SMEs tapping into global networks: Global links at the local level (2018, with Alexander Lembcke): It has been well-documented that global networks provide positive externalities to participating firms. Less is known about how the performance of non-participating firms, especially those that are small or medium-sized, changes with exposure to an increase in the presence of globally integrated firms in their vicinity. With global trade being dominated by large firms, the benefits for SMEs are often indirect, e.g. through input relationships with larger companies or through knowledge spillovers that facilitate the adoption of best practices in firms with access to globally integrated peers. This paper aims to further the understanding of the link between the performance in SMEs and their exposure to global networks. The analysis combines industry and regional exposure to global links (foreign ownership, estimated GVC participation, access to trade facilitating infrastructure) and firm-level microdata for multiple OECD countries, allowing for local spillovers (or crowding out) within the same industry and across industries. (Abstract, work in progress)
Productivity of Firms in Russia, 2003-2014 (2018, with Hansjoerg Bloechliger): The productivity in Russia has been falling steadily for past decade. This paper explores the firms in Russia and their contribution to productivity growth. Comparing with the productivity levels and growth of other European countries, Russia has one of the lowest productivity averages. We find that a productive firm in Russia is larger and younger than the lagging firms. However,we find that in some sectors, such as mining and manufacturing, older firms display higher productivity levels. Separating firms into productivity frontier and laggards, we find that the top 5% of firm are responsible for large share of activity and productivity growth, but there seems to be no technological transfers to laggard firms to close the productivity gap. (Abstract, work in progress)
Labor Costs and Exports (2018): The link between labor cost and firm success is often used in policy debates as an argument for competitiveness of the firm. Literature has largely avoided evaluating a labor cost impact on exports of firms. I evaluate how a shock influencing cost cost of labor relates to the export performance at the intensive margin. The expectation is that when the labor costs drop, the firms become more competitive. However, my outcomes show that lower labor costs do not translate into durable higher export performance in the short run. This suggests that labor costs are not the main determinant of export performance. (Abstract, work in progress)
Employment flexibility and productivity: New evidence on how foreign workers foster exports (2018, with Lea Marchal): In this paper, we explore the structural changes in firms in their preferences for flexibility by hiring on increasingly flexible conditions. Consequently, we provide evidence that increasing firms’ participation in foreign markets is not a result of presence of foreign workers per se, rather, it is an outcome from the fact that foreign workers are over-represented in flexible jobs. (Abstract)
Productivity slowdown and distance to cities (2018, Work in Progress): This paper evaluates productivity spillovers from proximity to the productivity frontier using data on Belgian firms. By computing the geographical proximity of each firm to the frontier within sector, I estimate that the firms closer to the sector's frontier have productivity higher by 1.41% for each 10% increase in proximity, consistent with the literature on firm selection. If the proximity changes for a given firm over years, an increase still leads to higher productivity, driven by productivity increases from large changes of proximity. However, an entry of a frontier firm closer than the last frontier induces a one-time drop in productivity highlighting different sources of productivity impact in play, namely competition and market sharing. The results are complementary to existing literature that explores the postal code urbanization and competition characteristics, highlighting the between-firm interaction influence. (Paper, work-in-progress: please, do not cite)
Labor market policies in France between 1993 and 2009 (2014): This paper provides an overview of the labor market laws implemented over the period 1993-2017, with relevant summary statistics on employment, low-skilled and high-skilled employment shares, 35 hour-week implementation, as well evolution of minimum wages and details on social security deductions. Such background study allows for identification of precise research questions. (Paper)