Corruption, Trade Costs, and Gains from Tariff Liberalization: Evidence from Southern Africa

This paper exploits quasi-experimental variation in tariffs in southern Africa to estimate trade elasticities. Traded quantities respond only weakly to a 30 percent reduction in the average nominal tariff rate. Trade flow data combined with primary data on firm behavior and bribe payments suggest that corruption is a potential explanation for the observed low elasticities. In contexts of pervasive corruption, even small bribes can significantly reduce tariffs, making tariff liberalization schemes less likely to affect the extensive and the intensive margins of firms' import behavior. The tariff liberalization scheme is, however, still associated with improved incentives to accurately report quantities of imported goods, and with a significant reduction in bribe transfers from importers to public officials. (JEL D22, D73, F13, H83, O17, O19, O24)

The Role of Internet Use on International Trade: Evidence from Asian and Sub-Saharan African Enterprises

Internet use is expected to reduce fixed information-related costs of entering international markets. This paper looks at the impact of internet use by developing country firms from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa on their export and input import behavior. Using the enterprise survey dataset from the World Bank, the paper finds that e-mail and own website use have a positive impact on the extensive margin of enterprise export and input import behavior but not on the intensive margin. In addition, both these internet tools affect export and input import likelihood of manufacturing enterprises only and not of service enterprises. These results are robust after controlling for self-selection bias and for factors that may affect both internet adoption and international market participation.