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This paper examines firm entry and survival in exporting, and in products and markets not previously served by any domestic exporters. The authors use data on the nontraditional agriculture sector in Peru, which grew seven-fold from 1994 to 2007. They find tremendous firm entry and exit in the export sector, with exits more likely after one year and among firms that start small. There is also significant entry and exit in new markets. In contrast, such trial and error in new products is rare. New products are typically discovered by large experienced exporters and there is increased entry after products are discovered. The results imply that high sunk costs of entry are of concern for product discovery, especially for products that are not consumed domestically. In contrast, the tremendous entry and exit in exporting and in new markets suggests that initial sunk costs are relatively low. The authors develop a model that explains how entrepreneurs decide to export and to develop new export products and markets when there are sunk costs of discovery and uncertainty about idiosyncratic costs. The model explains many features of the data.

Access to Markets --- Brand --- Brand names --- Competitiveness --- Debt Markets --- Direct market --- Domestic market --- Domestic markets --- Economic Theory & Research --- Export market --- Export markets --- Finance and Financial Sector Development --- Home market --- International Economics and Trade --- International markets --- International trade --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Market access --- Market conditions --- Market development --- Market information --- Market share --- Marketing --- Markets and Market Access --- Merchandise --- Microfinance --- Product market --- Sales

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This paper shows that the top 1 percent of exporters critically shape trade patterns, using firm-level data from 32 countries. In particular, variation in average firm size (the intensive margin) explains over two thirds of the variation in the sector distribution of exports across countries, the remaining share is explained by variation in the number of firms (the extensive margin). Variation in average firm size across sectors is largely driven by variation in the sectoral distribution of exports from the top 1 percent of firms in a country-export superstars. In contrast, the sectoral distribution of exports from the remaining 99 percent of firms is more similar across countries, and the distribution of the total number of firms across sectors is very similar across countries. This paper also finds that current export superstars typically entered the export market relatively large, reached the top 1 percent after less than three years of exporting, and account for more than half of a country's total exports, export growth and diversification. The results underscore the role of individual firms in determining both trade volumes and trade patterns.

Comparative advantage --- Economic Theory & Research --- Export growth --- Firm size distribution --- Free Trade --- International Economics & Trade --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Microfinance --- Power law --- Small Scale Enterprise --- Trade Policy

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In Zimbabwe, trade has been a driver of economic growth, rising incomes, and progressive empowerment of Zimbabweans through rising standards of living and the promise of better jobs. Since 1980, through good years and bad years, increases in exports have been positively associated with increases in national income. Zimbabwe's location and resource base, together with a low-cost but relatively well educated labor force, have endowed it with a naturally high trade ratio built on a diversified base that facilitates using trade as an engine of growth. While trade volumes have rebounded smartly fro

Industrial policy --- Zimbabwe --- Commerce. --- Foreign economic relations. --- Business --- Industries --- Industry and state --- Economic policy --- Government policy --- An tSiombáib --- Cimbabue --- Dēmokratia tēs Zimpampoue --- Government of Zimbabwe --- GOZ (Zimbabwe) --- Jinbabue --- Poblachd Shiombabue --- Repubblica dello Zimbabwe --- Republic of Zimbabwe --- República de Zimbabue --- Republika Zimbabve --- Simbabve --- Simbabwe --- Siombabue --- Yn Çhimbabwe --- Zimbabhue --- Zimbabua --- Zimbabue --- Zimbabvah --- Zimbabve --- Zimbabṿeh --- Zimbabves Republika --- Zīmbābvih --- Zimbabvo --- Zimbabweh --- Zimpampoue --- Ζιμπάμπουε --- Δημοκρατία της Ζιμπάμπουε --- Република Зимбабве --- Зимбабуе --- Зимбабве --- Зімбабве --- זימבבואה --- זימבבווה --- زيمبابوه --- ジンバブエ --- Southern Rhodesia

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This paper uses highly disaggregated trade data to investigate geographic and product diversification patterns across a group of developing nations for the period from 1990 to 2005. The econometric investigation shows that the gravity equation fits the observed differences in diversification across nations. The analysis shows that exports at the intensive margin account for the most important share of overall trade growth. At the extensive margin, geographic diversification is more important than product diversification, especially for developing countries. Taking part in free trade agreements, thereby reducing trade costs, and trading with countries in the North are also found to have positive impacts on export diversification for developing countries.

Econometric Analysis --- Economic Structure --- Economic Theory and Research --- Emerging Markets --- Export Growth --- Exports --- Free Trade --- Future Research --- GDP --- Industrialization --- International Economics & Trade --- International Trade --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Poverty Reduction --- Private Sector Development --- Pro-Poor Growth --- Public Sector Development --- Trade Policy --- Underestimates

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This paper presents new data on the micro structure of the export sector for 45 countries and studies how exporter behavior varies with country size and stage of development. Larger countries and more developed countries have more exporters, larger exporters, and a greater share of exports controlled by the top 5 percent. The extensive margin (more firms) plays a greater role than the intensive margin (average size) in supporting exports of larger countries. In contrast, the intensive margin is relatively more important in explaining the exports of richer countries. Exporter entry and exit rates are higher and entrant survival is lower at an early stage of development. The paper discusses the results in light of trade theories with heterogeneous firms and the empirical literature on resource allocation, firm size, and development. An implication from the findings is that developing countries export less because the top of the firm-size distribution is truncated.

Allocative efficiency --- Country strategy & performance --- Currencies and exchange rates --- Debt markets --- Economic theory & research --- Exporter dynamics --- Exporter growth --- Finance and financial sector development --- Firm-level data --- Free trade --- International economics & trade --- Macroeconomics and economic growth