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Scale, Scope, and the International Expansion Strategies of Multiproduct Firms

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  • Stephen Ross Yeaple

Abstract

A growing literature seeks to understand how the characteristics of firms shape the manner in which they serve foreign markets. We consider an environment in which multiproduct firms can sell their products in multiple countries from multiple locations. We show that there are strong empirical regularities in the expansion strategies of U.S. multinational firms and that simple extensions of standard models do not explain these regularities. We augment these models by introducing a framework in which organizational capital is a scarce input within the firm that has to be allocated to particular products and production locations and show that the standard model, so amended, is consistent with the data. We then use the model to analyze the productivity effect of changes in international frictions both within and across firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Ross Yeaple, 2013. "Scale, Scope, and the International Expansion Strategies of Multiproduct Firms," NBER Working Papers 19166, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19166
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    1. Alla Lileeva & Daniel Trefler, 2007. "Improved Access to Foreign Markets Raises Plant-Level Productivity ... for Some Plants," NBER Working Papers 13297, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. Matsusaka, John G, 2001. "Corporate Diversification, Value Maximization, and Organizational Capabilities," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(3), pages 409-431, July.
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    5. Ignatius J. Horstmann & James R. Markusen, 2021. "Endogenous market structures in international trade (natura facit saltum)," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: BROADENING TRADE THEORY Incorporating Market Realities into Traditional Models, chapter 2, pages 25-45, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    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. S. Lael Brainard, 1993. "A Simple Theory of Multinational Corporations and Trade with a Trade-Off Between Proximity and Concentration," NBER Working Papers 4269, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eckel, Carsten & Irlacher, Michael, 2017. "Multi-product offshoring," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 71-89.
    2. Anna Gumpert, 2018. "The Organization of Knowledge in Multinational Firms," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 16(6), pages 1929-1976.
    3. Helen Naughton & Pehr-Johan Norbäck & Ayça Tekin-Koru, 2016. "Aggregation Issues of Foreign Direct Investment Estimation in an Interdependent World," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(12), pages 2046-2073, December.
    4. Diyue Guo, 2018. "Multiproduct Firms and the Business Cycle," 2018 Meeting Papers 1205, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    5. Ray, Anna, 2016. "Expanding Multinationals - Conglomerate M&A and Activity-Basket Proximity," Conference papers 332693, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    6. Federico J. Diez & Jesse Mora & Alan C. Spearot, 2016. "Firms in international trade," Working Papers 16-25, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F6 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization

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