Promoting Exports in Brazil

Export promotion agencies worldwide spend heavily on interventions to induce domestic firms to start exporting. However, the literature lacks a proper evaluation of the efficacy of such programs. In this project, the research team assesses whether providing information on aspects of the exporting process affects the likelihood that firms will start exporting. The first intervention involves access to online courses about export-related procedures. The second intervention is more intensive, involving firm-specific guidance on overcoming barriers to exporting. We evaluate the impact of the interventions on firms’ intention to export and their employment decisions, and whether individualized training produces more meaningful effects on firms’ internationalization decisions than online training courses.