We use unique enterprise survey data to explore the export behavior of firms in Tunisia, a small, trade-dependent country with a complex policy environment regarding exporting. Firms may export directly or indirectly through intermediaries, and can also sell to ‘offshore’ firms, which are export manufacturing firms with special legal status. Firm size, a proxy for productivity, is strongly associated with exporting of either type as well as with sales to offshore firms. In contrast to some studies, exporting is not positively associated with firm age (i.e., experience).

The distributional outcomes of trade agreements have historically been uneven, creating both “losers” as well as “winners” and benefitting certain stakeholders while leaving others without benefits or even with negative repercussions. In particular, distributional outcomes can vary between women and men, since they play different roles in society, markets, and economies, and they enjoy different opportunities as well. At times, and sometimes by their very nature, trade agreements can restrict opportunities for women and further increase the gender divide.

Africa, while less impacted than other regions of the world, is still facing disastrous consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, African countries, especially those in French-speaking Africa, have provided less support to their economies during the crisis compared to other nations. This situation has brought about renewed debates on political space in these countries.

This paper examines the association between high-growth firm status and global linkages with special focus on the role of imports. We rely on a rich panel data covering all formal firms in Tunisia between 1999 and 2015. Our results show that firms that import, export, have foreigner ownership, or benefit from offshore regimes are more likely to achieve high-growth status compared to other similar firms in terms of size, age, sector, and region. Among these channels, importing status has a robust positive association with high growth.

Africa’s digital future makes an important and timely contribution to the literature on Africa, exploring the many opportunities and challenges that the continent faces in a world characterised by accelerating technological change. Edited by Prof Wilma Viviers, Ali Parry and Dr Adelia Jansen van Rensburg, the book has been published in an online format by AOSIS, the open-access publisher which hosts a wide range of journals and independent publications on its platform. The book is therefore freely available to anyone who wishes to read it online or download a copy.

The study of the trade policy concepts within a framework of hyper globalization and global regulation system transformation requires new theoretical and methodological approaches. On the one hand, trade policy design and implementation is closely linked to a wide range of issues from e-commerce to gender inequality. On the other hand, the newest trade theory focuses on studying the companies’ export activities, their participation in global value chains and their trade costs. In addition, research methodology for various quantitative methods has grown significantly.