IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jeborg/v127y2016icp30-45.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sourcing strategies of a multi-input-multi-product firm

Author

Listed:
  • Kopel, Michael
  • Löffler, Clemens
  • Pfeiffer, Thomas

Abstract

Firms commonly manufacture multiple products using multiple complementary inputs. The multi-input-multi-product environment generates interactions among products yielding the following results for the firm's sourcing strategies: (i) A multi-input-multi-product firm might optimally deviate from an isolated least-cost comparison, i.e. might produce in-house even if marginal in-house production cost exceeds the per-unit input price (and vice versa). Such a deviation can be optimal even if the input supplier can engage in price discrimination and can condition its input prices on the individual products that the firm manufactures. (ii) An outsourcing wave can arise in that concurrently outsourcing all inputs can be profitable for the firm even though outsourcing each input individually is unprofitable. (iii) More competition on the supplier market can decrease the multi-input-multi-product firm's profit.

Suggested Citation

  • Kopel, Michael & Löffler, Clemens & Pfeiffer, Thomas, 2016. "Sourcing strategies of a multi-input-multi-product firm," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 30-45.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:127:y:2016:i:c:p:30-45
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2016.04.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268116300336
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jebo.2016.04.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yunchuan Liu & Rajeev K. Tyagi, 2011. "The Benefits of Competitive Upward Channel Decentralization," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(4), pages 741-751, April.
    2. Buehler, Stefan & Haucap, Justus, 2006. "Strategic outsourcing revisited," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 325-338, November.
    3. Bailey, Elizabeth E & Friedlaender, Ann F, 1982. "Market Structure and Multiproduct Industries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 20(3), pages 1024-1048, September.
    4. Justin P. Johnson & David P. Myatt, 2003. "Multiproduct Quality Competition: Fighting Brands and Product Line Pruning," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(3), pages 748-774, June.
    5. Dertwinkel-Kalt, Markus & Haucap, Justus & Wey, Christian, 2013. "Input price discrimination (bans), entry and welfare," DICE Discussion Papers 99, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    6. Andrew B. Bernard & Stephen J. Redding & Peter K. Schott, 2010. "Multiple-Product Firms and Product Switching," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(1), pages 70-97, March.
    7. Stenbacka, Rune & Tombak, Mihkel, 2012. "Make and buy: Balancing bargaining power," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 391-402.
    8. Beladi, Hamid & Mukherjee, Arijit, 2012. "Market structure and strategic bi-sourcing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 210-219.
    9. Carsten Eckel & J. Peter Neary, 2010. "Multi-Product Firms and Flexible Manufacturing in the Global Economy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 77(1), pages 188-217.
    10. Scott M. Carr & Uday S. Karmarkar, 2005. "Competition in Multiechelon Assembly Supply Chains," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(1), pages 45-59, January.
    11. Bulow, Jeremy I & Geanakoplos, John D & Klemperer, Paul D, 1985. "Multimarket Oligopoly: Strategic Substitutes and Complements," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(3), pages 488-511, June.
    12. Katz, Michael L, 1987. "The Welfare Effects of Third-Degree Price Discrimination in," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(1), pages 154-167, March.
    13. Carliss Y. Baldwin & Kim B. Clark, 2000. "Design Rules, Volume 1: The Power of Modularity," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262024667, December.
    14. Andrew B. Bernard & Stephen J. Redding & Peter K. Schott, 2011. "Multiproduct Firms and Trade Liberalization," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(3), pages 1271-1318.
    15. Qi Feng & Lauren Xiaoyuan Lu, 2012. "The Strategic Perils of Low Cost Outsourcing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(6), pages 1196-1210, June.
    16. Anil Arya & Brian Mittendorf, 2010. "Input Price Discrimination When Buyers Operate In Multiple Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 846-867, December.
    17. Anil Arya & Brian Mittendorf & David E. M. Sappington, 2008. "The Make-or-Buy Decision in the Presence of a Rival: Strategic Outsourcing to a Common Supplier," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(10), pages 1747-1758, October.
    18. Roman Inderst & Tommaso Valletti, 2009. "Price discrimination in input markets," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 40(1), pages 1-19, March.
    19. Cuihong Li, 2013. "Sourcing for Supplier Effort and Competition: Design of the Supply Base and Pricing Mechanism," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(6), pages 1389-1406, June.
    20. O'Brien, Daniel P & Shaffer, Greg, 1994. "The Welfare Effects of Forbidding Discriminatory Discounts: A Secondary Line Analysis of Robinson-Patman," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(2), pages 296-318, October.
    21. Shy, Oz & Stenbacka, Rune, 2003. "Strategic outsourcing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 203-224, February.
    22. Tim Baldenius & Stefan Reichelstein, 2000. "Comparative statics of monopoly pricing," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 16(2), pages 465-469.
    23. Kilsun Kim & Dilip Chhajed & Yunchuan Liu, 2013. "Can Commonality Relieve Cannibalization in Product Line Design?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 510-521, May.
    24. Bruno Cassiman & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2006. "In Search of Complementarity in Innovation Strategy: Internal R& D and External Knowledge Acquisition," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(1), pages 68-82, January.
    25. Anne Parmigiani & Will Mitchell, 2009. "Complementarity, capabilities, and the boundaries of the firm: the impact of within‐firm and interfirm expertise on concurrent sourcing of complementary components," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(10), pages 1065-1091, October.
    26. Sharon Novak & Scott Stern, 2009. "Complementarity Among Vertical Integration Decisions: Evidence from Automobile Product Development," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(2), pages 311-332, February.
    27. Riordan, Michael H, 1996. "Contracting with Qualified Suppliers," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 37(1), pages 115-128, February.
    28. Tracy R. Lewis & Huseyin Yildirim, 2002. "Managing Dynamic Competition," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 779-797, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yen-Ju Lin & Yan-Shu Lin & Pei-Cyuan Shih, 2022. "Welfare reducing vertical licensing in the presence of complementary inputs," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 121-143, October.
    2. Tsuritani, Ryosuke, 2023. "Strategic Input Price Discrimination with Horizontal Shareholding," MPRA Paper 121176, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Lin, Yen-Ju, 2022. "Consumer welfare, licensing, and exclusive dealing with vertically- and horizontally-differentiated products," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 147-158.
    4. repec:bla:annpce:v:89:y:2018:i:1:p:235-249 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Colombo, Stefano & Scrimitore, Marcella, 2018. "Managerial delegation under capacity commitment: A tale of two sources," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 149-161.
    6. Sim, Jeongeun & Kim, Bosung, 2021. "Sourcing decision in the presence of a complementary component," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Noriaki Matsushima & Laixun Zhao, 2018. "Technology spillovers and outside options in a bilateral duopoly," ISER Discussion Paper 1039, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    2. You, Jing & Imai, Katsushi S. & Gaiha, Raghav, 2016. "Declining Nutrient Intake in a Growing China: Does Household Heterogeneity Matter?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 171-191.
    3. Shohei Yoshida, 2015. "Multiproduct competition in vertically related industries," ISER Discussion Paper 0935, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    4. Noriaki Matsushima & Laixun Zhao, 2015. "Strategic dual sourcing as a driver for free revealing of innovation," ISER Discussion Paper 0936, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    5. Colombo, Stefano & Scrimitore, Marcella, 2018. "Managerial delegation under capacity commitment: A tale of two sources," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 149-161.
    6. Lin, Yen-Ju, 2022. "Consumer welfare, licensing, and exclusive dealing with vertically- and horizontally-differentiated products," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 147-158.
    7. Kabiraj, Tarun & Sinha, Uday Bhanu, 2016. "Strategic outsourcing with technology transfer under price competition," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 281-290.
    8. Youping Li, 2017. "Differential Pricing in Intermediate Good Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(3), pages 585-596, September.
    9. Herweg, Fabian & Müller, Daniel, 2010. "Price Discrimination in Input Markets: Downstream Entry and Welfare," Bonn Econ Discussion Papers 06/2010, University of Bonn, Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE).
    10. Fabian Herweg & Daniel Müller, 2014. "Price Discrimination in Input Markets: Quantity Discounts and Private Information," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 124(577), pages 776-804, June.
    11. Marie-Laure Allain & Claire Chambolle & Stéphane Turolla, 2022. "The Effect of Input Price Discrimination on Retail Prices: Theory and Evidence from France," Working Papers SMART 22-06, INRAE UMR SMART.
    12. Fabian Herweg & Daniel Müller, 2012. "Price Discrimination in Input Markets: Downstream Entry and Efficiency," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 773-799, September.
    13. Eckel, Carsten & Iacovone, Leonardo & Javorcik, Beata & Neary, J. Peter, 2015. "Multi-product firms at home and away: Cost- versus quality-based competence," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 216-232.
    14. Herweg, Fabian & Müller, Daniel, 2016. "Discriminatory nonlinear pricing, fixed costs, and welfare in intermediate-goods markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 107-136.
    15. repec:bla:annpce:v:89:y:2018:i:1:p:235-249 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Justin P. Johnson & David P. Myatt, 2018. "The determinants of product lines," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 49(3), pages 541-573, September.
    17. Cao, Jiyun & Mukherjee, Arijit & Sinha, Uday Bhanu, 2018. "Firm-asymmetry and strategic outsourcing," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 16-24.
    18. Catherine Fuss & Linke Zhu, 2012. "Comparative advantage, multi-product firms and trade liberalisation : An empirical test," Working Paper Research 219, National Bank of Belgium.
    19. Sanne Hiller, 2013. "Does immigrant employment matter for export sales? Evidence from Denmark," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 149(2), pages 369-394, June.
    20. Jaan Masso & Priit Vahter, 2015. "Exporting and Productivity: The Effects of Multi-Product and Multi-Market Export Entry," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 62(4), pages 325-350, September.
    21. Ioannis Pinopoulos, 2017. "Input price discrimination, two-part tariff contracts and bargaining," Discussion Paper Series 2017_01, Department of Economics, University of Macedonia, revised Jan 2017.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Make-or-buy; Multi-product firm; Outsourcing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:127:y:2016:i:c:p:30-45. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jebo .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.