Desenvolvimento econômico e exportações de serviços empresariais intensivos em conhecimento: relações de causalidade e evidências empíricas

Abstract

This article analyzes how the export of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) is relevant for a country's development and the main factors responsible for the external sales of such services. The theoretical review reveals that the relation between development and KIBS is a two-way street. On the one hand, the construction of a complex, robust and competitive KIBS generally requires the country to be in more advanced stages of development. On the other, KIBS are relevant because they represent the most dynamic sectors of foreign trade and are decisive for industrial competitiveness and technological progress. Empirical evidence shows the association between economic development and KIBS export, which represent the segment with the greatest participation of developed countries in world exports. Notably, the countries that managed to increase their exports faster did so earlier, and more strongly, in industry than in KIBS.