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Private Cost Information and the Multinational Enterprise

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  • Kyle Bagwell
  • Robert W. Staiger

Abstract

This paper explores the informational role of plant location decisions for the multinational enterprise. When information about costs is incomplete, the location of a plant will be chosen not only for its impact on actual production costs, but also for Its impact on the perception of costs as held by foreign rivals. We show that the latter consideration, which can arise only in the presence of asymmetric information about costs, may lead to a decision to multinationalize even though actual production costs are higher as a result. As such, the informational role of plant location decisions is a potentially important element in understanding the behavior of the multinational firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Bagwell & Robert W. Staiger, 1988. "Private Cost Information and the Multinational Enterprise," NBER Working Papers 2657, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:2657
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kreps, David M & Wilson, Robert, 1982. "Sequential Equilibria," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 863-894, July.
    2. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1982. "Limit Pricing and Entry under Incomplete Information: An Equilibrium Analysis," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(2), pages 443-459, March.
    3. Kyle Bagwell & Garey Ramey, 1988. "Advertising and Limit Pricing," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 19(1), pages 59-71, Spring.
    4. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1986. "Price and Advertising Signals of Product Quality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(4), pages 796-821, August.
    5. Kohlberg, Elon & Mertens, Jean-Francois, 1986. "On the Strategic Stability of Equilibria," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(5), pages 1003-1037, September.
    6. Grossman, Sanford J. & Perry, Motty, 1986. "Perfect sequential equilibrium," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 97-119, June.
    7. Wilfred J. Ethier, 1986. "The Multinational Firm," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 101(4), pages 805-833.
    8. Carl Shapiro, 1986. "Exchange of Cost Information in Oligopoly," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 53(3), pages 433-446.
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    Cited by:

    1. Haucap, Justus & Wey, Christian & Barmbold, Jens, 2000. "Location costs, product quality and implicit franchise contracts," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 69-87, October.
    2. Bagwell, Kyle & Staiger, Robert W., 2003. "Informational aspects of foreign direct investment and the multinational firm," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 1-20, January.

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