Trade times, importing, and exporting: Firm-level evidence

This paper uses data on 11 industries in 85 developing countries to show that trade times matter for import and export performance at the firm-level. Firms import more intermediate inputs if import licensing times are shorter. They export more of their production if border clearance times are shorter, but tend to use third party distributors more if clearance times are longer. This is the first time that imports and indirect exports have been considered in the firm-level literature on trade facilitation.