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From Russia with love: the impact of relocated firms on incumbent survival

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Falck
  • Christina Guenther
  • Stephan Heblich
  • William R. Kerr

Abstract

We identify the impact of local firm concentration on incumbent performance with a quasi natural experiment. When Germany was divided after World War II, many firms in the machine tool industry fled the Soviet occupied zone to prevent expropriation. We show that the regional location decisions of these firms upon moving to western Germany were driven by non-economic factors and heuristics rather than existing industrial conditions. Relocating firms increased the likelihood of incumbent failure in destination regions, a pattern that differs sharply from new entrants. We further provide evidence that these effects are due to increased competition for local resources.
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  • Oliver Falck & Christina Guenther & Stephan Heblich & William R. Kerr, 2013. "From Russia with love: the impact of relocated firms on incumbent survival," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 419-449, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jecgeo:v:13:y:2013:i:3:p:419-449
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    9. Ghani, Ejaz & Kerr, William R. & O'Connell, Stephen D., 2013. "Input usage and productivity in Indian manufacturing plants," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6656, The World Bank.
    10. Einiö, Elias, 2016. "The loss of production work: evidence from quasiexperimental identification of labour demand functions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 69019, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Thomas Brenner & Matthias Duschl, 2015. "Causal dynamic effects in regional systems of technological activities: a SVAR approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 55(1), pages 103-130, October.
    12. Ludger Wößmann, 2011. "Die Bedeutung von Bildung für die Wirtschaftsentwicklung: Eine neue wirtschaftshistorische Forschungsagenda anhand preußischer Kreisdaten, Teil 2," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 64(01), pages 41-47, January.
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    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • R10 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General

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