The exceptional performance of exporters: Evidence from Egyptian ?rms

This paper examines the manufacturing export market in Egypt after the Arab Spring using firm level census data from 2013. Exports are quite rare in Egypt, concentrated in a few industries and regions, and dominated by superstar exporters. The estimated conventional export premia are very high, except for firm productivity. Exporters have stark effects on labor market outcomes, including wages, employment, and demand for skilled and female workers, wage inequality, and job security. These findings have two important implications: (1) Manufacturing exports might be monopolized by large but not necessarily the most efficient firms, and (2) promoting exports could potentially improve labor market outcomes by providing good jobs, especially for college graduates and females.