Key Highlights
Economics · International Economics
A new study evaluates two core export-promotion tools used by the Portuguese export promotion agency (AICEP): internationalization grants and matchmaking services. Using an event-study approach with firm and year fixed effects on merged administrative, customs, and firm data for 2012–2021, the authors find that internationalization grants increase treated firms’ total exports by approximately 13%, while matchmaking services raise exports to France by approximately 32%. These findings, particularly the larger effects for micro and small firms (grants 18%; matchmaking 40%) and the favorable cost–benefit outcomes, are directly relevant to your expertise in policy evaluation and applied economics at the EIB and EIF, offering rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of state-led export promotion strategies.
Novelty: 85%
Rigor: 92%
Significance: 88%
Validity: 90%
Clarity: 87%
Economics · Labor Economics
This paper investigates the maternal child penalty to earnings even in the absence of changes in employment or hours worked, using a matched event study design with detailed personnel data from the US Marine Corps. The authors trace monthly changes in determinants of wages—job performance, human capital accumulation, and promotions—and find that mothers’ job performance initially declines, with gaps in promotion growing through 24 months postbirth, while fathers’ physical fitness performance drops but recovers. For your work in applied economics and policy evaluation, this research provides critical evidence on how parenthood affects career advancement and wage trajectories, informing policies aimed at addressing gender inequality in labor markets.
Novelty: 82%
Rigor: 94%
Significance: 90%
Validity: 91%
Clarity: 86%
Economics · International Economics
This paper examines the Italian land reform to study persistent specialization and growth, exploring how historical institutional changes shape long-term economic outcomes. The authors analyze the reform’s impact on agricultural productivity and regional development, providing insights into the mechanisms through which land redistribution can foster or hinder economic specialization. Given your doctoral research on French postwar exchange controls and industrial planning, this study offers a valuable comparative perspective on how state-led structural reforms influence long-run economic growth and resource allocation.
Novelty: 78%
Rigor: 85%
Significance: 80%
Validity: 83%
Clarity: 84%
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