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Structural Change Within Versus Across Firms: Evidence from the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Xiang Ding

    (Harvard University)

  • Teresa C. Fort

    (Tuck School of Business)

  • Stephen J. Redding

    (Princeton University)

  • Peter K. Schott

    (Yale University)

Abstract

US manufacturing’s employment share fell from 27 to 9 percent between 1977 and 2016. A third of this reallocation is driven by a shift towards services – particularly professional services and retail – within continuing manufacturers. We show that firms with in-house professional service establishments are larger, grow faster, more likely to survive and more diversified than firms without such plants. These trends motivate a model of within-firm structural transformation in which non-manufacturing workers complement physical production, and where physical input price reductions induce firms to reallocate towards services. This mechanism is consistent with US firms’ responses to growing trade with China.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiang Ding & Teresa C. Fort & Stephen J. Redding & Peter K. Schott, 2019. "Structural Change Within Versus Across Firms: Evidence from the United States," Working Papers 2019-9, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:econom:2019-9
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    2. Fariha Kamal & Jessica McCloskey & Wei Ouyang, 2022. "Multinational Firms in the U.S. Economy: Insights from Newly Integrated Microdata," Working Papers 22-39, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    3. Xiang Ding, 2023. "Industry Linkages from Joint Production," Working Papers 23-02, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    4. Justin R. Pierce & Peter K. Schott & Cristina Tello-Trillo, 2022. "Trade Liberalization and Labor-Market Outcomes: Evidence from US Matched Employer-Employee Data," Working Papers 22-42, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    5. Kox, Henk L.M., 2022. "A micro-macro model of foreign direct investment: Knowledge-based gravity forces, self-selection and third-country effects," EconStor Preprints 266494, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    6. Stephen J. Redding, 2020. "Trade and geography," CEP Discussion Papers dp1718, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Magli, Martina, 2022. "The Spillover Effect of Services Offshoring on Local Labour Markets," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 351, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    8. Francesco Bripi & Raffaello Bronzini & Elena Gentili & Andrea Linarello & Elisa Scarinzi, 2022. "Structural change and firm dynamics in the south of Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 676, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    9. Lorenz K.F. Ekerdt & Kai-Jie Wu, 2024. "The Rise of Specialized Firms," Working Papers 24-06, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    10. Martina Magli, 2022. "The spillover effect of services offshoring on local labour markets," CEP Discussion Papers dp1892, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    11. Magli, Martina, 2022. "The spillover effect of services offshoring on local labour markets," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118048, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Singer, Gregor, 2024. "Complementary inputs and industrial development: can lower electricity prices improve energy efficiency?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122365, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Teresa C. Fort, 2023. "The Changing Firm and Country Boundaries of US Manufacturers in Global Value Chains," Working Papers 23-38, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    14. Bripi, Francesco & Bronzini, Raffaello & Gentili, Elena & Linarello, Andrea & Scarinzi, Elisa, 2024. "Structural change and firm dynamics in Southern Italy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 678-691.
    15. Fariha Kamal & Jessica McCloskey & Wei Ouyang, 2022. "Multinational Firms in the U.S. Economy: Insights from Newly Integrated Microdata," BEA Working Papers 0202, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    structural change; multi-product firms; globalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L21 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Business Objectives of the Firm
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General

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