The relationship between global competitiveness and export performance: An analysis on OECD countries

Export is important in the economic growth process, especially for developing countries. Countries need to identify and develop the factors that have an impact on export performance to achieve economic growth. With globalization, competitive advantages and factors that provide competitive advantage to countries are changing and developing. This situation leads countries to identify and develop global competitive factors that contribute to export performance. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the global competitiveness index and its sub-indices (basic requirements index, efficiency enhancers index, innovation and sophistication index) and export performance. In this study, heterogeneous panel data analysis was performed with the Augmented Mean Group Estimator, using the annual data for the 2006-2019 period for OECD countries. According to the analysis findings, it has been determined that there is a significant and positive relationship between the global competitiveness index and its sub-indices and export performance throughout the panel. It has been determined that positive effect of the efficiency enhancers index, one of the sub-indices, on export performance is stronger than other indices. according to the results of the analysis, it is predicted that OECD countries can increase their export performance by first ensuring improvements in the field of basic requirements, implementing policies that will increase the efficiency of goods and labor markets, developing financial markets, supporting higher education and training, increasing R&D expenditures, and expanding their market shares.