IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_1374.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Location Choice and Employment Decisions: A Comparison of German and Swedish Multinationals

Author

Listed:
  • Sascha Becker
  • Karolina Ekholm
  • Robert Jaeckle
  • Marc-Andreas Muendler
  • Sascha O. Becker

Abstract

Using data for German and Swedish multinational enterprises (MNEs), this paper assesses international employment patterns. It analyzes determinants of location choice and the degree of substitutability of labor across locations. Countries with highly skilled labor forces attract German MNEs, but we find no such evidence for Swedish MNEs. This is consistent with the hypothesis that German MNEs locate production stages intensive in high-skilled labor abroad. In MNEs from either country, affiliate employment tends to substitute for employment at the parent firm. On the margin, substitutability is the strongest with respect to affiliate employment in Western Europe. A one percent larger wage gap between Germany and locations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is estimated to be associated with 900 fewer jobs in German parents and 5,000 more jobs in affiliates located in CEE. A one percent larger wage gap between Sweden and CEE is estimated to be associated with 140 fewer jobs in Swedish parents and 260 more jobs in affiliates located in CEE.

Suggested Citation

  • Sascha Becker & Karolina Ekholm & Robert Jaeckle & Marc-Andreas Muendler & Sascha O. Becker, 2005. "Location Choice and Employment Decisions: A Comparison of German and Swedish Multinationals," CESifo Working Paper Series 1374, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1374
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp1374.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richard B. FREEMAN & Remco H. OOSTENDORP, 2001. "The Occupational Wages around the World data file," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 140(4), pages 379-401, December.
    2. Blomstrom, Magnus & Fors, Gunnar & Lipsey, Robert E, 1997. "Foreign Direct Investment and Employment: Home Country Experience in the United States and Sweden," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(445), pages 1787-1797, November.
    3. Keith Head & Thierry Mayer, 2004. "Market Potential and the Location of Japanese Firms in the European Union," Post-Print hal-00267438, HAL.
    4. David L. Carr & James R. Markusen & Keith E. Maskus, 2021. "Estimating The Knowledge-Capital Model of the Multinational Enterprise," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 5, pages 95-110, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. James R. Markusen, 2004. "Multinational Firms and the Theory of International Trade," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262633078, April.
    6. Matthew J. Slaughter, 1995. "Multinational Corporations, Outsourcing, and American Wage Divergence," NBER Working Papers 5253, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Christensen, Laurits R & Jorgenson, Dale W & Lau, Lawrence J, 1973. "Transcendental Logarithmic Production Frontiers," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 55(1), pages 28-45, February.
    8. repec:bla:scandj:v:103:y:2001:i:1:p:101-18 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Marin, Dalia, 2004. "'A Nation of Poets and Thinkers' - Less So with Eastern Enlargement? Austria and Germany," Discussion Papers in Economics 329, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    10. John M. Abowd & Francis Kramarz & David N. Margolis, 1999. "High Wage Workers and High Wage Firms," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 67(2), pages 251-334, March.
    11. Marin, Dalia, 2004. "‘A Nation of Poets and Thinkers’ - Less So with Eastern Enlargement? Austria and Germany," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 77, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    12. Jozef Konings & Alan Murphey, 2001. "Do Multinational Enterprises Substitute Parent Jobs for Foreign Ones? Evidence from Firm Level Panel Data," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 371, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    13. Barro, Robert J & Lee, Jong-Wha, 2001. "International Data on Educational Attainment: Updates and Implications," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 53(3), pages 541-563, July.
    14. Sascha O. Becker & Karolina Ekholm & Robert Jäckle & Marc-Andreas Muendler, 2005. "Location Choice and Employment Decisions: A Comparison of German and Swedish Multinationals," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 141(4), pages 693-731, December.
    15. Anderson, Richard G & Thursby, Jerry G, 1986. "Confidence Intervals for Elasticity Estimators in Translog Models," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 68(4), pages 647-656, November.
    16. Henrik Braconier & Karolina Ekholm, 2000. "Swedish Multinationals and Competition from High‐ and Low‐Wage Locations," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(3), pages 448-461, August.
    17. Head, Keith & Ries, John, 2002. "Offshore production and skill upgrading by Japanese manufacturing firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 81-105, October.
    18. repec:bla:reviec:v:8:y:2000:i:3:p:448-61 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Hansson, Pär, 2001. "Skill Upgrading and Production Transfer within Swedish Multinationals in the 1990s," Working Paper Series 166, Trade Union Institute for Economic Research.
    20. David Greenaway & Douglas R. Nelson (ed.), 2001. "Globalization and Labour Markets," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, volume 0, number 1803.
    21. Slaughter, Matthew J., 2000. "Production transfer within multinational enterprises and American wages," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 449-472, April.
    22. Brainard, S Lael, 1997. "An Empirical Assessment of the Proximity-Concentration Trade-off between Multinational Sales and Trade," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(4), pages 520-544, September.
    23. Keith Head & Thierry Mayer, 2004. "Market Potential and the Location of Japanese Investment in the European Union," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(4), pages 959-972, November.
    24. Giorgio Barba Navaretti & Davide Castellani, 2003. "Investments Abroad and Performance at Home Evidence from Italian Multinationals," Development Working Papers 180, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    25. Burgess, David F, 1974. "A Cost Minimization Approach to Import Demand Equations," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 56(2), pages 225-234, May.
    26. repec:hhs:iuiwop:490 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/10192 is not listed on IDEAS
    28. repec:lic:licosd:10001 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. Shatz, Howard J. & Venables, Anthony J., 2000. "The geography of international investment," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2338, The World Bank.
    30. Konings, Jozef & Murphy, Alan, 2001. "Do Multinational Enterprises Substitute Parent Jobs for Foreign Ones? Evidence from European Firm Level Panel Data," CEPR Discussion Papers 2972, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    31. Howard Shatz, 2003. "Gravity, education, and economic development in a multinational affiliate location," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 117-150.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Marc-Andreas Muendler & Sascha O. Becker, 2010. "Margins of Multinational Labor Substitution," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(5), pages 1999-2030, December.
    2. Jaan Masso & Urmas Varblane & Priit Vahter, 2010. "The Impact Of Outward Fdi On Home-Country Employment In A Low-Cost Transition Economy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: David A Dyker (ed.), Network Dynamics In Emerging Regions Of Europe, chapter 16, pages 333-360, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Stefano Federico & Gaetano Alfredo Minerva, 2008. "Outward FDI and Local Employment Growth in Italy," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(2), pages 295-324, July.
    4. Ellingsen, Gaute & Likumahuwa, Winfried & Nunnenkamp, Peter, 2006. "Outward FDI by Singapore: a different animal?," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 3947, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Rosario Crinò, 2009. "Offshoring, Multinationals And Labour Market: A Review Of The Empirical Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(2), pages 197-249, April.
    6. Hecht, Veronika, 2015. "Location choice of German multinationals in the Czech Republic : the importance of agglomeration economies," IAB-Discussion Paper 201519, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    7. Liu, Wan-Hsin & Nunnenkamp, Peter, 2011. "Domestic Repercussions of Different Types of FDI: Firm-Level Evidence for Taiwanese Manufacturing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 808-823, May.
    8. repec:wsr:wpaper:y:2015:i:159 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Kokko, Ari, 2006. "The Home Country Effects Of Fdi In Developed Economies," EIJS Working Paper Series 225, Stockholm School of Economics, The European Institute of Japanese Studies.
    10. Driffield, Nigel & Pereira, Vijay & Temouri, Yama, 2019. "Does offshore outsourcing impact home employment? Evidence from service multinationals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 448-459.
    11. Nunnenkamp, Peter, 2006. "Relocation, offshoring and labour market repercussions: The case of the German automobile industry in Central Europe," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 3910, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    12. Ludo Cuyvers & Michel Dumont & Glenn Rayp & Katrien Stevens, 2005. "Home Employment Effects of EU Firms’ Activities in Central and Eastern European Countries," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 153-174, April.
    13. Schäffler, Johannes & Hecht, Veronika & Moritz, Michael, 2014. "Regional determinants of German FDI in the Czech Republic : evidence from a gravity model approach," IAB-Discussion Paper 201403, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    14. René Belderbos & Kyoji Fukao & Keiko Ito & Wilko Letterie, 2013. "Global Fixed Capital Investment by Multinational Firms," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 80(318), pages 274-299, April.
    15. Neary, J. Peter, 2009. "Trade costs and foreign direct investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 207-218, March.
    16. Helen Simpson, 2012. "How do Firms’ Outward FDI Strategies Relate to their Activity at Home? Empirical Evidence for the UK," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 243-272, March.
    17. Becker, Sascha O. & Ekholm, Karolina & Muendler, Marc-Andreas, 2013. "Offshoring and the onshore composition of tasks and skills," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 91-106.
    18. Jäckle Robert & Wamser Georg, 2010. "Going Multinational: What are the Effects on Home-Market Performance?," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 11(2), pages 188-207, May.
    19. Tekin-Koru, Ayça, 2012. "Asymmetric effects of trade costs on entry modes: Firm level evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 277-294.
    20. Jozef Konings & Alan Patrick Murphy, 2006. "Do Multinational Enterprises Relocate Employment to Low-Wage Regions? Evidence from European Multinationals," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 142(2), pages 267-286, July.
    21. Lundan, Sarianna M., 2007. "The Home Country Effects of Internationalisation," Discussion Papers 1100, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    multinational enterprises; location choice; multinomial choice; labor demand; translog cost function;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:ces:ceswps:_1374. 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: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    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.