international strategy through which firms reach gains in productivity exporting to markets with lower entry cost, and once they have learned and improved their productivity, are in a better position to enter more developed countries.http://ief.eco.unc.edu.ar/

This work seeks to identify causal effects of foreign ownership on productivity, the demand for skilled labour and wage inequality.

This paper analyses the effects of increased competition resulting from the creation of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) on productivity, employment and wages for the Uruguayan manufacturing sector at the plant level.We use impact evaluation techniques, namely regressions and matching and difference-in-differences estimation for the period 1988-1995.One of the most robust findings is that increased trade liberalization seems to improve total factor productivity. Furthermore, we find reductions in employment driven mainly by the decrease in blue collars, increases in wages and a reduction in the wage gap between white and blue collars as a result of increased trade exposure. Thus, the increase in productivity along with the unemployment of unskilled workers would indicate a room for training, labour and social policies in order to countervail the negative impact of trade liberalization on less qualified workers.

En este trabajo se muestra como las políticas comerciales, aunadas a las políticas industriales pro-activas han permitido un importante crecimiento del sector automotriz en Uruguay.

The connection of innovation and exporting is of major interest to developing countries aiming to achieve higher growth and wellbeing. This study analyzes whether different types of innovation affect export behavior at the firm level for an unbalanced panel of Uruguayan manufacturing firms. Logistic regression and matching with difference-in-differences (MDID) techniques are applied to data from 2003 to 2012. Unlike other studies, productivity-enhancing (or cost-reducing) innovation shows a stronger correlation with exporting than product innovation, indicating that price competition is more important than quality competition for Uruguayan products in foreign markets. Furthermore, using MDID we establish a direct causal link from innovation to exporting.

En este trabajo se muestra como las políticas comerciales, aunadas a las políticas industriales pro-activas han permitido un importante crecimiento del sector automotriz en Uruguay.

We examine the impact of trade-related R&D spillovers from the country's partners in the MERCOSUR as well as from the European Union and NAFTA blocs and the rest of the world on total factor productivity for the Uruguayan case at the industry level, for the period 1988–95. Furthermore, we analyse the impact of domestic R&D in Uruguay. There is an evidence of trade-related technology diffusion from MERCOSUR partners to Uruguay, although domestic R&D has apositive impact on productivity. Thus, policies aimed to promote domestic R&D and decreasing trade barriers could enhance Uruguayan manufacturing productivity.