This paper derives explicit expressions for the asymptotic variances of the maximum likelihood and continuously updated GMM estimators under potentially misspecified models. The proposed misspecification-robust variance estimators allow the researcher to conduct valid inference on the model parameters even when the model is rejected by the data. Although the results for the maximum likelihood e...

States with weak institutions can lose from trade with strong states when trade is subject to predation. The happy liberal idea of trade fostering better institutions and peace can be turned on its head. The Ricardian model of trade subject to predation offered here implies imperialism without capital, contra Marxists. Weak and poor South trades with strong and rich North. Poor South labor is a...

The recent literature on firm exporting behaviour has pointed out to sunk-cost as key determinant of export behaviour yet little insight into what they include or how they vary with experience. In this paper we provide fresh evidence on the barriers to exporting and the role of export experience and other firm-level characteristics. Our results indicate that experience matters but in a non-line...

We provide a comprehensive empirical analysis of the links between international services outsourcing, wages and innovation using plant level data covering the period 2000 to 2004. Somewhat consistent with the predictions of recent theory, we observe a positive relationship between international outsourcing of services and innovative activity, measured in terms of R&D, at the plant level. Howev...

We provide a comprehensive empirical analysis of the links between international services outsourcing, wages and innovation using plant level data covering the period 2000 to 2004. Somewhat consistent with the predictions of recent theory, we observe a positive relationship between international outsourcing of services and innovative activity, measured in terms of R&D, at the plant level. Howev...

This paper examines the effect of international outsourcing of intermediate inputs on labour productivity at the level of the plant that engages in outsourcing. To do so we use plant level data for the electronics industry in the Republic of Ireland. Using a fresh perspective on international outsourcing and productivity, we focus on the nature of outsourced inputs (services or tangibles) and t...

This paper proposes to reexamine the GATT/WTO membership effect on bilateral trade flows, using nonparametric methods including pair-matching, permutation tests, and a Rosenbaum (2002) sensitivity analysis. Taken together in a coherent manner, these methods provide an estimation framework that is robust to misspecification biases, allows general forms of heterogeneous treatment effects, and add...

Subsidies and Exports in Germany: First Evidence from Enterprise Panel Data We use newly available representative panel data for manufacturing enterprises in West and East Germany to investigate the link between production-related subsidies and exports. We document that only a small fraction of enterprises is subsidized, and that exports and subsidies are positively related. Using a matching ap...

w hether the united kingdom (uk) should remain in the european :union: (eu) or not has been a fiercely debated issue both before and after the referendum in the uk on june 23, 2016. the main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the pros and cons of the uk leaving the eu. it is concluded that if the uk leaves the eu, the resulting economic shock would risk adverse effects on macroeconomic variab...

China and ASEAN have been maintaining a relationship both cooperative and competitive in the textile trade. Due to its labor intensive feature and high dependence on foreign trade , the textile trade has received much attention after the 2008 financial crisis. The customs data (classified by the HS code) from year 2006-2009 is employed to research the impact of the crisis on the trade pattern o...