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The present paper investigates the determinants of outsourcing production using a panel of 93 Spanish manufacturing industries for the period 1993-2002. Outsourcing is measured as production tasks which are contracting out to external suppliers, a more direct and suitable indicator. After controlling for unobserved heterogeneity and simultaneity, our results show a high persistence of the outsourcing intensity. Moreover, outsourcing of production is positively related to unit labour costs, skills requirements, national ownership and orientation to international markets. We also find evidence for a negative link between the outsourcing intensity and the share of small firms.

Este trabajo analiza la estrategia de fragmentación internacional de la producción y la conformación de redes transnacionales en la Unión Europea. A partir de la estimación, con diferentes técnicas, de un modelo de gravedad con datos de comercio de partes y componentes para el sector de la maquinaria y material de transporte, encontramos el papel protagonista que tienen las economías Centrales, y en particular Alemania, en tales redes. Factores como la pertenencia a la UE, la cercanía geográfica y lingüística y la calidad institucional más directamente vinculada al funcionamiento de sector empresarial favorecen el establecimiento y la intensidad de estas cadenas transnacionales de producción. Sin embargo, las diferencias económicas excesivas entre países suponen un lastre cuando se trata de los países Centrales de la UE, mientras que para los países de la Periferia Sur y Este suponen un impulso, apuntando al diferente perfil de integración en redes de unas y otras economías ; This paper focuses on analyzing the strategy of international fragmentation of production and the evolution of the cross-border networks in the European Union. Using a gravity model for trade in parts and components in Machinery and Transport Equipment, our results emphasize the important role of the Core EU economies, in particular Germany, in these networks. Factors such as belonging to the EU as well as the geographical and linguistic proximity and the institutional quality closely linked to the business sector favor the establishment and the intensity of the cross-border production chains. However, excessive economic differences between countries suppose, for the Core EU economies, an obstacle for the functioning of these sharing production networks, whereas for the East and South Periphery those differences suppose an impulse, pointing at the dissimilar profile of these areas (Core and Periphery) in the integration in global networks

PurposeFocusing on the global trade collapse and the subsequent recovery period, the purpose of this paper is to examine the export performance of firms that are involved in complex internationalization strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a random-effects probit model with panel data and a dynamic panel data model (GMM system) for Spanish manufacturing firms from 2006 to 2013 period.FindingsIt is found that, once firm characteristics are controlled for, complex internationalization plays an important role in continuing to export and, additionally, positively influences the level of exports. Firms active in a complex mix of internationalization strategies have an added advantage, which enables them to confront the uncertainty of foreign markets in better conditions and translates to a lower likelihood of ceasing exporting and to higher export values.Practical implicationsThe present paper throws light on this question by showing that the negative impact of trade collapse in 2009 on the export level was lower for firms inserted in complex internationalization strategies and the subsequent recovery was more intense.Originality/valueThe analysis goes one step further and investigates whether the impact is different during the trade collapse in 2009 and the following recovery. Here, previous empirical research at firm level on the role of complex internationalization strategies in trade is contradictory.

PurposeDrawing on the literature that has shown the prevalence of short-lived trade relationships, the purpose of this paper is to provide further understanding about this issue by exploring the impact of engaging in Global Value Chains (GVCs) on the chance of export survival at product-country level, paying special attention to the differences between advanced and developing countries. The authors also investigate whether the type of GVC participation (backward or forward) matters for export survival.Design/methodology/approachTo capture to what extent a country's exports are integrated in GVCs, the authors use the OECD Inter-Country Input-Output database to estimate value added incorporated in exports. Through the estimation of a discrete-time duration model, the authors explore the impact of engaging in GVCs on export survival using highly disaggregated trade data from the CEPII's BACI database.FindingsThe findings endorse the hypothesis that deeper participation in GVCs is a key factor in explaining stability in trade relationships, mainly for developing countries where the trade flows are especially fragile. The authors also find different effects depending on the type of GVC involvement and on whether the value chain partners are advanced or developing.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the literature by extending the understanding on the factors that promote the stability of exports, including among them, involvement on GVCs (and its forms) which is one of the most relevant factors to explain recent behavior of trade.

El objeto de este trabajo es valorar el grado de importancia que tiene la oferta de servicios en las manufacturas españolas para, seguidamente, establecer la relación existente entre este tipo de servitización y la internacionalización empresarial a través de exportaciones. El análisis efectuado evidencia una amplia difusión de la estrategia, que aplica casi la mitad de las empresas; con una intensidad en torno a la cuarta parte de las ventas. El examen de las características de las empresas que servitizan revela su superior orientación a la internacionalización, tanto a través de exportaciones como mediante el establecimiento de relaciones con el exterior por medio de inversiones directas. El análisis empírico constata la favorable incidencia de la servitización sobre las exportaciones, favoreciendo el acceso y desalentando la salida al mercado exportador, lo que se traduce en una superior estabilidad de las exportaciones en las empresas que servitizan.