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Offshoring and ICT: Evidence for German manufacturing and service firms

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  • Rasel, Fabienne

Abstract

In this paper, I analyse the relationship between offshoring and ICT at the firm level differentiating between manufacturing and services. Using firm-level data from the manufacturing and service sector in Germany and a broad range of ICT measures, overall, the results reveal a positive relationship between offshoring and ICT. Thus, they support the argument that ICT might be relevant for offshoring. Controlling for other firm characteristics, software to coordinate and to manage the supply chain increases the offshoring probability, in particular for manufacturing firms. For service firms, also general enterprise software and e-commerce purchases from suppliers make offshoring more likely. Labour productivity and the realisation of a product innovation are significantly and positively linked to offshoring for firms from both sectors. This finding confirms the productivity advantage of offshoring in comparison to non-offshoring firms that is stated in the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasel, Fabienne, 2012. "Offshoring and ICT: Evidence for German manufacturing and service firms," ZEW Discussion Papers 12-087, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:12087
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bernhard Dachs & Bernd Ebersberger & Steffen Kinkel & Oliver Som, 2015. "The effects of production offshoring on R&D and innovation in the home country," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(1), pages 9-31, March.
    2. Gavin Murphy & Iulia Siedschlag, 2015. "Determinants of R&D offshoring," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2015-02, Joint Research Centre.
    3. Luigi Benfratello & Tiziano Razzolini & Alessandro Sembenelli, 2009. "Does ICT Investment Spur or Hamper Offshoring? Empirical Evidence from Microdata," Working papers 05, Former Department of Economics and Public Finance "G. Prato", University of Torino.
    4. Tobias Brändle & Andreas Koch, 2015. "Offshoreability and wages. Evidence from German task data," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(2), pages 189-216, June.
    5. Gavin Murphy & Iulia Siedschlag, 2018. "Determinants of R&D offshoring: firm-level evidence from a small open economy," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 35(2), pages 529-553, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Offshoring; information and communication technologies; firm-level analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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