Do Global Value Chains Make Firms More Vulnerable to Trade Shocks?—Evidence from Manufacturing Firms in Sweden

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of the Global Financial Crisis on manufacturing firms in Sweden by analyzing the effect of trade exposure on firm performance. This study examines the decline in international trade during the global financial crisis by focusing on the relationship between global production linkages and firm performance. The trade exposure at the firm and industry levels were measured to assess the direct and indirect effects of the crisis on firm performance. Robust evidence was found of a negative relationship between trade exposure and the firms’ sales and value-added growth during the crisis. In addition, it was found that higher export dependence was associated with lower sales growth during the crisis. Our results also show that the effect of the decline in the external demand on firm performance depends on the international input-output linkages. In particular, industries that are upstream in the value chain experienced a less severe decline in performance during the crisis.