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Outsourcing and Information Management

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  • Alessandro Innocenti
  • Sandrine Labory

Abstract

This paper compares outsourcing processes in France, Italy and Japan in two types of firms, large firms and also small firms. It is shown that outsourcing has increased over the last two decades in both small and large firms in all three countries and that mainly in the last decade the tendency has been to increasingly involve some of the suppliers in product development. We interpret this evidence by means of a cognitive framework related to the activity of information management. Specifically, we show that the more the relationships among suppliers and users are characterised by two-way communication, decentralised information processing, and accordingly balanced contractual power, the more the incentives to create knowledge and to innovate autonomously are guaranteed.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Innocenti & Sandrine Labory, 2004. "Outsourcing and Information Management," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 1(1), pages 107-125, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:liu:liucej:v:1:y:2004:i:1:p:107-125
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Harris & John Moffat, 2011. "Plant-level Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in Great Britain, 1997-2006," SERC Discussion Papers 0064, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. repec:thr:techub:10034:y:2022:i:1:p:283-311 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Rafael Pardo & Ruth Rama, 2013. "Is the Pro-Network Bias Justified?," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(3), pages 21582440134, July.
    4. Chamdani Chamdani & Krisnadi Nasution & Slamet Suhartono & Hufron Hufron, 2022. "Legal protection for outsourced workers/laborers due to termination of employment during the contract period," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 34(1), pages 283-311, August.
    5. Richard Harris & John Moffat, 2015. "Plant-level determinants of total factor productivity in Great Britain, 1997–2008," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 1-20, August.
    6. Kato, Takao,, 2016. "Productivity, wages and unions in Japan," ILO Working Papers 994904643402676, International Labour Organization.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Firm size; Information; Network; Outsourcing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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