Export Outsourcing and Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Taiwanese Exporting Firms

Exporting and FDI have traditionally been two major firm-level responses to globalization. Export outsourcing (EO), a new strategy that gained in importance recently, has now become another alternative. This paper seeks to examine how firms choose between EO and outward FDI by looking into firm-level productivity differences. A special data set is constructed by consolidating two micro data sets of Taiwanese manufacturing firms. The paper contributes in four main ways. First, it provides a causality analysis of labor productivity and EO, whereas previous studies deal only with correlations. Second, it shows that EO can be interpreted as an indirect way of exporting. Third, it points out that outward FDI itself may not help with productivity if it is not linked with EO, which finding contradicts conventional wisdom. Finally, most evidences seem to imply that the intricate Taiwan-China interconnection is a significant factor that facilitates or contributes to all above-mentioned findings.productivity, exports, foreign outsourcing, FDI, firm-level data

Why World Exports are so Susceptible to the Economic Crisis --The Prevailing "Export Overshooting" Phenomenon

This paper provides some evidence of the “export overshooting” phenomenon, i.e., the unusually large deviation of exports from their long-run level. We study the export trends of a sample of 37 countries including both OECD and non-OECD countries over the period of 1994-2009. We find that exports overshot their equilibrium value during economic crises and that the tendency to overshoot was a worldwide phenomenon. The bullwhip effect was the driving force behind such a phenomenon. Moreover, the extent of export overshooting was increasing in more recent crisis, which can be attributed to an increase in cross-border vertical specialization over time.

Trade Policy and Economic Integration in a Cournot Duopoly Model

This paper investigates the policy and welfare implications of forming an economic region in the context of a Cournot duopoly model. Some theoretical results are obtained. First, the economic region lowers the external tariff (against non-partner countries) less than its pre-integration level when a sufficiently large subsidy on the imports from the partner is carried out. Second, economic integration reduces the non-partner country’s welfare. Third, although the region still gains from integration even under some partial trade liberalisation regimes, complete trade liberalisation within the region leads to higher regional welfare. Finally, trade liberalisation within the region improves the welfare of the world as a whole.Trade Policy, Economic Integration

Trade Policy and Economic Integration in a Cournot Duopoly Model

This paper investigates the policy and welfare implications of forming an economic region in the context of a Cournot duopoly model. Some theoretical results are obtained. First, the economic region lowers the external tariff (against non-partner countries) less than its pre-integration level when a sufficiently large subsidy on the imports from the partner is carried out. Second, economic integration reduces the non-partner country’s welfare. Third, although the region still gains from integration even under some partial trade liberalisation regimes, complete trade liberalisation within the region leads to higher regional welfare. Finally, trade liberalisation within the region improves the welfare of the world as a whole

MNEs and Local Linkages: Evidence from Taiwanese Affiliates

Summary This paper, using Taiwanese firms as a case study, has identified several factors affecting the formation of local linkages, which has important implications for the embeddedness of MNEs in the host countries. It shows that while the ownership structure, the motivation of overseas investment, and the autonomy given to affiliates are all important, the production networks and experience of affiliates in the host country also play crucial roles in creating local linkage. In addition, country-specific factors (e.g., culture and ethnic ties, the presence of foreign MNEs, and the supply of key components) may be significant forces leading to large local linkages.local linkage FDI MNEs Asia Taiwan