This paper offers new insights on a central question in trade and development economics: does increased exposure to foreign competition generate gains in plant productivity? We find that it does. We examine Colombian trade policy from 1977 to 1991, a period during which trade liberalization...

"This volume is a collection of the author's scholarly work spanning a quarter century of inquiry into the causes of international business cycles. It starts with an introduction to international business cycle research. Part I reviews salient business cycle facts relating to quantities, prices...

This paper explores a period of substantial variation in trade policy across industries in Colombia (1977-1991) to examine whether increased exposure to foreign competition generates productivity gains for manufacturing plants. Using an estimation methodology that addresses the shortcomings of...