title: Export participation, employee benefits, and firm performance: The evidence from Vietnam’s manufacturing SMEs

authors: Vu, Van Huong

abstract: Vietnam has seen a significant rise in the number of SMEs since introducing the Enterprise Law in 2000. Non-state SMEs are playing a key role in economic growth, creating jobs, and reducing poverty. However, these non-state SMEs   participate only modestly in export activity despite the high export performance of the economy. What are the factors impeding export participation? And how does the role of export performance affect employee benefits (e.g. higher wages) and firm performance? This thesis is the first study to provide empirical evidence for answering these research questions.

Chapter 3 investigates the causal relationship between export participation and productivity by examining two popular hypotheses, self-selection and learning by exporting. Using a balanced panel dataset from 2005-2009 for Vietnamese private manufacturing SMEs, the results show strong statistical evidence for the self-selection of more productive firms into the export market. The alternative hypothesis, learning by exporting, is shown to be invalid by employing a fixed-effect panel data estimation and a fixed-effect instrumental variable regression. This study also reveals that export participation has no impact on technical efficiency, technical progress, and scale change.  

Chapter 4 explores the role of export participation in increasing employee benefits in terms of wages and employment quality.  First, based on a unique, matched firm-worker panel dataset between 2007 and 2009, the study shows that export participation has a positive impact on wages when taking into account only firm characteristics. However, the exporter wage premium falls and dissipates when both firm and worker characteristics are controlled for. In addition, the    effect decreases further and becomes less significant when controlling for time-invariant, unobservable factors by a spell fixed-effect estimation.   Second, using a firm level balanced panel dataset in the same period, the results show that there is a positive linkage between export participation and the share of casual workers. However, the effect of export participation on wages and employment quality varies greatly across sectors. 

Chapter 5 investigates linkages between export participation, firm survival and profitability in Vietnam. Using an unbalanced panel dataset from 2005 to 2009, the study shows no difference in survival probability between exporters and non-exporters. However, the probability of a firm’s survival is greater for those who engage continuously in export but is lower for firms which have ceased export activity, as indicated by their export status at different stages. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) to consider the relationship between firm profitability and export activity, the results indicate that export status is not related to firm profit growth. However, a quantile regression approach shows that export participation is positively related to profitability for firms with high profit growth but negatively related for those firms with low profit growth. This might suggest that the productivity advantages of exporters with low profit growth are absorbed by costs relating to trading activities in overseas markets.

This thesis may have several potential policy implications. First, export promotion policies may not be effective if they are not accompanied by strategies to help SMEs become more productive. In addition, policies encouraging and supporting exports should focus not only on the number of employment created but also on the quality of employment, especially for low-technology industries. Finally, export-promoting policies (e.g. improvement in firms’ innovative activities) coupled with policies maintaining firms’ positions in export markets could be helpful since these measures in turn may help firms improve their survival probability and profit growth. However, the policy issues are very complicated and these suggestions should therefore be considered an initial foundation for further study.

text: Export participation, employee benefits, and firm performance: The evidence from Vietnam’s manufacturing SMEs Vietnam has seen a significant rise in the number of SMEs since introducing the Enterprise Law in 2000. Non-state SMEs are playing a key role in economic growth, creating jobs, and reducing poverty. However, these non-state SMEs   participate only modestly in export activity despite the high export performance of the economy. What are the factors impeding export participation? And how does the role of export performance affect employee benefits (e.g. higher wages) and firm performance? This thesis is the first study to provide empirical evidence for answering these research questions.

Chapter 3 investigates the causal relationship between export participation and productivity by examining two popular hypotheses, self-selection and learning by exporting. Using a balanced panel dataset from 2005-2009 for Vietnamese private manufacturing SMEs, the results show strong statistical evidence for the self-selection of more productive firms into the export market. The alternative hypothesis, learning by exporting, is shown to be invalid by employing a fixed-effect panel data estimation and a fixed-effect instrumental variable regression. This study also reveals that export participation has no impact on technical efficiency, technical progress, and scale change.  

Chapter 4 explores the role of export participation in increasing employee benefits in terms of wages and employment quality.  First, based on a unique, matched firm-worker panel dataset between 2007 and 2009, the study shows that export participation has a positive impact on wages when taking into account only firm characteristics. However, the exporter wage premium falls and dissipates when both firm and worker characteristics are controlled for. In addition, the    effect decreases further and becomes less significant when controlling for time-invariant, unobservable factors by a spell fixed-effect estimation.   Second, using a firm level balanced panel dataset in the same period, the results show that there is a positive linkage between export participation and the share of casual workers. However, the effect of export participation on wages and employment quality varies greatly across sectors. 

Chapter 5 investigates linkages between export participation, firm survival and profitability in Vietnam. Using an unbalanced panel dataset from 2005 to 2009, the study shows no difference in survival probability between exporters and non-exporters. However, the probability of a firm’s survival is greater for those who engage continuously in export but is lower for firms which have ceased export activity, as indicated by their export status at different stages. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) to consider the relationship between firm profitability and export activity, the results indicate that export status is not related to firm profit growth. However, a quantile regression approach shows that export participation is positively related to profitability for firms with high profit growth but negatively related for those firms with low profit growth. This might suggest that the productivity advantages of exporters with low profit growth are absorbed by costs relating to trading activities in overseas markets.

This thesis may have several potential policy implications. First, export promotion policies may not be effective if they are not accompanied by strategies to help SMEs become more productive. In addition, policies encouraging and supporting exports should focus not only on the number of employment created but also on the quality of employment, especially for low-technology industries. Finally, export-promoting policies (e.g. improvement in firms’ innovative activities) coupled with policies maintaining firms’ positions in export markets could be helpful since these measures in turn may help firms improve their survival probability and profit growth. However, the policy issues are very complicated and these suggestions should therefore be considered an initial foundation for further study.

year: 2014

title: Three Illuminated Videos

authors: Barrett, Kyle

abstract: Kyle Barrett, “Illuminated: Antisyzygy” (8:40) — Blending film and painting, the video postulates several questions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic via the notion of “antisyzygy” or the in-between state in which, globally, society has found itself. Ilona Krawczyk, “More than one voice” (10:00) — Why do I feel connected to something which is beyond me, which comes from the past, which I don’t understand? But there are those moments of unconsciousness that come out. Charlotta Grimfjord Cederblad, “Preparation” (10:17) — This video is an observation of what we prepare for when we prepare for performance, of how we prepare for the fact that we soon will be watched, of how we imagine that we are being watched and of what happens with the body when we think that no one is watching.

text: Three Illuminated Videos Kyle Barrett, “Illuminated: Antisyzygy” (8:40) — Blending film and painting, the video postulates several questions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic via the notion of “antisyzygy” or the in-between state in which, globally, society has found itself. Ilona Krawczyk, “More than one voice” (10:00) — Why do I feel connected to something which is beyond me, which comes from the past, which I don’t understand? But there are those moments of unconsciousness that come out. Charlotta Grimfjord Cederblad, “Preparation” (10:17) — This video is an observation of what we prepare for when we prepare for performance, of how we prepare for the fact that we soon will be watched, of how we imagine that we are being watched and of what happens with the body when we think that no one is watching.

year: 2021

title: Kūpapa ki raro, titiro ake

authors: Papa, Pānia Christine

abstract: Ko tā te kaituhi e manako nei i roto i tēnei tuhinga, kia āta tirohia he aha ngā huarahi i whāia ai e ngā iwi o Pōhara, hei kawe i a rātou mai i te pōharatanga ki te oranga tonutanga; mai i te noho marara ki te noho tahi; mai i te korekore ki te ao mārama. Ko te tuarua o ngā pātai kei mua i taku aroaro, he wānanga mena i tutuki pai ngā kaupapa i wawatahia ai e rātou. 
E rua ngā kōrero matua e toko ake ana i roto i ahau hei taumarumaru mō ngā whakaaro me ngā kōrero kua whakatakotoria i te tuhinga nei, hei whakautu i ngā pātai matua e rua ō runga ake nei. 
Tuatahi, 'Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri'. E hāngai ana tēnei whakataukī ki te pūmautanga o ngā whakaaro o ngā tūpuna o Pōhara ki ngā kaupapa i kōkirihia ai e tō rātou rangatira, me te āhua o tā ngā tūpuna hāpai i aua kaupapa. I te tīmatanga, nā Piupiu Te Wherowhero rātou i arataki. I te rā nei, ko Te Arikinui, Te Atairangikaahu te manu whakataka pōkai i te ata hāpara, e ngāngahu tonu nei i ngā iwi o te marae o Pōhara. 
Tuarua, 'Kūpapa ki raro, Titiro ake.' Koia tēnei tētehi whakataukī whakahau i ngā uri whakatupu o te marae, o Pōhara, kua waihotia e rātou mā hei kupu ārahi i ngā uri i runga i te marae, i roto anō hoki i te ao hou. He hōhonutanga anō tō te whakataukī nei e tika ana kia whakamāramahia i roto i tēnei tuhinga, hei whāki atu i ngā rerenga kētanga o te āhua o te whakaaro o kui mā, o koro mā, me te āhua o tā rātou noho i te wā i a rātou. 
Ko te whakatau o ngā kōrero, i tutuki pai i ngā tūpuna o te marae o Pōhara ō rātou manako, nā tō rātou kaha ū ki te kaupapa o te Kāhui Ariki, me tō rātou ū ki te kaupapa o te tupuranga o te papakāinga o Pōhara hei marae mō ngā uri whakatupu. Ka noho mai tērā hei whakatohu i tō rātou pakaritanga, me ō rātou whakaaro rangatira hei tauira mā ngā uri whakaheke e whai ake ana i ngā tapuwae o ngā tūpuna. 
Ko ēnei tuhinga hei whakatinana i te ngākau nui kia waituhia ngā kōrero ā ngā rūruhi, ā ngā koroheke, mō te marae o Pōhara, kei ngaro katoa atu ngēnā kōrero e here nei i te ao kōhatu ki te ao hou. 
Nā te ngākau māhaki o ngā kaumātua i whakaae ai kia tuhia te kaupapa nei, kia puta ai ngā kōrero mō Pōhara ki te ao mārama hei painga mō ngā uri whakatupu. Nā rātou i whakatūwhera te kūaha ki tō rātou ao hei kuhu atu ki roto mā te hunga mahira. Ko ngā kongakonga kōrero i taka iho mai i ō rātou puna mahara, kua kohia-ā-rīpenehia hei taonga tuku iho mō ngā iwi o te marae. E tika ana kia puruhia te mauri o ērā kōrero e ngā whānau me ngā uri o te marae. 
I tutuki ai te taha rangahau i ngā kōrero kaumātua i te whakatū wānanga, me te uiui kaumātua. I whāia ngā huarahi e rua nei hei kohikohi i ngā kōrero-ā-waha mō te hītori o Pōhara. Arā noa atu ngā painga i kitea, o te noho tahi a ngā kaumātua i runga tonu i te marae, ki te whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, kōrero hoki mō ngā rā o mua i waenganui i a rātou. Ā, hei whai ake i ngā kōrero i puta i ngā wānanga, i haere māua ko taku matua ki te torotoro i tēnā, i tēnā o ngā kaumātua e mōhio pai ana ki ngā kōrero, hei whakakīkī i ngā whārua, hei whakawhānui hoki i ngā kōrero. I ngāwari ake taku mahi i te haere tahitanga mai o taku matua, hei hoa mōku. Ko tāna, he āta whakamārama atu i te pūtake o te rangahau, he whakamārama hoki i te whakaaetanga o ngā kaumātua ki tērā mahi. I mōhio pai hoki ia ki ngā kōrero whānui mō te marae, ki ngā tāngata ka kōrerohia, ā, nā konā i taea e ia te whiu atu ētehi pātai, te whakamārama hoki i ahau i muri mai mō te āhua o ētehi o ngā kōrero kāore i tino mārama mai ki ahau. I tū hoki taku matua hei piriti i waenganui i te kaikōrero kaumātua me te kaiuiui rangatahi kia whakawhiti pai ai ngā pātai me ngā whakautu ki waenganui i ngā taha e rua. Koia tērā taku waimarie i roto i ngā mahi uiui kaumātua, ā, koia hoki i tutuki pai ai tērā taha o te rangahau. 
I tae mai ki aku ringa tētehi rīpene o tētehi wānanga i hopukina ai i te tau 1978. Nō taua tau, i haere ake ētehi akonga o te Tari Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, i raro i te maru o Wharehuia Milroy ki te rapu i ngā kōrero mō te marae o Pōhara. Heoi anō, i tō rātou hokinga atu ki te kāinga, kāore te nuinga o ngā kōrero i hopukina. Ka waihotia te take nā kia tārewa, ā, tae rawa ki te tau 1990, kātahi ka riro i ahau te rīpene kotahi i ora mai, hei āwhina i aku mahi rangahau mō tōku marae. 
I rapu māramatanga ahau mō te āhua o te noho a te iwi Māori whānui i ngā rā o mua, i roto i ngā pukapuka maha kua tuhia kētia. Mō ngā kōrero mō te whenua e tū nei te marae ināianei, i haere ki te Kooti Whenua Māori, ki reira kimi ai i ngā kōrero mō te rohe o Maungatautari whānui, mō te marae o Pōhara hoki. Nā ēnei whaiwhainga, kua puta he kōrero, kua puta hoki he whakaaro hei whakawā i ērā kōrero, hei whakamārama rānei i ērā kōrero, ā, koia tēnei e takoto nei i roto i tēnei tuhinga. Ka huri ināianei ki te wetewetetanga o ngā wāhanga o roto i te tuhinga nei. 
Nō namata mai anō i tīkina atu ai te rākau i te Wao-nui-ā-Tāne hei tārai i te waka o ōku tūpuna. Tēnei au e tiki atu nei i te rākau hei tauira hanga kōrero mōku. Ko tō te rākau tupu, ki ngā whakaaro o tēnei e tuhi nei, e pērā ana ki te tupu o te kaupapa kia nohoia te marae o Pōhara e tū ana i raro i te maru o Maungatautari. 
Arā noa atu ngā tauritenga o te tupu o te rākau me tō te marae o Pōhara tupu, mai i ōna pūtakenga hei papakāinga, ki te puāwaitanga o te whakaaro kia tū hei marae mō te mokopuna a te motu, mō ngā uri whakatupu, otirā, mō te iwi whānui. 
E whitu anō ngā wāhanga o tō te rākau tupu e whakatauritehia nei i roto i ngā whārangi o tēnei tuhinga. Ko te whenua tonu hei papa mō te tupu o te rākau, mō te tupu hoki o te marae Nō reira, ka tīmata ake i konā.

text: Kūpapa ki raro, titiro ake Ko tā te kaituhi e manako nei i roto i tēnei tuhinga, kia āta tirohia he aha ngā huarahi i whāia ai e ngā iwi o Pōhara, hei kawe i a rātou mai i te pōharatanga ki te oranga tonutanga; mai i te noho marara ki te noho tahi; mai i te korekore ki te ao mārama. Ko te tuarua o ngā pātai kei mua i taku aroaro, he wānanga mena i tutuki pai ngā kaupapa i wawatahia ai e rātou. 
E rua ngā kōrero matua e toko ake ana i roto i ahau hei taumarumaru mō ngā whakaaro me ngā kōrero kua whakatakotoria i te tuhinga nei, hei whakautu i ngā pātai matua e rua ō runga ake nei. 
Tuatahi, 'Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri'. E hāngai ana tēnei whakataukī ki te pūmautanga o ngā whakaaro o ngā tūpuna o Pōhara ki ngā kaupapa i kōkirihia ai e tō rātou rangatira, me te āhua o tā ngā tūpuna hāpai i aua kaupapa. I te tīmatanga, nā Piupiu Te Wherowhero rātou i arataki. I te rā nei, ko Te Arikinui, Te Atairangikaahu te manu whakataka pōkai i te ata hāpara, e ngāngahu tonu nei i ngā iwi o te marae o Pōhara. 
Tuarua, 'Kūpapa ki raro, Titiro ake.' Koia tēnei tētehi whakataukī whakahau i ngā uri whakatupu o te marae, o Pōhara, kua waihotia e rātou mā hei kupu ārahi i ngā uri i runga i te marae, i roto anō hoki i te ao hou. He hōhonutanga anō tō te whakataukī nei e tika ana kia whakamāramahia i roto i tēnei tuhinga, hei whāki atu i ngā rerenga kētanga o te āhua o te whakaaro o kui mā, o koro mā, me te āhua o tā rātou noho i te wā i a rātou. 
Ko te whakatau o ngā kōrero, i tutuki pai i ngā tūpuna o te marae o Pōhara ō rātou manako, nā tō rātou kaha ū ki te kaupapa o te Kāhui Ariki, me tō rātou ū ki te kaupapa o te tupuranga o te papakāinga o Pōhara hei marae mō ngā uri whakatupu. Ka noho mai tērā hei whakatohu i tō rātou pakaritanga, me ō rātou whakaaro rangatira hei tauira mā ngā uri whakaheke e whai ake ana i ngā tapuwae o ngā tūpuna. 
Ko ēnei tuhinga hei whakatinana i te ngākau nui kia waituhia ngā kōrero ā ngā rūruhi, ā ngā koroheke, mō te marae o Pōhara, kei ngaro katoa atu ngēnā kōrero e here nei i te ao kōhatu ki te ao hou. 
Nā te ngākau māhaki o ngā kaumātua i whakaae ai kia tuhia te kaupapa nei, kia puta ai ngā kōrero mō Pōhara ki te ao mārama hei painga mō ngā uri whakatupu. Nā rātou i whakatūwhera te kūaha ki tō rātou ao hei kuhu atu ki roto mā te hunga mahira. Ko ngā kongakonga kōrero i taka iho mai i ō rātou puna mahara, kua kohia-ā-rīpenehia hei taonga tuku iho mō ngā iwi o te marae. E tika ana kia puruhia te mauri o ērā kōrero e ngā whānau me ngā uri o te marae. 
I tutuki ai te taha rangahau i ngā kōrero kaumātua i te whakatū wānanga, me te uiui kaumātua. I whāia ngā huarahi e rua nei hei kohikohi i ngā kōrero-ā-waha mō te hītori o Pōhara. Arā noa atu ngā painga i kitea, o te noho tahi a ngā kaumātua i runga tonu i te marae, ki te whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, kōrero hoki mō ngā rā o mua i waenganui i a rātou. Ā, hei whai ake i ngā kōrero i puta i ngā wānanga, i haere māua ko taku matua ki te torotoro i tēnā, i tēnā o ngā kaumātua e mōhio pai ana ki ngā kōrero, hei whakakīkī i ngā whārua, hei whakawhānui hoki i ngā kōrero. I ngāwari ake taku mahi i te haere tahitanga mai o taku matua, hei hoa mōku. Ko tāna, he āta whakamārama atu i te pūtake o te rangahau, he whakamārama hoki i te whakaaetanga o ngā kaumātua ki tērā mahi. I mōhio pai hoki ia ki ngā kōrero whānui mō te marae, ki ngā tāngata ka kōrerohia, ā, nā konā i taea e ia te whiu atu ētehi pātai, te whakamārama hoki i ahau i muri mai mō te āhua o ētehi o ngā kōrero kāore i tino mārama mai ki ahau. I tū hoki taku matua hei piriti i waenganui i te kaikōrero kaumātua me te kaiuiui rangatahi kia whakawhiti pai ai ngā pātai me ngā whakautu ki waenganui i ngā taha e rua. Koia tērā taku waimarie i roto i ngā mahi uiui kaumātua, ā, koia hoki i tutuki pai ai tērā taha o te rangahau. 
I tae mai ki aku ringa tētehi rīpene o tētehi wānanga i hopukina ai i te tau 1978. Nō taua tau, i haere ake ētehi akonga o te Tari Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, i raro i te maru o Wharehuia Milroy ki te rapu i ngā kōrero mō te marae o Pōhara. Heoi anō, i tō rātou hokinga atu ki te kāinga, kāore te nuinga o ngā kōrero i hopukina. Ka waihotia te take nā kia tārewa, ā, tae rawa ki te tau 1990, kātahi ka riro i ahau te rīpene kotahi i ora mai, hei āwhina i aku mahi rangahau mō tōku marae. 
I rapu māramatanga ahau mō te āhua o te noho a te iwi Māori whānui i ngā rā o mua, i roto i ngā pukapuka maha kua tuhia kētia. Mō ngā kōrero mō te whenua e tū nei te marae ināianei, i haere ki te Kooti Whenua Māori, ki reira kimi ai i ngā kōrero mō te rohe o Maungatautari whānui, mō te marae o Pōhara hoki. Nā ēnei whaiwhainga, kua puta he kōrero, kua puta hoki he whakaaro hei whakawā i ērā kōrero, hei whakamārama rānei i ērā kōrero, ā, koia tēnei e takoto nei i roto i tēnei tuhinga. Ka huri ināianei ki te wetewetetanga o ngā wāhanga o roto i te tuhinga nei. 
Nō namata mai anō i tīkina atu ai te rākau i te Wao-nui-ā-Tāne hei tārai i te waka o ōku tūpuna. Tēnei au e tiki atu nei i te rākau hei tauira hanga kōrero mōku. Ko tō te rākau tupu, ki ngā whakaaro o tēnei e tuhi nei, e pērā ana ki te tupu o te kaupapa kia nohoia te marae o Pōhara e tū ana i raro i te maru o Maungatautari. 
Arā noa atu ngā tauritenga o te tupu o te rākau me tō te marae o Pōhara tupu, mai i ōna pūtakenga hei papakāinga, ki te puāwaitanga o te whakaaro kia tū hei marae mō te mokopuna a te motu, mō ngā uri whakatupu, otirā, mō te iwi whānui. 
E whitu anō ngā wāhanga o tō te rākau tupu e whakatauritehia nei i roto i ngā whārangi o tēnei tuhinga. Ko te whenua tonu hei papa mō te tupu o te rākau, mō te tupu hoki o te marae Nō reira, ka tīmata ake i konā.

year: 1997