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Offshoring Jobs? Multinationals And U.S. Manufacturing Employment

In: Globalization, Firms, and Workers

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  • Ann Harrison
  • Margaret McMillan

Abstract

Using firm-level data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, we estimate the impact on U.S. manufacturing employment of changes in foreign affiliate wages. We show that the motive for offshoring and, consequently, the location of offshore activity, significantly affects the impact of offshoring on parent employment. In general, offshoring to low-wage countries substitutes for domestic employment. However, for firms that do significantly different tasks at home and abroad, foreign and domestic employment are complements. These offsetting effects may be combined to show that offshoring by U.S.-based multinationals is associated with a quantitatively small decline in manufacturing employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Harrison & Margaret McMillan, 2022. "Offshoring Jobs? Multinationals And U.S. Manufacturing Employment," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 11, pages 255-273, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:wschap:9789811239472_0011
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Globalization; Trade Reform; Foreign Direct Investment; Labour Markets; Employment; Wages; Offshoring; Innovation; Credit Constraints; Industrial Policy; Labour Rights Activism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • F6 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development

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