Digital transformation and the offshore outsourcing behavior of manufacturing MNEs

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lee, Jeoung Yul; Cui, Lin; Pattnaik, Chinmay; Choi, Byungchul
• 署名单位: Chongqing Technology & Business University; emlyon business school; Australian National University; University of Sydney; Hankuk University Foreign Studies
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-025-00816-9
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: research-and-development; Industry 4.0; information-technology; firm performance; big data; INNOVATION; modularity; networks; product; INTERNATIONALIZATION

摘要

This study analyzes the impact of digital transformation on manufacturing multinational enterprises' (MNEs) offshore outsourcing intensity. We distinguish two independent categories of digital transformation: information-centric (IDT) and manufacturing-centric (MDT). Applying transaction costs economics (TCE), we argue that IDT decreases offshore outsourcing intensity, while MDT increases it. These effects arise from their respective influences on the specificity of an MNE's core value-adding transactional assets, the frequency and variability of its demand for complementary inputs, and uncertainty in market transactions. Additionally, we identify internal and external factors that provide regulatory and relational safeguards for market transactions, thereby moderating these effects. We empirically test our hypotheses using 3271 firm-year observations from 492 Korean manufacturing MNEs between 2011 and 2021. Our findings offer strong support for our hypotheses, underscoring TCE's relevance to understanding MNEs' global supply chain governance under digital transformation. Cette recherche analyse l'impact de la transformation num & eacute;rique sur l'intensit & eacute; de l'externalisation offshore des entreprises multinationales (Multinational Enterprises -MNEs) manufacturi & egrave;res. Nous distinguons deux cat & eacute;gories ind & eacute;pendantes de transformation num & eacute;rique : centr & eacute;e sur l'information (Information-centric Digital Transformation - IDT) et centr & eacute;e sur la fabrication (Manufacturing-centric Digital Transformation - MDT). En appliquant la th & eacute;orie des co & ucirc;ts de transaction (Transaction Costs Economics - TCE), nous argumentons que l'IDT r & eacute;duit l'intensit & eacute; de l'externalisation offshore, tandis que la MDT l'augmente. Ces impacts d & eacute;coulent de leurs influences respectives sur la sp & eacute;cificit & eacute; des actifs transactionnels strat & eacute;giques cr & eacute;ateurs de valeur d'une MNE, la fr & eacute;quence et la variabilit & eacute; de sa demande pour des intrants compl & eacute;mentaires, ainsi que sur l'incertitude dans les transactions de march & eacute;. De plus, nous identifions des facteurs internes et externes qui fournissent des garanties r & eacute;glementaires et relationnelles pour les transactions de march & eacute;, mod & eacute;rant ainsi ces impacts. Nous testons empiriquement nos hypoth & egrave;ses sur la base de 3271 observations d'entreprises-ann & eacute;es provenant de 492 MNEs manufacturi & egrave;res cor & eacute;ennes entre 2011 et 2021. Nos r & eacute;sultats confirment largement nos hypoth & egrave;ses, soulignant la pertinence de la TCE pour comprendre la gouvernance de la cha & icirc;ne d'approvisionnement mondiale des MNEs dans le contexte de la transformation num & eacute;rique. Este estudio analiza el impacto de la transformaci & oacute;n digital en la intensidad de tercerizaci & oacute;n offshore de las empresas multinacionales (EMN) manufactureras. Distinguimos dos categor & iacute;as independientes de transformaci & oacute;n digital: centrada en la informaci & oacute;n (IDT) y centrada en la manufactura (MDT). Aplicando la teor & iacute;a de los costos de transacci & oacute;n (TCE, por sus siglas en ingl & eacute;s), argumentamos que la transformaci & oacute;n digital centrada en la informaci & oacute;n disminuye la intensidad de tercerizaci & oacute;n offshore, mientras que la transformaci & oacute;n digital centrada en la manufactura la incrementa. Estos efectos surgen de sus respectivas influencias en la especificidad de los activos transaccionales centrales de valor agregado de una empresa multinacional, la frecuencia y variabilidad de su demanda de insumos complementarios, y la incertidumbre en las transacciones de mercado. Adem & aacute;s, identificamos factores internos y externos que proporcionan salvaguardas regulatorias y relacionales para las transacciones de mercado, moderando estos efectos. Probamos emp & iacute;ricamente nuestras hip & oacute;tesis utilizando 3.271 observaciones empresa-a & ntilde;o de 492 EMN manufactureras coreanas entre 2011 y 2021. Nuestros hallazgos ofrecen un respaldo s & oacute;lido a nuestras hip & oacute;tesis, subrayando la relevancia de la TCT para comprender la gobernanza de las cadenas globales de suministro de las EMN bajo transformaci & oacute;n digital. Este estudo analisa o impacto da transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o digital na intensidade de terceiriza & ccedil;& atilde;o offshore de empresas multinacionais (MNEs) do setor de manufatura. Distinguimos duas categorias independentes de transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o digital: centrada em informa & ccedil;& atilde;o (IDT) e centrada em manufatura (MDT). Aplicando a teoria de custos de transa & ccedil;& atilde;o (TCE), argumentamos que a IDT reduz a intensidade da terceiriza & ccedil;& atilde;o offshore, enquanto a MDT a aumenta. Esses efeitos t & ecirc;m origem em suas respectivas influ & ecirc;ncias na especificidade de ativos transacionais essenciais de uma MNE que agregam valor, da frequ & ecirc;ncia e variabilidade de sua demanda por insumos complementares e na incerteza nas transa & ccedil;& otilde;es de mercado. Al & eacute;m disso, identificamos fatores internos e externos que fornecem salvaguardas regulat & oacute;rias e relacionais para transa & ccedil;& otilde;es de mercado, dessa forma moderando esses efeitos. Testamos empiricamente nossas hip & oacute;teses utilizando 3.271 observa & ccedil;& otilde;es empresa-ano de 492 MNEs coreanas do setor de manufatura entre 2011 e 2021. Nossos resultados oferecem forte suporte a nossas hip & oacute;teses, destacando a relev & acirc;ncia da TCE para compreender a governan & ccedil;a da cadeia de suprimentos global de MNEs no contexto da transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o digital. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(MNEs)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic):(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(IDT)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(MDT).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(TCE),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)IDT(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)MDT(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)2011(sic)2021(sic)(sic)492(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)3,271(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)TCE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)MNE(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).