The quasi-linear fuzzy modeling of Filev (1991) is used to estimate the relationship between the number of managers and employees in a firm. The results form the basis for the classification of firms into small and large businesses. Application to a data of Australian firms shows an evolution...

A general framework for the study of outsourcing is introduced that incorporates dynamics and heterogeneity among both upstream and downstream producers to mimic an exit approach (Hirschman, 1970) to building vertical relations. The environment is one of search friction and incomplete contracts,...

This paper studies the role of efficiency in a firm's decision to contract out. Emphasis is on the heterogeneous nature of firms and when firms are only considering outsourcing to domestic suppliers. Firm-level data on Australian manufacturing reveal an ordering of efficiency between firms that...

This paper sheds new light on the forces shaping outsourcing decision by considering a certain form of non-linearity in overhead costs which effectively discretizes a firm's size into small and large regimes. Extending Grossman & Helpman (2002) in this line shows that firms unable to fully...

This paper sheds new light on forces shaping the outsourcing decision by linking the decision to a certain form of non-linearity in overhead costs which divides a firm’s operation into small and large regimes. Marginal firms that find evolution into a large business too costly outsource in a...