Empirical econometric studies of globalization of Japanese firms based on micro-data

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The purpose of this research project is to investigate empirically and quantitatively the globalization decision of Japanese firms based on micro-data. The main results from the research in the last year in the three-year project are as follows.(a) We analyzed the dataset constructed from the micro-data, which we had access under the official permission from the government lat year. We used "The basic Survey of Commercial and Manufacturing Structure and Activities," conducted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (currently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) as the principal data source. The main findings reported in our academic papers are as follows.(b) In the outsourcing choice between domestic vs. foreign suppliers, R＆D-intensive firms tend to choose domestic suppliers. In comparing domestic outsourcing, foreign outsourcers, and firms sourcing from their foreign affiliates, productive firms tend to source abroad, and capital-intensive or R＆D-intensive firms tend to source from their foreign affiliates. These results are basically robust after industry and firm-size are controlled for. We also find that firms tend to outsource to foreign suppliers in the least R＆D-intensive stage along the product cycles.(c) We also compare the impacts of internal R＆D efforts and external networks on the firm's exporting decision. As a related study, we also have examined the relation between foreign direct investment and intellectual property right protection.