Statistics on the International Trade Administration's Global Markets Program
September 2015
Working Paper Number:
CES-15-17
Abstract
Recent mandates for evidence-based policy choices from both the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government underscore the importance of understanding the relationship between program participation and business outcomes. In this paper, we examine the correlations between participation in an export-promotion program and business outcomes. We use this experience to provide more general lessons learned about combining program data on treatments with Census Bureau micro data that can be used as a control. Note this paper does not evaluate a program, but instead provides critical information about a program.
The mission of the Commercial Service/Global Markets program is to help companies either start or increase their exports of goods and services. It pursues this mission through advocacy, events, and counseling. This study looks at a very small part of the overall program. While we cannot rule-out several sources of bias in our results, we do observe several consistent patterns across our models. In particular, program participation is positively correlated with export growth and change and, for small businesses, also with positive employment growth. However, overall, and for large firms in particular, there is a negative correlation with employment growth and counseling. The paper concludes with a 'Lessons Learned' section that highlights areas where measurement can be improved.
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:
econometric,
report,
sale,
agency,
export,
acquisition,
tariff,
export growth,
exporting,
exporter,
incorporated,
revenue,
firms export,
firms exporting,
importer,
exports firms,
exporting firms
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Department of Commerce,
Internal Revenue Service,
Service Annual Survey,
Small Business Administration,
Longitudinal Research Database,
Center for Economic Studies,
Ordinary Least Squares,
Review of Economics and Statistics,
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Industries,
Census Bureau Longitudinal Business Database,
American Economic Review,
Review of Economic Studies,
University of Chicago,
MIT Press,
Longitudinal Business Database,
Retail Trade,
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey,
Employer Identification Numbers,
Cambridge University Press,
Journal of Economic Perspectives,
Board of Governors,
North American Industry Classification System,
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Longitudinal Firm Trade Transactions Database,
International Trade Research Report,
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