Exporting and Export Dynamics Among South African Firms

The paper analyzes the relationship between firm size, productivity, and export destinations in South Africa. It finds that exports are highly concentrated among a small number of large firms and that there is a distinct divide between high-productivity firms exporting to developed markets (North America and Europe) and lower-productivity firms exporting to Africa (SADC). The author argues that regional African markets are the most viable path for small-to-medium enterprises and for job creation, as they do not require the same productivity thresholds as global markets. The study also identifies volatile exchange rates and transport costs as primary constraints facing South African exporters.

• Exporting in South Africa is highly concentrated, with the top 1% of exporting firms accounting for 79% of the total export value, which is significantly higher than the international average of 55%.
• There is a strong correlation between a firm's size and its ability to export, with a productivity and size threshold for entry typically falling in the 50–100 employee range. South African firms tend to enter export markets at a smaller size compared to peer-group countries like Brazil and Thailand.
• South African exporters are divided into two distinct groups: those exporting to high-income markets (North America and Western Europe) and those exporting to lower-income African markets (SADC). Firms exporting to developed countries are more productive, employ more highly skilled workers, pay higher wages, and are more likely to be specialist exporters.
• Regional African markets do not serve as a 'stepping stone' to developed international markets because the product quality, productivity levels, and firm characteristics required for each are too different.
• Between 2009 and 2012, the most significant constraints reported by exporters were the volatile exchange rate and transport costs, both of which became more onerous over time.
• Analysis of export dynamics between 2009 and 2012 shows that firms entering the export market typically start with a low proportion of exports (median 35% of sales) and experience a substantial increase in labour productivity (nearly 300%).

APA

Rankin, N. (2013). Exporting and Export Dynamics Among South African Firms. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Occasional-Paper-149.pdf

Chicago

Rankin, Neil. Exporting and Export Dynamics Among South African Firms. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Occasional-Paper-149.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rankin |first1=Neil |title=Exporting and Export Dynamics Among South African Firms |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Occasional-Paper-149.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rankin2013exporting, author = {Rankin, Neil}, title = {{Exporting and Export Dynamics Among South African Firms}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Occasional-Paper-149.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }