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Global Sourcing of Complex Production Processes

Author

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  • Schwarz, Christian

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

  • Suedekum, Jens

    (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)

Abstract

We develop a theory of a firm in an environment with incomplete contracts. The firm’s headquarter decides on the complexity, the organization, and the global scale of its production process. Specifically, it decides: i) on the mass of symmetric intermediate inputs that are part of the value chain, ii) if the supplier of each component is an external contractor or an integrated affiliate, and iii) if the supplier is offshored to a foreign low-wage country. Afterwards we consider a related scenario where the headquarter contracts with a given number of two asymmetric suppliers. Our model is consistent with several stylized facts from the recent literature that existing theories of multinational firms cannot account for.

Suggested Citation

  • Schwarz, Christian & Suedekum, Jens, 2010. "Global Sourcing of Complex Production Processes," IZA Discussion Papers 5305, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5305
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Van Biesebroeck, Johannes & Zhang, Lijun, 2014. "Interdependent product cycles for globally sourced intermediates," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 143-156.
    2. Likitwongkajon, Napaporn & Vithessonthi, Chaiporn, 2021. "The short- and long-run effects of foreign investments on firm performance: Evidence from Asia Pacific," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 366-385.
    3. Verena Nowak & Christian Schwarz & Jens Suedekum, 2016. "Asymmetric spiders: Supplier heterogeneity and the organization of firms," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 49(2), pages 663-684, May.
    4. Lopez-Martin, Bernabe & Perez-Reyna, David, 2021. "Contracts, firm dynamics, and aggregate productivity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    5. Chen, Xiaoping & Lu, Yi & Zhu, Lianming, 2017. "Product cycle, contractibility, and global sourcing," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 283-296.
    6. Defever, Fabrice & Fischer, Christian & Suedekum, Jens, 2016. "Relational contracts and supplier turnover in the global economy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 147-165.
    7. Larry D. Qiu & Mohan Zhou, 2014. "R&D, offshoring, and slicing along a global production chain," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 18-34, March.
    8. Pol Antràs, 2014. "Grossman–Hart (1986) Goes Global: Incomplete Contracts, Property Rights, and the International Organization of Production," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(suppl_1), pages 118-175.
    9. Greil, Stefan & Schwarz, Christian & Stein, Stefan, "undated". "Fairness and the Arm’s Length Principle in a Digital Economy [Fairness und der Fremdvergleichsgrundsatz in der digitalen Ökonomie]," Duesseldorf Working Papers in Applied Management and Economics 42, Duesseldorf University of Applied Sciences.
    10. Eppinger, Peter S. & Kukharskyy, Bohdan, 2017. "Contracting institutions and firm boundaries," University of Tübingen Working Papers in Business and Economics 100, University of Tuebingen, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, School of Business and Economics.
    11. Lorentz, Harri & Kumar, Mukesh & Srai, Jagjit Singh, 2018. "Managing distance in international purchasing and supply: a systematic review of literature from the resource-based view perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 339-354.
    12. Verena Nowak & Christian Schwarz & Jens Suedekum, 2012. "On the Organizational Structure of Multinational Firms - Which Sourcing Mode for which Input?," CESifo Working Paper Series 3823, CESifo.
    13. Alexandre SIMONS, 2014. "Delocation, home wages and welfare," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2014007, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    14. Kohler, Wilhelm & Smolka, Marcel, 2021. "Productivity and firm boundaries," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    15. Çömez-Dolgan, Nagihan & Dağ, Hilal & Fescioglu-Unver, Nilgun & Şen, Alper, 2023. "Multi-plant manufacturing assortment planning in the presence of transshipments," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 310(3), pages 1033-1050.
    16. Wang, Leonard F.S. & Lee, Jen-yao, 2014. "Ranking the optimum tariff and the maximum revenue tariff in vertically related markets," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 222-229.
    17. Nowak, Verena, 2014. "Organizational Decisions in Multistage Production Processes," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100613, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    18. Eppinger, Peter & Kukharskyy, Bohdan, 2021. "Contracting institutions and firm integration around the world," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    19. Cho, Janghee & Chun, Hyunbae & Hur, Jung, 2014. "Choosing multiple offshoring strategies: Determinants and complementarity," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 42-57.
    20. Smolka, Marcel & Kohler, Wilhelm, 2015. "Global Sourcing of Heterogeneous Firms: Theory and Evidence," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113012, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    21. Nowak, Verena, 2016. "Integration or Outsourcing: Combining Ex Ante Distortions and Ex Post Inefficiencies," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145897, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    22. Yi-Fan Chen & Alireza Naghavi & Shin-Kun Peng, 2021. "Learning by supplying and competition threat," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 157(1), pages 121-148, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    multinational firms; outsourcing; vertical FDI; intra-firm trade; offshoring;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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