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The Firm as a Pool of Factor Complementarities

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  • Snower, Dennis
  • Lindbeck, Assar

Abstract

This Paper presents a new approach to the theory of the firm by identifying factor complementarities as central to the determination of the firm?s boundaries. The factor complementarities may take a variety of forms: technological and informational complementarities, as well as economies of scale and scope. We examine the trade-off between the gains from these complementarities and transactions costs. In so doing, we must abandon the standard dichotomy between the determinants of plant size and firm size. The influence of factor complementarities on firm size is examined in partial and general equilibrium frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • Snower, Dennis & Lindbeck, Assar, 2004. "The Firm as a Pool of Factor Complementarities," CEPR Discussion Papers 4242, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4242
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    1. Alchian, Armen A & Demsetz, Harold, 1972. "Production , Information Costs, and Economic Organization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(5), pages 777-795, December.
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    5. Lindbeck, Assar & Snower, Dennis J, 1996. "Reorganization of Firms and Labor-Market Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(2), pages 315-321, May.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Madalina Constantinescu, 2008. "Knowledge Management Through The Lens Of Innovation And Labour Productivity In A Knowledge Based Economy," Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Financial Management and Accounting Craiova, vol. 3(2(4)_Summ).
    2. Riccardo Leoni & Giuseppe Usai, 2004. "Organizations Between Systemic and Epistemological Complexities. An Introduction," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, vol. 94(1), pages 3-25, January-F.
    3. Aurora Garc𫑇allego & Nikolaos Georgantz & Joan Mart󻑍ontaner & Teodosio P鲥z-Amaral, 2015. "(How) Do research and administrative duties affect university professors' teaching?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(45), pages 4868-4883, September.
    4. Alla Lileeva & Johannes Van Biesebroeck, 2013. "Outsourcing When Investments Are Specific And Interrelated," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 871-896, August.
    5. Werner Hölzl, 2005. "The evolutionary theory of the firm: Routines, complexity and change," Working Papers geewp46, Vienna University of Economics and Business Research Group: Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness.
    6. Arvanitis, Spyros & Loukis, Euripidis N., 2009. "Information and communication technologies, human capital, workplace organization and labour productivity: A comparative study based on firm-level data for Greece and Switzerland," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 43-61, February.
    7. Tobias Stucki & Daniel Wochner, 2019. "Technological and organizational capital: Where complementarities exist," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 458-487, June.
    8. Hwan-Joo Seo & Young Soo Lee & Jai-Joon Hur & Jin Ki Kim, 2012. "The impact of information and communication technology on skilled labor and organization types," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 445-455, April.
    9. Horst Raff & Michael J. Ryan, 2008. "Firm-Specific Characteristics and the Timing of Foreign Direct Investment Projects," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(1), pages 1-31, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economies of scale and scope; Firm; Transaction costs; Factor complementarities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights

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