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Production versus Distribution-oriented FDI

Author

Listed:
  • Jörn Kleinert

    (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen = University of Tübingen)

  • Farid Toubal

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

Abstract
The business literature has long recognized the importance of multinationals' distribution networks. The empirical analysis of distribution-oriented FDI has, however, received little attention which is at least partly due to the lack of appropriate data. We present a slightly modified version of Helpman, Melitz, and Yeaple (2004) that explicitly models the possibility for a multinational firm to export through its wholesale trade affiliate. We analyze the multinational firms' choice between foreign production and foreign distribution. Our empirical analysis uses different discrete choice models and alternative specifications for several sub-samples of multinational firms. We consider complex foreign sales strategies and correct for the sample selection bias that arises because we only observe firms that have foreign affiliates. Our results show that the decision between distribution and production-oriented FDI is based on the trade-off between fixed and variable costs

Suggested Citation

  • Jörn Kleinert & Farid Toubal, 2010. "Production versus Distribution-oriented FDI," Working Papers hal-00608510, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00608510
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00608510
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Daunfeldt, Sven-Olov & Engberg, Erik & Halvarsson, Daniel & Kokko, Ari & Tingvall, Patrik, 2019. "Wholesale firms: A catalyst for Swedish exports?," Ratio Working Papers 328, The Ratio Institute.
    2. Yeboah, Samuel, 2023. "Navigating Global Markets: The Impact of FDI on Startups' Access to Insights, Networks, and Brand Visibility," MPRA Paper 118437, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 30 Aug 2023.
    3. David Kucera & Marco Principi, 2014. "Democracy and foreign direct investment at the industry level: evidence for US multinationals," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 150(3), pages 595-617, August.
    4. Blonigen, Bruce A. & Cristea, Anca & Lee, Donghyun, 2020. "Evidence for the effect of monitoring costs on foreign direct investment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 601-617.
    5. Rafael Cezar & Octavio Escobar, 2015. "Institutional distance and foreign direct investment," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 151(4), pages 713-733, November.
    6. Anca D. Cristea & Daniel X. Nguyen, 2016. "Transfer Pricing by Multinational Firms: New Evidence from Foreign Firm Ownerships," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 8(3), pages 170-202, August.
    7. Bruce A. Blonigen & Donghyun Lee, 2016. "Heterogeneous Frictional Costs Across Industries in Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions," NBER Working Papers 22546, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Yeboah, Samuel, 2023. "Navigating Global Markets: The Impact of FDI on Startups' Access to Insights, Networks, and Brand Visibility," MPRA Paper 118434, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 30 Aug 2023.
    9. Jeff Luckstead & Stephen Devadoss & Xin Zhao, 2024. "Gravity trade model with firm heterogeneity and horizontal foreign direct investment," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(1), pages 206-225, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multinational firms; Wholesale sales; Discrete choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities

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