Work

Outsourcing as a Risk Management Mechanism for Domestic Manufacturing Capacity Investment

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: We propose two perspectives on the shift from U.S. domestic manufacturing to Asia in 1990–2011: production cost arbitrage and the management of supply-demand mismatch. In our model, a firm facing demand uncertainty decides between investing in domestic or overseas production capacity. The model predicts greater investment overseas when the cost arbitrage is high, switching cost is low, demand volatility is high, and the systematic risk in demand is above a certain threshold. Empirically, we observe strong support for the cost arbitrage motive in 1990–2000 and the risk management motive in 2001–2011, i.e., after China’s entry into the WTO. We estimate that investing into risk mitigation could have saved more than 400,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Source: Foundations and Trends® in Technology Information and Operations Management

DOI: 10.1561/0200000114-4

Authors: Nikolay Osadchiy, Shi Qiu, Sridhar Seshadri

Institutions: Emory University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Language: English

Topic: Outsourcing and Supply Chain Management

Subfield: Management Information Systems

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4411878301

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