Institution profile

Universidad de Deusto

Academic institutioneurope · es
Official website
Research library15linked papers
Opportunities0open roles
Selected work

Representative Papers

How firms export: direct and indirect exporting, intermediaries, and hybrid firms

Jun 17, 2026

This study addresses the origins of heterogeneity in firms’ export modes—such as direct exporting, indirect exporting, pure intermediation, and hybrid arrangements—by proposing a novel dual-capability theoretical framework that jointly models manufacturing and commercial capabilities. The framework elucidates the matching mechanisms between intermediaries and producers and uncovers the structural roots of export product diversity. Empirical analysis using firm-level export data from Spain reveals that intermediaries with stronger commercial capabilities are more likely to match with producers possessing greater manufacturing capabilities, and that such matches are associated with significantly broader export product varieties. This work provides a new microfoundation for understanding the differentiation and collaboration of firms in global trade.

0 citationsRead paper

Reassessing the role of intermediaries in exports

Jun 17, 2026

This study addresses a critical bias in the existing literature, which overestimates the role of intermediaries in exports by failing to distinguish pure intermediaries from manufacturers’ own export departments or vertically integrated entities. Leveraging firm-level microdata from Spain, the authors refine the definition of intermediaries by explicitly excluding these latter two categories, thereby enabling precise identification of pure intermediaries. Through reclassification and comparative statistical analysis, the paper reveals that the actual export share attributable to pure intermediaries is approximately 70% lower than previously estimated. Moreover, pure intermediaries exhibit significant differences from other exporters along key dimensions such as firm size and export intensity. These findings correct prevailing misconceptions about intermediary-driven trade and provide a more accurate empirical foundation for understanding the organizational structures of global trade.

0 citationsRead paper
Recent publications

Latest Papers

How firms export: direct and indirect exporting, intermediaries, and hybrid firms

Jun 17, 2026

This study addresses the origins of heterogeneity in firms’ export modes—such as direct exporting, indirect exporting, pure intermediation, and hybrid arrangements—by proposing a novel dual-capability theoretical framework that jointly models manufacturing and commercial capabilities. The framework elucidates the matching mechanisms between intermediaries and producers and uncovers the structural roots of export product diversity. Empirical analysis using firm-level export data from Spain reveals that intermediaries with stronger commercial capabilities are more likely to match with producers possessing greater manufacturing capabilities, and that such matches are associated with significantly broader export product varieties. This work provides a new microfoundation for understanding the differentiation and collaboration of firms in global trade.

0 citationsRead paper

Reassessing the role of intermediaries in exports

Jun 17, 2026

This study addresses a critical bias in the existing literature, which overestimates the role of intermediaries in exports by failing to distinguish pure intermediaries from manufacturers’ own export departments or vertically integrated entities. Leveraging firm-level microdata from Spain, the authors refine the definition of intermediaries by explicitly excluding these latter two categories, thereby enabling precise identification of pure intermediaries. Through reclassification and comparative statistical analysis, the paper reveals that the actual export share attributable to pure intermediaries is approximately 70% lower than previously estimated. Moreover, pure intermediaries exhibit significant differences from other exporters along key dimensions such as firm size and export intensity. These findings correct prevailing misconceptions about intermediary-driven trade and provide a more accurate empirical foundation for understanding the organizational structures of global trade.

0 citationsRead paper