Skip to main content
Log in

Multinational enterprises, regional economic integration, and export-platform production in the host countries: An empirical analysis for the US and Japanese corporations

  • Articles
  • Published:
Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Multinational Enterprises, Regional Economic Integration and Export-Platform Production in the Host Countries: An Empirical Analysis for the US and Japanese Corporations. — This paper analyzes determinants of export orientation of overseas affiliates of US and Japanese MNEs for the 1982–1994 period. The author contends that production geared to MNEs’ home market and that production oriented to third-country markets are determined by different factors. The empirical analysis finds the home-market-oriented production concentrated in countries that offer low-cost workforce, enjoy geographical proximity or preferential access to the home market. The location of third-country-market-oriented exports is influenced more by strategic factors such as participation in regional trading blocs and preferential access to major markets than factor costs considerations.

Zusammenfassung

Multinationale Unternehmen, regionale wirtschaftliche Integration und Exportplattform-Produktion in den GastlÄndern: Eine empirische Analyse amerikanischer und japanischer Unternehmen. — Der Verfasser untersucht Bestimmungs-gründe für die Exportorientierung von überseeischen Töchtern amerikanischer und japanischer Multis in der Periode 1982-1994. Er behauptet, da\ die Produktion, die für den heimischen Markt der Unternehmen vorgesehen ist, und die Produktion für MÄrkte in dritten LÄndern durch unterschiedliche Faktoren bestimmt werden. Die empirische Analyse erbringt, da\ die für den heimischen Markt vorgesehene Produktion in LÄndern konzentriert ist, die billige ArbeitskrÄfte bieten und geographische NÄhe oder prÄferentiellen Zugang zum heimischen Markt genie\en. Der Standort der Produktion, die für DrittlandsmÄrkte bestimmt ist, wird mehr durch strategische Faktoren — wie Teilhabe an regionalen Handelsblöcken und prÄferentieller Zugang zu wichtigen MÄrkten — beeinflu\t als durch überlegungen hinsichtlich der Faktorkosten.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson, T., and T. Frederiksson (1996). International Organization of Production and Variation in Exports from Affiliates.Journal of International Business Studies 27 (2): 249–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckley, P. J., and J.-L. Mucchielli (eds.) (1997).Multinational Firms and International Relocation, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cho, K. R. (1990). The Role of Product-Specific Factors in Intra-Firm Trade of U.S. Manufacturing Corporations.Journal of International Business Studies 21(2): 319–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. P., W. C. Sawyer, and R. L. Sprinkle (1989). Determinants of Industry Participation under Offshore Assembly Provisions in the United States Tariff Code.Journal of World Trade 23(5): 123–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunning, J. H. (1993).Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1998). The Changing Geography of Foreign Direct Investment. In N. Kumar et al. (eds.),Globalization, Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Transfer: Impact on and Prospects for Developing Countries. London: Routledge, forthcoming.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fröbel, F., J. Heinrichs, and O. Kreye (1980).The New International Division of Labour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene, W. H. (1993).Econometric Analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Labour Office/United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations (1988).Economic and Social Effects of Multinational Enterprises in Export Processing Zones. Geneva: ILO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Japan Exterior Trade Organisation (1994).JETRO White Paper on Foreign Direct Investment 1994. Tokyo: JETRO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Julius, D. (1990).Global Companies and Public Policy: The Growing Challenge of Foreign Direct Investment. London: RIIA and Pinter Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplinski, R. (1991). TNCs in the Third World: Stability or Discontinuity?Millennium Journal of International Studies 20(2): 257–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kojima, K. (1978).Direct Foreign Investment. London: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kravis, I. B., and R. E. Lipsey (1982). The Location of Overseas Production and Production for Export by U.S. Multinational Firms.Journal of International Economics 12:201–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, N. (1994a). Determinants of Export Orientation of Foreign Production by U.S. Multinationals: An Inter Country Analysis.Journal of International Business Studies 25 (1): 141–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — (1994b). Regional Trading Blocs, Industrial Reorganization and Foreign Direct Investments: The Case of the Single European Market.World Competition 18(2): 35–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1999).Globalization and Quality of Foreign Direct Investment: A Quantitative Explanation of the Role of Multinational Enterprises in Industrialization, ExportExpansion and Innovation in Host Countries. London: Routledge, forthcoming.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, N. and N. S. Siddharthan, (1997).Technology, Market Structure and Internationalization: Issues and Policies for Developing Countries. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. (1986). Determinants of Offshore Production in Developing Countries.Journal of Development Economics (20): 1–13.

  • Ministry of International Trade and Industry (1994).Fifth Basic Survey on Overseas Business Activities (in Japanese). Tokyo: MITT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayyar, D. (1978). Transnational Corporations and Manufactured Exports from Poor Countries.Economic Journal 88:59–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozawa, T. (1992). Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Development.Transnational Corporations 1 (1): 27–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parisotto, A. (1993). Direct Employment in Multinational Enterprises in Industrialized and Developing Countries in the 1980s: Main Characteristics and Recent Trends. In P. Bailey et al. (eds.),Multinationals and Employment: The Global Economy of the 1990s. Geneva: International Labour Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritchett, L. (1996). Measuring Outward Orientation in LDCs: Can It Be Done?Journal of Development Economics 49 (2): 307–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siddharthan, N. S., and N. Kumar (1990). Determinants of Inter-Industry Variations in the Proportion of Intra-Firm Trade: The Behaviour of U.S. Multinationals.Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, 126 (3): 581–591.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vernon, R. (1966). International Investment and International Trade in Product Cycle: The Case of US Firms.Quarterly Journal of Economics (80): 190–207.

  • Woodward, D. P., and R. J. Rolfe (1993). The Location of Export-Oriented Foreign Direct Investment in the Caribbean Basin.Journal of International Business Studies 24(1): 121–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Kumar, N. Multinational enterprises, regional economic integration, and export-platform production in the host countries: An empirical analysis for the US and Japanese corporations. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv 134, 450–483 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02707926

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02707926

Navigation