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Outsourcing when Investments are Specific and Complementary

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  • Alla Lileeva
  • Johannes Van Biesebroeck

Abstract

Using the universe of large Canadian manufacturing firms in 1988 and 1996, we investigate to what extent outsourcing decision can be explained by a simple property rights model. The unique availability of disaggregate information on outputs as well as inputs permits the construction of a very detailed measure of vertical integration. We also construct five different measures of technological intensity to proxy for investments that are likely to be specific to a buyer-seller relationship. A theoretical model that allows for varying degrees of investment specificity and for complementarities---an externality between buyer and supplier investments---guides the analysis. Our main findings are that (i) greater specificity makes outsourcing less likely; (ii) complementarities between the investments of the buyer and the seller are also associated with less outsourcing; (iii) property rights predictions on the link between investment intensities and optimal ownership are only supported for transactions with low complementarities. High specificity and a low risk of appropriation strengthen the predictions in the model and in the data.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 14477.

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Date of creation: Nov 2008
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:14477

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Cited by:
  1. Luigi Benfratello & Tiziano Razzolini & Alessandro Sembenelli, 2009. "Does ICT Investment Spur or Hamper Offshoring? Empirical Evidence from Microdata," Working papers 5, Former Department of Economics and Public Finance "G. Prato", University of Torino.
  2. Bartel, Ann P. & Lach, Saul & Sicherman, Nachum, 2009. "Outsourcing and Technological Change," IZA Discussion Papers 4678, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
  3. Van Biesebroeck, Johannes & Zhang, Lijun, 2011. "Global sourcing of a complex good," Open Access publications from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven urn:hdl:123456789/319825, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
  4. Emanuel Ornelas & John L. Turner, 2008. "Protection and International Sourcing," CEP Discussion Papers dp0900, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.

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