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Impact of Competition and Taxes on Responsibility Center Organization and Transfer Prices

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  • V. G. NARAYANAN
  • MICHAEL SMITH

Abstract

We show that a firm can use its decentralized organizational structure and transfer price as commitment devices to obtain strategic advantage in the product market only when there are nonstrategic reasons to decentralize and to distort transfer prices away from marginal costs, such as the sales office's local knowledge about market conditions and the presence of tax rate differentials across the two tax jurisdictions. Surprisingly, an increase in the sales office's tax rates may help a firm increase overall profits. An increase in the sales office's tax rates causes the firm to increase its transfer price, which in turn dampens the sales office's competition and may more than offset the effect of increased tax rates on the firm's overall profits.

Suggested Citation

  • V. G. Narayanan & Michael Smith, 2000. "Impact of Competition and Taxes on Responsibility Center Organization and Transfer Prices," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), pages 497-529, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:17:y:2000:i:3:p:497-529
    DOI: 10.1506/KAPX-YQTE-GJPT-7D64
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    Cited by:

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    2. Marcel Boyer, 2017. "Méthodes avancées d’évaluation d’investissements / Advanced Methods of Investment Evaluation - Tome 1," CIRANO Monographs, CIRANO, number 2017mo-03, January.
    3. Hamamura, Jumpei, 2018. "Impact of a direct channel on the choice of absorption versus direct costing using cost-based transfer price," MPRA Paper 90836, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Choe, Chongwoo & Matsushima, Noriaki, 2013. "The arm's length principle and tacit collusion," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 119-130.
    5. Rainer Niemann & Mariana Sailer, 2023. "Is analytical tax research alive and kicking? Insights from 2000 until 2022," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(6), pages 1149-1212, August.
    6. Thépot, Jacques & Netzer, Jean-Luc, 2008. "On the optimality of the full-cost pricing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 282-292, October.
    7. Lemus, Ana B. & Moreno, Diego, 2020. "Strategic incentives for keeping one set of books under the Arm’s Length Principle," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 78-90.
    8. Tim Baldenius & Stefan Reichelstein, 2006. "External and Internal Pricing in Multidivisional Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 1-28, March.
    9. da Silva Stefano, Gustavo & Antunes, Tiago dos Santos & Lacerda, Daniel Pacheco & Wolf Motta Morandi, Maria Isabel & Piran, Fabio Sartori, 2022. "The impacts of inventory in transfer pricing and net income: Differences between traditional accounting and throughput accounting," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(2).
    10. Cools, Martine & Emmanuel, Clive & Jorissen, Ann, 2008. "Management control in the transfer pricing tax compliant multinational enterprise," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 603-628, August.
    11. Jacob P. Gramlich & Korok Ray, 2015. "Reconciling Full-Cost and Marginal-Cost Pricing," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2015-72, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    12. Oliver M. Dürr & Robert F. Göx, 2011. "Strategic Incentives for Keeping One Set of Books in International Transfer Pricing," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 269-298, March.
    13. Cecchini, Mark & Leitch, Robert & Strobel, Caroline, 2013. "Multinational transfer pricing: A transaction cost and resource based view," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 31-48.
    14. Kohlhase, Saskia & Wielhouwer, Jacco L., 2023. "Tax and tariff planning through transfer prices: The role of the head office and business unit," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2).
    15. Matsui, Kenji, 2012. "Strategic upfront marketing channel integration as an entry barrier," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 865-875.
    16. Andrew B. Bernard & J. Bradford Jensen & Peter K. Schott, 2006. "Transfer Pricing by U.S.-Based Multinational Firms," NBER Working Papers 12493, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Baldenius, Tim & Reichelstein, Stefan J., 2004. "External and Internal Pricing in Multidivisional Firms," Research Papers 1825r, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    18. Kenji Matsui, 2012. "Auditing internal transfer prices in multinationals under monopolistic competition," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(6), pages 800-818, December.
    19. Hamamura, Jumpei, 2019. "Unobservable transfer price exceeds marginal cost when the manager is evaluated using a balanced scorecard," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 22-28.
    20. Hamamura, Jumpei, 2018. "Impact of a direct channel on the choice of absorption versus direct costing using cost-based transfer price," MPRA Paper 92643, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Mar 2019.
    21. Dikolli, Shane S. & Vaysman, Igor, 2006. "Information technology, organizational design, and transfer pricing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1-2), pages 201-234, April.

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