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ICT and global sourcing: Evidence for German manufacturing and service firms

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  • Rasel, Fabienne

Abstract

This paper analyses the relevance of information and communication technologies (ICT) for firms' probability of global sourcing of inputs. Using firm-level data from Germany in 2009, which include mainly small and medium-sized firms, the empirical analysis differentiates between manufacturing and service firms. The results show some differences between the manufacturing and service sector. Controlling for various sources of firm heterogeneity, the global sourcing probability is increasing in the firms' share of employees with Internet access in the manufacturing sector. E-commerce-intensive firms are more likely to source inputs from abroad but generally, this relationship between e-commerce and global sourcing is only robust in services and much stronger there than in manufacturing. In both sectors, it is strongest in industries with higher upstream industry diversity. Moreover, labour productivity is positively linked to global sourcing. The findings support arguments for the importance of the Internet for global trade and they confirm the productivity advantage of importing in comparison to non-importing firms that is stated in the literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasel, Fabienne, 2015. "ICT and global sourcing: Evidence for German manufacturing and service firms," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-086, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:15086
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    Cited by:

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    2. Muhammad Khalid Anser & Zahid Yousaf & Muhammad Usman & Seemab Yousaf, 2020. "Towards Strategic Business Performance of the Hospitality Sector: Nexus of ICT, E-Marketing and Organizational Readiness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Alexander Schiersch & Irene Bertschek & Thomas Niebel, 2023. "Diversify or Not? – The Link between Global Sourcing of ICT Goods and Firm Performance," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2043, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Dolores Añón Higón & Daniel Bonvin, 2024. "Digitalization and trade participation of SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 857-877, March.
    5. Dirk Bursian & Arne J. Nagengast, 2020. "Offshoring And The Polarization Of The Demand For Capital," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(1), pages 260-282, January.
    6. Martina Aronica & Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti & Davide Piacentino, 2021. "Social media adoption in Italian firms. Opportunities and challenges for lagging regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(4), pages 959-978, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    global sourcing; importing; information and communication technologies; inputs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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