IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envira/v55y2023i4p1041-1061.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Arbitrage spaces in the offshore world: Layering, ‘fuses’ and partitioning of the legal structure of modern firms

Author

Listed:
  • Ronen Palan
  • Hannah Petersen

    (International Politics, 4895City University of London, UK)

  • Richard Phillips

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the way offshore financial centres are used by the multi-subsidiary, multi-jurisdictional group structure known as the ‘multinational enterprise’ to arbitrage between social geographies of political jurisdictions. We define arbitrage as the use of corporate legal entities located in diverse jurisdictions to arbitrate a third country's rules and regulations. Using a new method to categorize firm-level data from Van Dijk’s Orbis, we operationalize the notion of arbitrage to systematically detail and compare the structural sequencing choices firms are making, likely in part for reasons of arbitrage. We base our techniques on legal theory of the firm, acknowledging the underpinning of social technologies of law and accounting by which business enterprises are constructed and maintained. We conclude that two specific types of entities, ‘standalones’ versus ‘in-betweeners’, are qualitatively different from others in the activities they perform. We also highlight the existence of liability structures, or ‘fuses’, which typically take the form of a split ownership arrangement. Ultimately, we demonstrate that the position of a firm’s subsidiary within the overall network ecology of that firm is as important as its jurisdictional registration location.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronen Palan & Hannah Petersen & Richard Phillips, 2023. "Arbitrage spaces in the offshore world: Layering, ‘fuses’ and partitioning of the legal structure of modern firms," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 55(4), pages 1041-1061, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:55:y:2023:i:4:p:1041-1061
    DOI: 10.1177/0308518X211053645
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0308518X211053645
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0308518X211053645?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Friedrich Jan & Thiemann Matthias, 2021. "The Economic, Legal and Social Dimension of Regulatory Arbitrage," Accounting, Economics, and Law: A Convivium, De Gruyter, vol. 11(2), pages 81-90, July.
    2. Fredrik Andersson & Rikard Forslid, 2003. "Tax Competition and Economic Geography," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 5(2), pages 279-303, April.
    3. Jan Fichtner, 2016. "The anatomy of the Cayman Islands offshore financial center: Anglo-America, Japan, and the role of hedge funds," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(6), pages 1034-1063, November.
    4. Dyreng, Scott D. & Lindsey, Bradley P. & Thornock, Jacob R., 2013. "Exploring the role Delaware plays as a domestic tax haven," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(3), pages 751-772.
    5. Thomas Sigler & Kirsten Martinus & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2020. "The role of tax havens and offshore financial centres in shaping corporate geographies: an industry sector perspective," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 621-633, May.
    6. Palan, Ronen, 2002. "Tax Havens and the Commercialization of State Sovereignty," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 151-176, January.
    7. Alex Cobham & Petr Janský, 2018. "Global distribution of revenue loss from corporate tax avoidance: re†estimation and country results," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(2), pages 206-232, March.
    8. Kirsten Martinus & Thomas Sigler & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2021. "The brokerage role of small states and territories in global corporate networks," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 12-28, March.
    9. Daniel Haberly & Dariusz Wójcik, 2017. "Culprits or Bystanders? Offshore Jurisdictions and the Global Financial Crisis," Journal of Financial Regulation, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 233-261.
    10. Gabriel Zucman, 2014. "Taxing across Borders: Tracking Personal Wealth and Corporate Profits," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(4), pages 121-148, Fall.
    11. Edward Lorenz, 1991. "An Evolutionary Explanation for Competitive Decline: British Shipbuilding 1890-1970," Post-Print halshs-00483725, HAL.
    12. Alstadsæter, Annette & Johannesen, Niels & Zucman, Gabriel, 2018. "Who owns the wealth in tax havens? Macro evidence and implications for global inequality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 89-100.
    13. Tembo Nakamoto & Abhijit Chakraborty & Yuichi Ikeda, 2019. "Identification of Key Companies for International Profit Shifting in the Global Ownership Network," Papers 1904.12397, arXiv.org.
    14. Grandy, Christopher, 1989. "New Jersey Corporate Chartermongering, 1875–1929," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(3), pages 677-692, September.
    15. Gordon L. Clark & Karen P. Y. Lai & Dariusz Wójcik, 2015. "Editorial Introduction to the Special Section: Deconstructing Offshore Finance," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 91(3), pages 237-249, July.
    16. Anna Gumpert & James R. Hines Jr. & Monika Schnitzer, 2016. "Multinational Firms and Tax Havens," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(4), pages 713-727, October.
    17. Stewart, Jim, 2008. "Financial flows and treasury management firms in Ireland," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 199-212.
    18. Elbaum, Bernard & Wilkinson, Frank, 1979. "Industrial Relations and Uneven Development: A Comparative Study of the American and British Steel Industries," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 275-303, September.
    19. Maarten ‘t Riet & Arjan Lejour, 2018. "Optimal tax routing: network analysis of FDI diversion," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 25(5), pages 1321-1371, October.
    20. Bretschger, Lucas & Hettich, Frank, 2002. "Globalisation, capital mobility and tax competition: theory and evidence for OECD countries," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 695-716, November.
    21. Gabriel Zucman, 2013. "The Missing Wealth of Nations: Are Europe and the U.S. net Debtors or net Creditors?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(3), pages 1321-1364.
    22. Jack Mintz, 2004. "Conduit Entities: Implications of Indirect Tax-Efficient Financing Structures for Real Investment," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 11(4), pages 419-434, August.
    23. Orts, Eric W., 2013. "Business Persons: A Legal Theory of the Firm," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199670918, Decembrie.
    24. Johannesen, Niels, 2014. "Tax avoidance with cross-border hybrid instruments," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 40-52.
    25. Mendoza, Enrique G. & Tesar, Linda L., 2005. "Why hasn't tax competition triggered a race to the bottom? Some quantitative lessons from the EU," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 163-204, January.
    26. Jim Stewart, 2008. "Financial flows and treasury management firms in Ireland," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 199-212, September.
    27. Daniel Haberly & Dariusz Wójcik, 2015. "Regional Blocks and Imperial Legacies: Mapping the Global Offshore FDI Network," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 91(3), pages 251-280, July.
    28. Daniel Haberly & Dariusz Wójcik, 2015. "Regional Blocks and Imperial Legacies: Mapping the Global Offshore FDI Network," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 91(3), pages 251-280, July.
    29. James R. Hines & Eric M. Rice, 1994. "Fiscal Paradise: Foreign Tax Havens and American Business," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(1), pages 149-182.
    30. Lorenz, Edward H., 1991. "An Evolutionary Explanation for Competitive Decline: The British Shipbuilding Industry, 1890–1970," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(4), pages 911-935, December.
    31. Rita Barrera & Jessica Bustamante, 2018. "The Rotten Apple: Tax Avoidance in Ireland," The International Trade Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 150-161, January.
    32. Lee, Young & Gordon, Roger H., 2005. "Tax structure and economic growth," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(5-6), pages 1027-1043, June.
    33. Zucman, Gabriel & Fagan, Teresa Lavender & Piketty, Thomas, 2015. "The Hidden Wealth of Nations," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226245423, Febrero.
    34. Gordon L. Clark & Karen P. Y. Lai & Dariusz Wójcik, 2015. "Editorial Introduction to the Special Section: Deconstructing Offshore Finance," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 91(3), pages 237-249, July.
    35. Robé Jean-Philippe, 2011. "The Legal Structure of the Firm," Accounting, Economics, and Law: A Convivium, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 1-88, January.
    36. Kimberly A. Clausing, 2016. "The Effect of Profit Shifting on the Corporate Tax Base in the United States and Beyond," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 69(4), pages 905-934, December.
    37. Javier Garcia-Bernardo & Jan Fichtner & Eelke M. Heemskerk & Frank W. Takes, 2017. "Uncovering Offshore Financial Centers: Conduits and Sinks in the Global Corporate Ownership Network," Papers 1703.03016, arXiv.org, revised May 2017.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Richard Phillips & Hannah Petersen & Ronen Palan, 2021. "Group subsidiaries, tax minimization and offshore financial centres: Mapping organizational structures to establish the ‘in-betweener’ advantage," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(2), pages 286-307, June.
    2. Menkhoff, Lukas & Miethe, Jakob, 2019. "Tax evasion in new disguise? Examining tax havens' international bank deposits," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 176, pages 53-78.
    3. Vincent Bouvatier & Gunther Capelle-Blancard & Anne-Laure Delatte, 2017. "Banks Defy Gravity in Tax Havens," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-03101505, HAL.
    4. Delatte, Anne-Laure & Guillin, Amelie & Vicard, Vincent, 2022. "Grey zones in global finance: The distorted geography of cross-border investments," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Petr Janský & Miroslav Palanský, 2019. "Estimating the scale of profit shifting and tax revenue losses related to foreign direct investment," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(5), pages 1048-1103, October.
    6. Petr Janský & Jan Láznička & Miroslav Palanský, 2021. "Tax treaties worldwide: Estimating elasticities and revenue foregone," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 359-401, May.
    7. Kirsten Martinus & Thomas Sigler & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2019. "The role of tax havens and offshore financial centers in Asia-Pacific networks: evidence from firm-subsidiary connections," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 389-411, November.
    8. Cooper, Maggie & Nguyen, Quyen T.K., 2020. "Multinational enterprises and corporate tax planning: A review of literature and suggestions for a future research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    9. Javier Garcia-Bernardo & Petr Janský & Thomas Tørsløv, 2022. "Decomposing Multinational Corporations’ Declining Effective Tax Rates," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 70(2), pages 338-381, June.
    10. Vincent Vicard, 2023. "Profit Shifting, Returns on Foreign Direct Investments and Investment Income Imbalances," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(2), pages 369-414, June.
    11. Garcia-Bernardo, Javier & Janský, Petr, 2024. "Profit shifting of multinational corporations worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    12. Arjan Lejour & Jan Möhlmann & Maarten ’t Riet, 2022. "The immeasurable tax gains by Dutch shell companies," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(2), pages 316-357, April.
    13. Fernando, Garcia Alvarado & Antoine, Mandel, 2022. "The network structure of global tax evasion evidence from the Panama papers," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 660-684.
    14. Sacco, Pier Luigi & Arenas, Alex & De Domenico, Manlio, 2023. "The political economy of big data leaks: Uncovering the skeleton of tax evasion," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    15. Javier Garcia-Bernardo & Petr Janský & Thomas Tørsløv, 2021. "Multinational corporations and tax havens: evidence from country-by-country reporting," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(6), pages 1519-1561, December.
    16. Andreas Fagereng & Luigi Guiso & Davide Malacrino & Luigi Pistaferri, 2020. "Heterogeneity and Persistence in Returns to Wealth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(1), pages 115-170, January.
    17. Franz Reiter & Dominika Langenmayr & Svea Holtmann, 2021. "Avoiding taxes: banks’ use of internal debt," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(3), pages 717-745, June.
    18. James Alm, 2024. "Tax Compliance, Technology, Trust, and Inequality in a Post-Pandemic World," Working Papers 2404, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    19. Arjan Lejour & Jan Möhlmann & Maarten van 't Riet & Thijs Benschop, 2019. "Dutch Shell Companies and International Tax Planning," CPB Discussion Paper 402, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    20. Guiso, Luigi & Pistaferri, Luigi & Fagereng, Andreas, 2022. "Assortative Mating and Wealth Inequality," CEPR Discussion Papers 17148, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:55:y:2023:i:4:p:1041-1061. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.