New IZA DPs -- Manufacturing & Trade
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IZA DP Alerts
May 23, 2026, 9:09:07 AMMay 23
to it...@umich.edu
IZA Discussion Papers
Dear Italo Gutierrez,
These new IZA Discussion Papers are now available online.
DP 18496 - Wagner:
Use of Advanced Technologies and Extensive Margins of Exports in Manufacturing Firms from 27 EU Countries in 2025
DP 18497 - Wagner:
A Note on Churning of Exporters and Dynamics of Exports: Evidence from Panel Data for 69 Countries
DP 18498 - Wagner:
Cloud Computing and Extensive Margins of Exports: An Update Using Data for 2025
DP 18499 - Wagner:
Who Uses Advanced Technologies? Evidence from Manufacturing Firms from 38 Countries in 2025
DP 18500 - El-Haddad/Krafft/Selwaness/Assaad:
Formal and Informal Labor Demand in Egyptian Manufacturing Firms
DP 18507 - Qian/Suzuki/Zhang:
Trade Costs, Entry Costs, and Regional Economic Growth in China
Please find the abstracts and download links below.
IZA DP No. 18496
Joachim Wagner:
Use of Advanced Technologies and Extensive Margins of Exports in Manufacturing Firms from 27 EU Countries in 2025
Abstract:
The use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, or smart devices will go hand in hand with higher productivity, higher product quality, and lower trade costs. Therefore, it can be expected to be positively related to export activities. This paper uses firm level data for manufacturing enterprises from the 27 member countries of the European Union collected in 2025 to shed further light on this issue by investigating the link between the use of advanced technologies and extensive margins of exports. Applying a new machine-learning estimator, Kernel-Regularized Least Squares (KRLS), which does not impose any restrictive assumptions for the functional form of the relation between margins of exports, use of advanced technologies, and any control variables, we find that firms which use more advanced technologies do more often export and do export to more different destinations.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18496.pdf
IZA DP No. 18497
Joachim Wagner:
A Note on Churning of Exporters and Dynamics of Exports: Evidence from Panel Data for 69 Countries
Abstract:
This short note looks at the link between churning of exporters and dynamics of exports using data from the World Bank Exporter Dynamics Database from 69 countries primarily for the period between 2003 and 2010. In line with Schumpetarian theory of creative destruction we report that a higher rate of turnover in export activity by entry and exit of firms in the year before is positively linked to export growth in the current year after controlling for unobserved time-invariant country effects and country-invariant time effects. Creative destruction is at work in exports.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18497.pdf
IZA DP No. 18498
Joachim Wagner:
Cloud Computing and Extensive Margins of Exports: An Update Using Data for 2025
Abstract:
In a paper published in the Journal of Information Economics in 2024 I reported evidence that firms which use cloud computing do more often export, do more often export to various destinations all over the world, and do export to more different destinations. Results are based on data for manufacturing firms from the 27 member countries of the European Union taken from the Flash Eurobarometer 486 survey conducted in 2020. This note uses strictly comparable data from the Flash Eurobarometer 559 conducted in 2025 and the identical empirical strategy to document that the big picture found for 2020 did not change over the last five years. Extensive margins of exports and the use of cloud computing are still positively related.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18498.pdf
IZA DP No. 18499
Joachim Wagner:
Who Uses Advanced Technologies? Evidence from Manufacturing Firms from 38 Countries in 2025
Abstract:
The use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, or smart devices will go hand in hand with, among others, higher productivity, higher product quality, more exports and better chances to survive any crisis. Better firms tend to use advanced technologies. Information on firm level determinants of adoption of these technologies, therefore, is important to inform industrial policies. This paper uses firm level data for manufacturing enterprises from 38 countries collected in 2025 to shed further light on this issue by investigating the link between the use of advanced technologies and firm characteristics. Applying a new machine-learning estimator, Kernel-Regularized Least Squares (KRLS), which does not impose any restrictive assumptions for the functional form of the relation between use of advanced technologies, firm characteristics and any control variables, we find that firms which use advanced technologies tend to be larger and more innovation orie ntated, while firm age does not matter.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18499.pdf
IZA DP No. 18500
Amirah El-Haddad, Caroline Krafft, Irene Selwaness, Ragui Assaad:
Formal and Informal Labor Demand in Egyptian Manufacturing Firms
Abstract:
This paper investigates the determinants and dynamics of labour demand and specifically informal labour in Egypt’s manufacturing sector, using nationally representative firm-level data. We analyse the determinants of total employment, the share of informal labour, and its average annual change over the firm life cycle. Three key findings emerge. First, employment is positively associated with capital, exporting, innovation, industrial zones, worker training, and managerial education, and negatively associated with sole proprietorships, wages, and total factor productivity. Second, informal employment is more common among private sector firms, sole proprietorships, and firms using more part-time workers, and less prevalent among firms adopting technology or led by more educated managers. Third, although most formal firms exhibit no change in the share of informal workers, formal firms that did not initially employ informal labour tend to increase their informal share, while firms that formalised continue to rely heavily on informal employment. Together, these fi ndings underscore the persistence of informality and limited transitions toward full formalisation within Egypt’s formal manufacturing sector.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18500.pdf
IZA DP No. 18507
Zeyi Qian, Kensuke Suzuki, Junfu Zhang:
Trade Costs, Entry Costs, and Regional Economic Growth in China
Abstract:
This paper examines sectoral growth patterns across Chinese provinces during the country’s economic takeoff in the early 2000s, following major policy reforms including trade liberalization, infrastructure expansion, business climate improvements, and relaxed rural-to-urban migration restrictions. We develop a multi-sector, multi-region spatial general equilibrium model with heterogeneous firms á la Melitz-Chaney to analyze how these reforms interacted to shape regional economic growth. We quantify the model for the Chinese economy and conduct counterfactuals to identify the key mechanisms driving regional development. We find that reductions in trade costs and lowered entry barriers facilitate firm entry and intensify competition. Together, these factors shape regional specialization and China’s overall economic growth. Our decomposition exercises reveal that lowered business entry costs played a larger role than the reduction in trade costs in promoting the growth of real w ages, especially in inland provinces. This operates through a selection effect, where more productive firms expand and force the least productive ones to exit, and through increased variety, which effectively lowers the price index.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18507.pdf
These new IZA Discussion Papers are now available online.
DP 18496 - Wagner:
Use of Advanced Technologies and Extensive Margins of Exports in Manufacturing Firms from 27 EU Countries in 2025
DP 18497 - Wagner:
A Note on Churning of Exporters and Dynamics of Exports: Evidence from Panel Data for 69 Countries
DP 18498 - Wagner:
Cloud Computing and Extensive Margins of Exports: An Update Using Data for 2025
DP 18499 - Wagner:
Who Uses Advanced Technologies? Evidence from Manufacturing Firms from 38 Countries in 2025
DP 18500 - El-Haddad/Krafft/Selwaness/Assaad:
Formal and Informal Labor Demand in Egyptian Manufacturing Firms
DP 18507 - Qian/Suzuki/Zhang:
Trade Costs, Entry Costs, and Regional Economic Growth in China
Please find the abstracts and download links below.
IZA DP No. 18496
Joachim Wagner:
Use of Advanced Technologies and Extensive Margins of Exports in Manufacturing Firms from 27 EU Countries in 2025
Abstract:
The use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, or smart devices will go hand in hand with higher productivity, higher product quality, and lower trade costs. Therefore, it can be expected to be positively related to export activities. This paper uses firm level data for manufacturing enterprises from the 27 member countries of the European Union collected in 2025 to shed further light on this issue by investigating the link between the use of advanced technologies and extensive margins of exports. Applying a new machine-learning estimator, Kernel-Regularized Least Squares (KRLS), which does not impose any restrictive assumptions for the functional form of the relation between margins of exports, use of advanced technologies, and any control variables, we find that firms which use more advanced technologies do more often export and do export to more different destinations.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18496.pdf
IZA DP No. 18497
Joachim Wagner:
A Note on Churning of Exporters and Dynamics of Exports: Evidence from Panel Data for 69 Countries
Abstract:
This short note looks at the link between churning of exporters and dynamics of exports using data from the World Bank Exporter Dynamics Database from 69 countries primarily for the period between 2003 and 2010. In line with Schumpetarian theory of creative destruction we report that a higher rate of turnover in export activity by entry and exit of firms in the year before is positively linked to export growth in the current year after controlling for unobserved time-invariant country effects and country-invariant time effects. Creative destruction is at work in exports.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18497.pdf
IZA DP No. 18498
Joachim Wagner:
Cloud Computing and Extensive Margins of Exports: An Update Using Data for 2025
Abstract:
In a paper published in the Journal of Information Economics in 2024 I reported evidence that firms which use cloud computing do more often export, do more often export to various destinations all over the world, and do export to more different destinations. Results are based on data for manufacturing firms from the 27 member countries of the European Union taken from the Flash Eurobarometer 486 survey conducted in 2020. This note uses strictly comparable data from the Flash Eurobarometer 559 conducted in 2025 and the identical empirical strategy to document that the big picture found for 2020 did not change over the last five years. Extensive margins of exports and the use of cloud computing are still positively related.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18498.pdf
IZA DP No. 18499
Joachim Wagner:
Who Uses Advanced Technologies? Evidence from Manufacturing Firms from 38 Countries in 2025
Abstract:
The use of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, or smart devices will go hand in hand with, among others, higher productivity, higher product quality, more exports and better chances to survive any crisis. Better firms tend to use advanced technologies. Information on firm level determinants of adoption of these technologies, therefore, is important to inform industrial policies. This paper uses firm level data for manufacturing enterprises from 38 countries collected in 2025 to shed further light on this issue by investigating the link between the use of advanced technologies and firm characteristics. Applying a new machine-learning estimator, Kernel-Regularized Least Squares (KRLS), which does not impose any restrictive assumptions for the functional form of the relation between use of advanced technologies, firm characteristics and any control variables, we find that firms which use advanced technologies tend to be larger and more innovation orie ntated, while firm age does not matter.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18499.pdf
IZA DP No. 18500
Amirah El-Haddad, Caroline Krafft, Irene Selwaness, Ragui Assaad:
Formal and Informal Labor Demand in Egyptian Manufacturing Firms
Abstract:
This paper investigates the determinants and dynamics of labour demand and specifically informal labour in Egypt’s manufacturing sector, using nationally representative firm-level data. We analyse the determinants of total employment, the share of informal labour, and its average annual change over the firm life cycle. Three key findings emerge. First, employment is positively associated with capital, exporting, innovation, industrial zones, worker training, and managerial education, and negatively associated with sole proprietorships, wages, and total factor productivity. Second, informal employment is more common among private sector firms, sole proprietorships, and firms using more part-time workers, and less prevalent among firms adopting technology or led by more educated managers. Third, although most formal firms exhibit no change in the share of informal workers, formal firms that did not initially employ informal labour tend to increase their informal share, while firms that formalised continue to rely heavily on informal employment. Together, these fi ndings underscore the persistence of informality and limited transitions toward full formalisation within Egypt’s formal manufacturing sector.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18500.pdf
IZA DP No. 18507
Zeyi Qian, Kensuke Suzuki, Junfu Zhang:
Trade Costs, Entry Costs, and Regional Economic Growth in China
Abstract:
This paper examines sectoral growth patterns across Chinese provinces during the country’s economic takeoff in the early 2000s, following major policy reforms including trade liberalization, infrastructure expansion, business climate improvements, and relaxed rural-to-urban migration restrictions. We develop a multi-sector, multi-region spatial general equilibrium model with heterogeneous firms á la Melitz-Chaney to analyze how these reforms interacted to shape regional economic growth. We quantify the model for the Chinese economy and conduct counterfactuals to identify the key mechanisms driving regional development. We find that reductions in trade costs and lowered entry barriers facilitate firm entry and intensify competition. Together, these factors shape regional specialization and China’s overall economic growth. Our decomposition exercises reveal that lowered business entry costs played a larger role than the reduction in trade costs in promoting the growth of real w ages, especially in inland provinces. This operates through a selection effect, where more productive firms expand and force the least productive ones to exit, and through increased variety, which effectively lowers the price index.
https://docs.iza.org/dp18507.pdf
IZA DP Alerts | www.iza.org
If you have trouble downloading the papers, or for any other questions regarding the IZA Discussion Paper Series, please contact iza...@liser.lu.
IZA@LISER Network
Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette / Belval
Privacy Policy | Manage your subscriptions
If you have trouble downloading the papers, or for any other questions regarding the IZA Discussion Paper Series, please contact iza...@liser.lu.
IZA@LISER Network
Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette / Belval
Privacy Policy | Manage your subscriptions
IZA DP Alerts
May 23, 2026, 9:10:52 AMMay 23
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