R&D, productivity, and exports: Plant-level evidence from Indonesia

This study examines the relation between productivity and exports in Indonesian manufacturing firms by taking account the endogenous choice of R&D. We first examine the determinants of R&D activity and find that exporting activity contributes positively to plants' R&D activity, while multinational corporate do not have a higher R&D propensity. The simultaneous estimates on the interrelation of R&D, productivity, and export show that R&D has a positive impact on both productivity and exports, suggesting the importance of R&D to Indonesian economic growth. It suggests also a two-way causality between productivity and exports, implying the coexistence of self-selection and learning-by-exporting effects in Indonesian manufacturing sector.

► This paper examines the interrelations of R&D, productivity, and exports in Indonesia. ► We adopt a Indonesian plant-level data for the 1998-2000 period. ► Export intensity is positive related to R&D activity, but not for MNEs. ► Both self-selection and learning-by-exporting hypotheses are supported in Indonesia.