Nottingham Centre for Research on
Globalisation and Economic Policy (GEP)

GEP Research Paper 08/20

 

Market Thickness, Sunk Entry Costs, Firm Heterogeneity and the Outsourcing Decision: Empirical Evidence of Manufacturing Firms in France

 

Liza Jabbour

Summary

This paper investigates the outsourcing strategy by manufacturing firms. It shows that outsourcing is a persistent strategy adopted by more productive firms and market thickness enhances outsourcing relationships.

 

Abstract

 

In this paper I investigate, empirically, the outsourcing strategy by firms in French manufacturing industries. I particularly focus on the effect of the market thickness and of firm heterogeneity on the outsourcing strategy. For this purpose, I estimate a dynamic probit model where I link the decision to outsource to previous outsourcing behaviour. I am able to estimate the sunk entry costs incurred by the firms when adopting an outsourcing strategy. The results show that outsourcing is a persistent strategy adopted by more productive firms and larger ones. They also show that market thickness reduces search costs and enhances the establishment of outsourcing relationships.

 

Issued in June 2008

 

This paper is available in PDF format

 

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