There exist two approaches in the literature concerning the multinational firm's mode choice for foreign production between an owned subsidiary and a licensing contract. One approach considers environments where the firm is transferring primarily knowledge-based assets. An important assumption there is that the relevant knowledge is absorbed by the local manager or licensee over the course of time: knowledge is non-excludable. More recently, a number of influential papers have adopted a property-right view of the firm, assuming the application abroad of physical capital, the owner of which retains full and exclusive rights to the capital should a relationship break down. In this paper we combine both forms of capital assets in a single model. The model predicts that foreign direct investment (owned subsidiaries) is more likely than licensing when the ratio of knowledge capital to physical capital is high, or when market value is high relative to the book value of capital (high Tobin's-Q).
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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number
7073.
Find related papers by JEL classification: F2 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
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