A 2021-22 Survey of Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) conducted by the World Bank to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their functioning uncovers significant heterogeneity in TPOs' characteristics across countries, but also income levels. This led to different responses to the...

This study is one component of broader World Bank trade facilitation assistance program provided to the government of the Kingdom of Lesotho (hereafter referred as Lesotho). This note presents key findings from the study, which focused on identifying the challenges faced by women owned, led or...

In this paper we explain and review the Decision Support Model (DSM) methodology, for planning and assessing export promotion activities. This model was first presented in the International Journal of Research in Marketing in 1995 by Cuyvers et al. (1995) and applied to the case of Belgium. We...

How can policymakers promote women-led exporting firms? In this paper, we study the role of online business platforms to reduce informational barriers to exporting for women entrepreneurs. We hypothesize that, if the costs associated with accessing digital platforms are more symmetric across...

This benchmarking study situates Jordan's trade indicators relative to comparators (Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) with descriptive analysis. Using indicators for port competitiveness, geopolitical stability, logistics infrastructure, and trade facilitation within a...

Many countries seek to promote exports by subsidizing market access, but evidence on such efforts has been mixed. We present the first randomized evaluation of a government financial-support program explicitly targeting exports, the Tasdir+ program in Tunisia. The program offered matching grants...

The paper studies types and mechanisms of vertical and horizontal multilevel institutional governance (IG) (multilevel governance [MLG]). The relation with exports is reviewed and quantified to attempt prioritizing institutional reforms fostering merchandise exports in Egypt.The paper studies...

This paper examines the impact of trade promotion organizations on exports during the COVID-19 pandemic using a World Bank survey. The results suggest that increased trade promotion organization budgets significantly boosted exports during downturns but had no effect during the recovery phase....

The failure of newly independent Central Asian countries to diversify exports after the Soviet Union's collapse is attributed to high trade costs, either because these countries are landlocked or due to border delays and regulatory obstacles. This paper estimates the impact of the high costs of...

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, mobility restrictions had a significant impact on trade times and costs at the borders, particularly in landlocked developing countries. This paper examines the effect of COVID-19 mobility measures on the time required for cargo to clear...

In 1960, South Korea's exports were about 1 percent of GDP, and its ability to import depended almost entirely on U.S. aid. After changing its foreign exchange policies in the mid-1960s, Korea's exports surged to more than 10 percent of GDP by the end of the decade. This paper explores the...

This paper empirically examines the impact of trade facilitation on the trade of intermediate goods in Korea, China, and Japan, along with their trading partner countries, during the period from 2008 to 2017. We particularly focus on the distinct roles of hard and soft environments in trade...

Purpose - The continuous export challenges due to the inadequate quality infrastructure have brought to the fore the importance of export facilitation-quality infrastructure. Different infrastructure investments have been implemented to facilitate export; however, the outcomes were different...

This study examines the association between export promotion programs (EPPs) and export knowledge, commitment, and management perception, examining their relationship with export strategy, competitiveness, and performance, especially for firms in international markets. Using data collected from...

This study valuates the impact of logistics quality in importing countries on Vietnam's export efficiency and analyzes the moderating role of free trade agreements (FTAs) in the relationship between logistics and export efficiency.This study employs a quantitative methodology by utilizing...

This study investigates the drivers of export performance in Ethiopia's leather industry, focusing on firm resources, export promotion programs, and firm capabilities. Motivated by the need to improve Ethiopia's competitiveness in global leather markets, the study examines how these internal and...

This paper evaluates potential welfare gains in the Mercosur region from improvements to trade administration. Streamlined border procedures and related processes could save billions, open markets for exporters, and promote trade diversification. Using a microeconomic model with country-specific...

We provide the first empirical evidence linking digital trade facilitation reforms to changes in port operations. Leveraging the staggered rollout of Single Window reforms in the People's Republic of China (2014-2016), which streamlined customs clearance, we combine Automatic Identification...

Foreign trade plays a central role in Armenia's economic development, shaping GDP through both internal and external factors. In small and open economies such as Armenia, external trade and integration strategies are decisive for growth. The state budget data for 2022-2024 underline this...

Services are currently the largest and most dynamic sector of many economies, underpinning growth, productivity and employment. Yet, the costs of trading services remain significantly higher than those for goods, largely due to regulatory and governance differences across economies. Furthermore,...