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The reshoring of business services: Reaction to failure or persistent strategy?

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  • Albertoni, Filippo
  • Elia, Stefano
  • Massini, Silvia
  • Piscitello, Lucia

Abstract

This paper investigates whether reshoring of business services is the result of company response to performance shortcomings of the initiative offshored or instead is motivated by persisting with original offshoring strategy (disintegration advantages, accessing new markets and cost-saving), regardless of offshoring performance. Our empirical analysis, based on data from the Offshoring Research Network, shows that both arguments hold. Moreover, when offshoring had been motivated by accessing to new markets and its performance is unsatisfactory, companies are likely to relocate. However, unsatisfactory performance of activities offshored for efficiency reasons or search of talent, do not necessarily lead companies to relocate elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • Albertoni, Filippo & Elia, Stefano & Massini, Silvia & Piscitello, Lucia, 2017. "The reshoring of business services: Reaction to failure or persistent strategy?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 417-430.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:52:y:2017:i:3:p:417-430
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2017.01.005
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    5. Mukherjee, Debmalya & Lahiri, Somnath & Ash, Steven R. & Gaur, Ajai S., 2019. "Search motives, local embeddedness, and knowledge outcomes in offshoring," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 365-375.
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    8. Piatanesi, Benedetta & Arauzo Carod, Josep Maria, 2019. "An Analysis about reverse offshoring," Working Papers 2072/376030, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    9. Fuster, Begoña & Lillo-Bañuls, Adelaida & Martínez-Mora, Carmen, 2020. "Reshoring of services and employment," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 233-246.
    10. Malgorzata Sztorc & Dorota Milek, 2022. "Modern Business Services as a Strategy for the Development of Smart Specializations," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 433-462.
    11. Stefano Elia & Marcus M. Larsen & Lucia Piscitello, 2019. "Entry mode deviation: A behavioral approach to internalization theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(8), pages 1359-1371, October.
    12. Tang, Ryan W., 2023. "Institutional unpredictability and foreign exit−reentry dynamics: The moderating role of foreign ownership," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    13. Henkel, Malin & Boffelli, Albachiara & Olhager, Jan & Kalchschmidt, Matteo, 2022. "A case survey of offshoring–backshoring cases: The influence of contingency factors," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    14. McIvor, Ronan & Bals, Lydia, 2021. "A multi-theory framework for understanding the reshoring decision," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
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    16. Delis, Agelos & Driffield, Nigel & Temouri, Yama, 2019. "The global recession and the shift to re-shoring: Myth or reality?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 632-643.
    17. Johansson, Malin & Olhager, Jan, 2018. "Comparing offshoring and backshoring: The role of manufacturing site location factors and their impact on post-relocation performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 37-46.
    18. Albachiara Boffelli & Malin Johansson, 2020. "What do we want to know about reshoring? Towards a comprehensive framework based on a meta-synthesis," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 53-69, June.
    19. Elia, Stefano & Massini, Silvia & Narula, Rajneesh, 2019. "Disintegration, modularity and entry mode choice: Mirroring technical and organizational architectures in business functions offshoring," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 417-431.
    20. Nidthida Lin, 2020. "Designing Global Sourcing Strategy for Cost Savings and Innovation: A Configurational Approach," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(5), pages 723-753, October.
    21. Roger Bandick, 2020. "Global sourcing, productivity and export intensity," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 615-643, March.

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