IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/8046.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Industrial Groupings and Strategic FDI: Theory and Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Bruce A. Blonigen
  • Christopher J. Ellis
  • Dietrich Fausten

Abstract

We show that industrial ownership structures, such as keiretsu groupings in Japan, may significantly impact firms' incentives to engage in FDI. While the previous literature has mainly focused on the cost of capital advantages enjoyed by keiretsu firms, this paper examines two relatively unexplored channels by which ownership structure matters for FDI incentives. The first channel involves the direct incentives generated via standard product and factor market interactions whereby keiretsu firms with cross-ownership consider more directly the congestion effects of further FDI into a market. The second channel involves the indirect incentives generated by sharing of information across keiretsu firms which reduces entry costs for subsequent FDI. Using data on Japanese FDI activity by both keiretsu and non-keiretsu manufacturing firms, we find evidence to support the importance of the second channel (information-sharing incentives) as an explanation for firm-level FDI patterns, but not for the first channel.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruce A. Blonigen & Christopher J. Ellis & Dietrich Fausten, 2000. "Industrial Groupings and Strategic FDI: Theory and Evidence," NBER Working Papers 8046, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:8046
    Note: ITI
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w8046.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christopher J. Ellis & Dietrich Fausten, 2002. "Strategic FDI and industrial ownership structure," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(3), pages 476-494, August.
    2. Kimura, Yui & Pugel, Thomas A., 1995. "Keiretsu and Japanese direct investment in US manufacturing," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 481-503, November.
    3. Kogut, Bruce & Chang, Sea Jin, 1991. "Technological Capabilities and Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in the United States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(3), pages 401-413, August.
    4. Takeo Hoshi & Anil Kashyap & David Scharfstein, 1991. "Corporate Structure, Liquidity, and Investment: Evidence from Japanese Industrial Groups," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 106(1), pages 33-60.
    5. Bruce A. Blonigen & Robert C. Feenstra, 1997. "Protectionist Threats and Foreign Direct Investment," NBER Chapters, in: The Effects of US Trade Protection and Promotion Policies, pages 55-80, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Flath, David, 1996. "The Keiretsu Puzzle," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 101-121, June.
    7. Feenstra, Robert C. & Rauch, James E., 1999. "Symposium on business and social networks in international trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 1-1, June.
    8. Feenstra, Robert C. & Hanson, Gordon H., 1997. "Foreign direct investment and relative wages: Evidence from Mexico's maquiladoras," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-4), pages 371-393, May.
    9. Belderbos, Rene & Sleuwaegen, Leo, 1996. "Japanese Firms and the Decision to Invest Abroad: Business Groups and Regional Core Networks," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(2), pages 214-220, May.
    10. Flath, David, 1993. "Shareholding in the Keiretsu, Japan's Financial Groups," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 75(2), pages 249-257, May.
    11. repec:bla:jfinan:v:53:y:1998:i:3:p:879-904 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Jean‐Francois Hennart & Young‐Ryeol Park, 1994. "Location, governance, and strategic determinants of japanese manufacturing investment in the united states," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 419-436, July.
    13. Kogut, Bruce & Chang, Sea Jin, 1996. "Platform Investments and Volatility Exchange Rates: Direct Investment in the U.S. by Japanese Electronic Companies," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(2), pages 221-231, May.
    14. Suzuki, Kazuyuki, 1993. "R&D spillovers and technology transfer among and within vertical keiretsu groups : Evidence from the Japanese electrical machinery industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 573-591.
    15. Ping Lin & Kamal Saggi, 1999. "Incentives for Foreign Direct Investment under Imitation," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 32(5), pages 1275-1298, November.
    16. James R. Hines Jr., 2000. "Tax Sparing and Direct Investment in Developing Countries," NBER Chapters, in: International Taxation and Multinational Activity, pages 39-72, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. René Belderbos, 1997. "Antidumping and tariff Jumping: Japanese firms’ DFI in the European union and the United States," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 133(3), pages 419-457, 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. Koki Arai, 2004. "An Airline Merger in Japan: A Case Study Revealing Principles of Japanese Merger Control," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 207-222, September.
    2. Bruce A. Blonigen & Rossitza B. Wooster, 2003. "CEO Turnover and Foreign Market Participation," University of Oregon Economics Department Working Papers 2003-24, University of Oregon Economics Department, revised 01 Mar 2003.

    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. Blonigen, Bruce A. & Ellis, Christopher J. & Fausten, Dietrich, 2005. "Industrial groupings and strategic FDI," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 125-150, April.
    2. Bruce Blonigen, 2005. "A Review of the Empirical Literature on FDI Determinants," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 33(4), pages 383-403, December.
    3. Bruce A. Blonigen & Christopher J. Ellis & Dietrich Fausten, 2019. "Industrial Groupings and Foreign Direct Investment," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 8, pages 265-289, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Belderbos, R.A., 2000. "Foreign investment and international plant configuration : whither the product cycle?," Research Memorandum 003, Maastricht University, Netherlands Institute of Business Organization and Strategy Research (NIBOR).
    5. Blonigen, Bruce A. & Tomlin, KaSaundra, 2001. "Size and growth of Japanese plants in the United States," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 931-952, May.
    6. Akiomi Yutaka Horiba & Kazuo Yoshida, 2003. "Determinants Of The Initial Decisions By Japanese Firmsto Undertake Foreign Direct Investment," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 03-09, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    7. Bruce A. Blonigen, 2019. "Tariff-Jumping Antidumping Duties," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 5, pages 179-203, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Kimura, Yui & Lee, Hae Kyoung, 1998. "Korean direct investment in manufacturing, , : Its patterns and determinants--an empirical analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 109-127, October.
    9. Rene Belderbos & Jianglei Zou, 2005. "Divesture of Foreign Manufacturing Affiliates: Country Platforms, Multinational Plant Networks, and Foreign Investor Agglomeration," Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series d04-72, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Bernotas, David, 2005. "Ownership structure and firm profitability in the Japanese keiretsu," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 533-554, June.
    11. Sourafel Girma & David Greenaway & Katherine Wakelin, 2002. "Does antidumping stimulate FDI? Evidence from Japanese firms in the UK," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 138(3), pages 414-436, September.
    12. Berry, Heather & Sakakibara, Mariko, 2008. "Resource accumulation and overseas expansion by Japanese multinationals," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 277-302, February.
    13. Belderbos, Rene & Sleuwaegen, Leo, 1998. "Tariff jumping DFI and export substitution: Japanese electronics firms in Europe," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 601-638, September.
    14. Eiichi Tomiura, 2005. "Technological Capability and FDI in Asia: Firm‐level Relationships among Japanese Manufacturers," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 19(3), pages 273-289, September.
    15. Randall Morck & Masao Nakamura & Murray Frank, 2001. "Japanese Corporate Governance and Macroeconomic Problems," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Masao Nakamura (ed.), The Japanese Business and Economic System, chapter 12, pages 325-363, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. Pennings, Enrico & Sleuwaegen, Leo, 2000. "International relocation: firm and industry determinants," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 179-186, May.
    17. Breinlich, Holger & Leromain, Elsa & Novy, Dennis & Sampson, Thomas, 2020. "Voting with their money: Brexit and outward investment by UK firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    18. Randall Morck & Bernard Yeung, 2017. "East Asian Financial and Economic Development," NBER Working Papers 23845, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Ushijima, Tatsuo, 2008. "Domestic bank health and foreign direct investment," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 291-309, September.
    20. Miwa, Yoshiro & Ramseyer, J. Mark, 2006. "The Fable of the Keiretsu," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226532707.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements

    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:nbr:nberwo:8046. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.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.