Non-Price Competitiveness and Financial Drivers of Exports: Evidences from Italian Regions

The present study examines the drivers of Italian exports via an export equation with regional and time-varying impacts of local financial development. To this purpose, two-way fixed effects regression models with lagged variables and a system Generalized-Methods-of-Moments have been adopted to account for potential endogeneity problems and dynamic trade patterns. The analysis covers the period 2000–2013 and the sub-period 2000–2007. The results show that a mix of factors contributing to lift exports, including financial development, exerts a positive impact on trade flows. In particular, a rise in credit intensity and a reduction in financial risk push export propensity. The results further point to the relevant effect of non-price competitiveness factors, namely R&D and investments, in influencing the export behaviour of the Italian regions. The results hold for both the whole and the pre-crisis period, but the effects are generally stronger during the pre-crisis years.