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Time zones, shift working and international outsourcing

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  • Matsuoka, Yuji
  • Fukushima, Marcelo

Abstract

We build a trade model with two identical countries located in different time zones and one sector with intermediate differentiated goods produced in two successive stages. We introduce shift working disutility that raises night wage and firms that "virtually" outsource foreign labor. We found that firms only outsource if outsourcing costs are relatively low and shift disutility is high. When outsourcing occurs, it generates the highest level of welfare among production modes. Intermediate values of shift working disutility generate the lowest level of welfare. Outsourcing and domestic labor are substitutes at the firm level and complements at the economy level.

Suggested Citation

  • Matsuoka, Yuji & Fukushima, Marcelo, 2010. "Time zones, shift working and international outsourcing," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 769-778, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:19:y:2010:i:4:p:769-778
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mukherjee, Arijit & Tsai, Yingyi, 2013. "Multi-sourcing as an entry deterrence strategy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 108-112.
    2. Mandal, Biswajit, 2024. "Digital Mobility of Financial Capital Across Different Time Zones, Factor Prices and Sectoral Composition," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1371, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Biswajit Mandal & Sujata Ghosh, 2020. "Communication Cost, Skilled-Unskilled Wage, and Informality," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 18(4), pages 927-939, December.
    4. Noritsugu Nakanishi & Ngo Van Long, 2020. "A new impetus for endogenous growth: R&D offshoring via virtual labor mobility," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 846-883, August.
    5. Toru Kikuchi & Sugata Marjit & Biswajit Mandal, 2013. "Trade with Time Zone Differences: Factor Market Implications," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(4), pages 699-711, November.
    6. Alaka Shree Prasad & Biswajit Mandal, 2019. "Time zone difference, skill formation and corrupt informal sector: the role of virtual trade," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 261-290, December.
    7. Mandal, Biswajit & Prasad, Alaka Shree, 2018. "Time Zone Differences, Communication Cost and Service Trade," MPRA Paper 87465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Mandal, Biswajit & Marjit, Sugata & Nakanishi, Noritsugu, 2013. "Time Zones, Factor Prices and Inflow of Educational Capital: Changing Sectoral Composition," MPRA Paper 50883, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Noritsugu Nakanishi & Ngo Van Long, 2015. "The Distributional and Allocative Impacts of Virtual Labor Mobility across Time Zones through Communication Networks," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 638-662, August.
    10. Prasad, Alaka Shree & Mandal, Biswajit, 2019. "Virtual trade between different time zones, educational capital and corrupt informal sector," MPRA Paper 96963, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Biswajit Mandal & Sugata Marjit & Noritsugu Nakanishi, 2018. "Outsourcing, factor prices and skill formation in countries with non-overlapping time zones," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(2), pages 289-304, August.
    12. Biswajit Mandal & Alaka Shree Prasad, 2020. "A simple model of time zone differences, virtual trade and informality," Indian Growth and Development Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(1), pages 81-96, June.
    13. Alaka Shree Prasad & Biswajit Mandal, 2024. "Variation in labor skills and offshoring across time zones," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 71(4), pages 553-569, September.

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