Once a new technology has been invented, there is a credible threat of imitation when patent protection is strong and imitation cost is low. Within the area of credible imitation, the innovator has an incentive to postpone technology adoption when the cost of imitation is relatively high. The...

This paper studies the rationale for multiple sourcing. In a simple model of outsourcing that embodies technology transfer and the threat of competition from the supplier(s) due to imitation, we show that multiple sourcing helps to deter entry by the suppliers into the final goods market and...

We provide an explanation for multi-sourcing, which is often found in the real world and refers to the situation where a final goods producer acquires homogenous components from different suppliers. In the presence of imitation under outsourcing, multi-sourcing helps to deter entry by the...