This paper addresses the following research questions: i) are firms characterized by international linkages more productive than other firms? ii) are firms belonging to industries more involved in global production networks more productive than other firms? To this end we combine the firm level World Bank Enterprise Survey dataset with the new OECD-WTO Trade in Value Added (TiVA) data set and present three main empirical exercises: i) a static analysis of productivity premia associated to firms international linkages; ii) a version of the standard Cobb-Douglas output function expanded to firms international linkages; iii) a further expanded version of the above relationship including the TIVA-based indicators of value added trade and industry involvement in global production networks. Our first empirical outcomes confirm the presence of a positive causal relationship between involvement in international activities and firm performance in the LAC region. Focusing on four big Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico) we show that the actual level of position into global value chains matters as well. These empirical results are relevant for policy-making. They contribute to help institutions to shed light on the importance of the involvement in global production networks in increasing firms performance in LAC countries.