IBS Lunchtime Research Seminar - Pandemic shock and the sustainability of international trade flows

You are cordially invited to attend an International Business and Strategy Departmental Research Meeting, during which there will be a presentation by Dr Anna D’Ambrosio (Dunning Fellow 2024-2025), Polytechnic of Turin. A reminder that attendance for IBS (full time, research oriented) staff and full-time students is compulsory, and where possible, must be in person. Individuals unable to attend in person, due to legitimate reasons will be provided a Teams link on request. Non-IBS staff are welcome to attend, but must register prior to the event. If you have not received the email invite please email Angie Clark

Please join us in Room 108, Henley Business School, if you would like to attend, please register using the link below:

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Please make sure you let me know in advance if you intend to attend in person so that the correct amount of catering is booked.

Date: Wednesday 5th March 2025, HBS Room 108

Time: 13.00 - 14.15pm

Abstract:

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on firms’ green sourcing strategies. On the one hand, the financial hardship associated with the COVID-19 recession may have led firms to reduce input costs by opting for cheaper and more polluting inputs. On the other hand, in line with the Porter Hypothesis, the crisis can represent an opportunity to stimulate innovation and to push firms to reallocate their input portfolio towards greener inputs. Using a differences-in-differences approach and firm-level trade data, we find that firms in non-essential sectors reduced green imports post-pandemic. However, state aid effectively mitigated this decline. Our results highlight significant regional disparities, with some firms in less-affected regions increasing green sourcing independently. The findings emphasize the importance of targeted policy support to promote sustainable trade practices during economic disruptions.