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The Cost of ownership in the governance of interfirm collaborations

Abstract

This paper investigates the selection of governance forms in interfirm collaborations taking into account the predictions from transaction costs and property rights theories. Transaction costs arguments are often used to justify the introduction of hierarchical controls in collaborations, but the ownership dimension of going from "contracts" to "hierarchies" has been ignored in the past and with it the so called "costs of ownership". The theoretical results, tested with a sample of collaborations in which participate Spanish firms, indicate that the cost of ownership may offset the benefits of hierarchical controls and therefore limit their diffusion. Evidence is also reported of possible complementarities between reputation effects and forms of ownership that go together with hierarchical controls (i.e. joint ventures), in contrast with the generally assumed substitutability between the two.

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The Cost of ownership in the governance of interfirm collaborations

Author: Rialp Criado, Josep; Salas Fumás, Vicente
Publisher: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Economia de l'Empresa
Year: 2000
Source: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/estudis/2000/hdl_2072_1166/UABDT00-1.pdf
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Documen s de eball
The Cos O Owne ship In The
Go e nance O In e i m
Collabo a ions
Josep Rialp C iado
Vicen e Salas Fumás
Documen de eball nº 2000/1
Depa amen d'economia de l'emp esa
2
 Josep Rialp C iado and Vicen e Salas Fumás
Coo dinado documen s de eball:
D . Jo di López Sin as
h p://selene.uab.es/dep-economia-emp esa/documen .h m
e-mail: [email p o ec ed]
Telè on: 93 5812270
Edi a: Depa amen d'economia de l'emp esa
h p://selene.uab.es/dep-economia-emp esa/
Uni e si a Au ònoma de Ba celona
Facul a de Ciències Econòmiques i Emp esa ials
Edi ici B
08193-Bella e a (Ba celona), Spain
Tel. 93 5811209
Fax 93 5812555
3
Feb ua y, 2000
The Cos O Owne ship In The
Go e nance O In e i m Collabo a ions
Josep Rialp C iado
Depa amen d'economia de l'emp esa, Uni e si a Au ònoma de Ba celona
Vicen e Salas Fumás
Dp o. de Economía y Di ección de Emp esas, Uni e sidad de Za agoza
Documen de eball nº 2000/1
A Wo king Pape in he documen s de eball d'economia de l'emp esa se ies is in ended as a mean
whe eby a acul y esea che 's hough s and indings may be communica ed o in e es ed eade s
o hei commen s. Ne e heless, he ideas pu o wa d a e esponsibili y o he au ho .
Acco dingly a Wo king Pape should no be quo ed no e e ed o wi hou he w i en consen o
he au ho (s). Please, di ec you commen s and sugges ions o he au ho (s).
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The Cos O Owne ship In The Go e nance O In e i m
Collabo a ions∗
Abs ac :
This pape in es iga es he selec ion o go e nance o ms in in e i m collabo a ions aking
in o accoun he p edic ions om ansac ion cos s and p ope y igh s heo ies. T ansac ion
cos s a gumen s a e o en used o jus i y he in oduc ion o hie a chical con ols in
collabo a ions, bu he owne ship dimension o going om “con ac s” o “hie a chies” has
been igno ed in he pas and wi h i he so called “cos s o owne ship”. The heo e ical
esul s, es ed wi h a sample o collabo a ions in which pa icipa e Spanish i ms, indica e
ha he cos o owne ship may o se he bene i s o hie a chical con ols and he e o e limi
hei di usion. E idence is also epo ed o possible complemen a i ies be ween epu a ion
e ec s and o ms o owne ship ha go oge he wi h hie a chical con ols (i.e. join
en u es), in con as wi h he gene ally assumed subs i u abili y be ween he wo.
Key Wo ds: in e i m collabo a ion, p ope y igh s, ansac ion cos , Spanish i ms.
Co espondence add ess:
Josep Rialp C iado
Dep. Economía de la Emp esa
Edi icio B - Campus U.A.B.
08193 - Bella e a (Ba celona) Spain
Phone 34 - 93 581 2258
Fax 34 - 93 581 2555
e-mail: [email p o ec ed].
∗ The au ho s wan o hank he assis an s o he Academy o Managemen Con e ence in Chicago, specially p o esso s
Gau am Ahuja and I an Mane , and also p o esso Es eban Ga cía Canal o hei commen s in ea lie d a s.
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1. INTRODUCTION
Wha de e mines he bounda ies o he i m is an impo an ques ion in he heo y o economic
o ganiza ion, s ill unde e y li ely in ellec ual deba e (Holms om and Robe s, 1998). The
con en ional dis inc ion be ween i ms and ma ke s, hie a chies and p ices, as he mechanism
which sol e he coo dina ion and incen i e p oblems esul ing om di ision o labo and exchange,
no only is s ill unde he p ocess o academic cla i ica ion, bu i is challenged by he p oli e a ion
o in e media e o hyb id mechanisms o go e nance (Williamson, 1985, 1991; Imai and I ami,
1984; Powell, 1990). When a i m needs a good o se ice o ca y ou i s plans, i may buy i in he
ma ke , de elop i i sel , o join e o s wi h o he agen s, i ms, in wha is o en called in e i m
coope a ion. Now i ms do no exchange in an anonymous ma ke , nei he hey me ge in o a single
en i y, so he coope a i e ac ion is o en iewed as an example o “hyb ids” be ween he ma ke
and me ge o acquisi ions.
A close look a in e i m collabo a ions1 e eals ha hey di e in he go e nance s uc u e chosen
o egula e he collec i e ac ions: some imes such s uc u e elies mo e on ma ke p inciples
(con ac s, p ices); o he s i in ol es p inciples o en ound in he in e nal o ganiza ion o i ms
(hie a chy, plans, o de s). The e o e, he in ellec ual challenge is no only o explain why i ms o
why ma ke s o o ganize and go e n economic ansac ions, bu why i ms choose di e en
go e nance o ms o hei collabo a ions. This pape is w i en wi h he pu pose o con ibu ing o
answe he p e ious ques ion by in oducing in he heo e ical analysis he p oposi ions de i ed
om he heo y o p ope y igh s (G ossman and Ha , 1986; Ha and Moo e, 1990; Ha , 1995)
besides he widely used, so a , heo y o ansac ion cos s (Coase, 1937; Williamson, 1975; 1985,
1991). The p oposi ions a e es ed using da a abou in e i m collabo a ions in which pa icipa e
Spanish i ms.
The esea ch ques ion o his pape is no new. Fo example, Pisano (1989), Pisano and o he s
(1988), Osbo n and Baugh (1990), Gula i (1995) in es iga e why i ms choose equi y exchanges
(mino i y in e es s, join en u es) o suppo collabo a ions. Mo e ecen ly, Oxley (1997) u he
dis inguishes among bila e al and mul ila e al con ac , wi hin he collabo a ions which do no
in ol e equi y exchanges, while Gula i and Singh (1998) sepa a e collabo a ions unde mino i y
equi y in e es s and collabo a ions go e ned unde he o m o join en u es. In all hese pape s,
he basic unde lying amewo k is bo owed om T ansac ion Cos : as any collec i e ac ion,
in e i m collabo a ion in ol es coo dina ion and incen i es needs. Con ac s ha e limi a ions when

6
hey come o sol e hese needs, specially i in e dependencies a e in ense (Gula i and Singh, 1998),
and payo a e di icul o enume a e ex-an e and e i y ex-pos c ea ing app op iabili y haza ds
(Oxley, 1997). The e o e, in ce ain cases, i is mo e e icien (i has lowe ansac ion cos s) o
subs i u e o complemen con ac s wi h some o he p inciples and ules p ope o he hie a chy
(adminis a i e con ols, o mal coo dina ion uni s, au ho i y).
The p ope y igh s heo y has poin ed ou he limi a ions o ansac ion cos s o explain he
bounda ies o he i m wi h he a gumen ha he cos s o he i m (hie a chy), ha e no been
p ope ly expelled ou (Ha , 1995). In o he wo ds, ansac ion cos economics has emphasized he
cos s o using he ma ke o go e n exchange, bu i has no p o ided a igo ous explana ion o he
cos s o he i m as a go e nance s uc u e. To ou knowledge, he li e a u e on explaining he
choice o go e nance o ms o in e i m collabo a ions has igno ed so a he p ope y igh s
app oach and, he e o e, we belie e, i has igno ed some basic cos s o in oducing hie a chical
p inciples in he go e nance o collabo a ions. We spell in mo e de ail which a e such cos s in
sec ion wo o he pape , bu o mo i a e he exposi ion le us conside he case o join en u es.
One o he basic p edic ions o he p ope y igh s model is ha join owne ship (each pa y has
e o powe on how o alloca e he asse s) is ine icien when ei he sepa a e owne ship (each pa y
is he owne o some asse s) o single owne ship (all asse s belong o one pa y) a e also easible.
Howe e , a join en u e wi h wo pa ies, each holding 50 pe cen o he sha es, is a widely
di used o m o join owne ship in in e i m collabo a ions. To econcile he empi ical e idence
wi h he heo e ical p edic ion is qui e impo an , i we ake in o accoun he ecogni ion gi en by
he academic p o ession o he p ope y igh s app oach2, and he di usion o balanced join
en u e3.
Sec ion wo o he pape p esen s he heo e ical model and pos ula es he hypo hesis o be es ed.
Besides ex ending ansac ion cos o p ope ly accoun o he “cos s o owne ship”, he pape
combines esul s om he heo y o implici con ac s and he conside a ion o “ma ke powe ”
in e es s o expand he ac o s ha de e mine he choice o he go e nance o m. Sec ion h ee
con en s he desc ip ion o he da a, he a iables, he me hodologies used o es he hypo hesis
(o de ed logi and mul inomial logi models), and he empi ical esul s. The pape closes wi h
discussion o he esul s and conclusions.
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2. THEORETICAL MODELS
2.1. T ansac ion cos and p ope y igh s
The basic p oposi ion o ansac ion cos s economics es ablishes ha “ ansac ions which di e in
hei a ibu es, a e aligned wi h go e nance s uc u es which di e in hei cos s and compe encies
in a disc imina o y way” (Williamson, 1991, p. 277). The applica ion o ansac ion cos heo y o
explain he go e nance o m in in e - i ms collabo a ions equi es o p ope ly iden i y he ele an
a ibu es in ol ed in he ansac ion, he al e na i e go e nance o ms conside ed and he cos s
unc ions esul ing om using a go e nance o m in each ansac ion.
The ansac ion
In his pape , he uni o analysis ( ansac ion) is wha we label as “in e i m collabo a ion”, de ined
as any non ansi o y ela ion among independen companies which in ol es exchange and/o
sha ing o esou ces and capabili ies o ob ain mu ually bene icial ou comes. Wi h his de ini ion,
we iden i y ansac ions whe e he e a e a leas wo i ms and bo h emain legally independen
en i ies (so he ansac ion does no ake place wi hin a single i m, as would be he case i i was
he esul o a me ge , acquisi ion o in e nal de elopmen ). Also we iden i y ansac ions whe e he
ela ion among he pa icipa ing i ms goes beyond an anonymous spo exchange o goods o
se ice a a ma ke p ede e mined p ice (so e en ha he ansac ion akes place in he domain o
he ma ke i in ol es long e m ela ions wi h iden i iable pa ies). In some cases he collabo a ion
in ol es exchange o an al eady exis ing good o se ice in a long- e m non-spo basis. In o he s,
collabo a ing i ms sha e esou ces o ca y ou ex-no o ac i i ies ei he c ea ing a he same ime a
new en i y ( i m) o wi hou c ea ing i .
The ansac ion a ibu e lis ed as de e minan s o he cos o go e nance, di e ac oss he au ho s.
Williamson (1985) selec ed h ee: he na u e o he in ol ed asse s, gene al o speci ic; he
a ailable in o ma ion, unce ain y and symme y; he equency unde which he ansac ion akes
place. Milg om and Robe s (1992), on he o he hand, indica e i e po en ially ele an a ibu es:
he speci ici y o in es men s, equency and du a ion be ween consecu i e ansac ions;
complexi y and unce ain y abou possible ac ions in he u u e; di icul y o measu ing he
pe o mance along he ansac ion; in e ela ions among ansac ion and/o pe sons in ol ed.
In he p esen pape we shall e e o he le el o “ ansac ion complexi y”, assumed o be an
inc easing unc ion o in e dependencies among ansac ing uni s, le el o asse speci ici y,
unce ain y abou u u e con ingencies and di icul ies o measu ing pe o mance. As in o he s
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esea ch pape s, he a ibu es conside ed as sou ces o complexi y a e no di ec ly obse able, and
hey will ha e o be app oxima e by a iables ha can be obse ed.
The go e nance o ms
Imai and I ami (1984) made he impo an dis inc ion be ween whe e ansac ions ake place, in he
ma ke o wi hin i ms, and he p inciples used o go e n hem, o ganiza ion p inciples o ma ke
p inciples. In e i m collabo a ion akes place in he domain o he ma ke , as he wo o mo e i ms
in ol ed emain independen , bu some imes hey ely mos ly on o ganiza ion p incipals, such as
hie a chy, adminis a i e con ol, and o mal coo dina ion uni s. Mos o he p e ious wo ks on he
go e nance o collabo a ions ha e made he dis inc ion be ween go e nance o ms ha ely on
con ac s and o ms ha ely on hie a chical con ols. F om an empi ical pe spec i e, con ac s a e
u he di ided in unila e al o bila e al exchange (Oxley, 1997). Wi hin he hie a chy, di e ences
in deg ee ha e been a ibu ed o equi y (mino i y) exchange, and o he c ea ion o a new
independen i m -join en u e- (Gula i and Singh, 1998).
Implici in he no ion o hie a chy he e is he idea o au ho i y and ia (Williamson, 1991). The
li e a u e on in e i m collabo a ion has ex ensi ely desc ibed how join en u es, o example,
imply he in oduc ion o hie a chical p incipals, compa ed wi h he case o con ac s. Howe e , he
implica ions in e ms o alloca ing owne ship igh s ha e been igno ed. This is why we ex end he
choice o go e nance o conside he heo y o p ope y igh s, in oduced in G ossman and Ha
(1986) and summa ized in de ail in Ha (1995).
Agen s pa icipa ing in exchange and/o p oduc ion a e o en o ced o ely on incomple e
con ac s. This is due o he ac ha when he con ac is w i en down i is impossible o ex emely
cos ly o an icipa e all u u e con ingencies, o such con ingencies will be un e i iable by hi d
pa ies (mainly he cou s) when hey ac ually occu . The e o e, incomple e con ac s a e
ambiguous abou wha will happen in ce ain ci cums ances, so a mechanism has o be designed o
esol e such ambigui y. P esumably, a new ba gaining p ocess will be ini ia ed, bu e en in his
si ua ion i has o be an icipa ed wha will happen in case o disag eemen .
The p ope y igh s heo y associa es he ac ual esolu ion o he incomple e con ac s wi h he
alloca ion o “ esidual decision igh s”. To hold such igh s o e he non-human asse s o he
ansac ion means o ha e he igh s o decide on any non-an icipa ed con ingency. In his ega d, o
be he “owne ” o an asse is o hold he esidual decision igh s on he asse . Owne ship is an
ins i u ion o alloca e esidual decision igh s. In a wo ld o comple e con ac s, whe e e e y hing is
p ede e mined ex-an e, owne ship is i ele an . Bu when con ac s a e incomple e and he e a e
9
speci ici ies in he ansac ion, he alloca ion o decision igh s (owne ship) ma e s in e ms o
incen i es o in es mo e o less in he speci ic asse s, be o e he ansac ion akes place.
In he p ope y igh s amewo k, go e nance o ms di e acco ding o how esidual decision igh s
a e alloca ed. When asse s in bo h sides o he ansac ion belong o one o he pa ies we e e o
single owne ship because he decision igh s a e concen a ed in only one pa . This is he si ua ion
c ea ed when wo p e iously legally independen i ms me ge in o a single one. I each o he wo
o mo e ansac ing pa ies has e o powe on he use o he asse s, he go e nance is known as
join owne ship; a 50 – 50 equi y join en u e be ween wo i ms will be a o m o join owne ship.
I he esidual decision igh s a e alloca ed o a hi d pa y no di ec ly in ol ed in he ansac ion,
as i would be he case in collabo a ion whe e some hi d pa y a bi a ion is con empla ed in he
con ac o esol e dispu es, he go e nance o m is known as ila e al go e nance. Finally,
owne ship o he asse s can be dis ibu ed among ansac ing pa ies; sepa a ed owne ship.
A ypology.
Bo owing om ansac ion cos s economics and om he heo y o p ope y igh s, he go e nance
o ms a ailable o exchange and p oduc ion can be desc ibed as ollows; see Figu e 1
Spo Classical Con ac ing co esponds o pu e ma ke exchange whe e p ices a e he main (and
su icien ) in o ma ion o adjus esou ce alloca ion decision in an e icien way. Buye s and selle s
can subs i u e each o he a no cos and he e o e he iden i y o he ansac ing pa ies is i ele an
(anonymi y). Finally, he “quid” and he “quo” o he exchange occu a he same ime, so
exchange only akes place when he e is mu ual compliance.
Long Te m Classical Con ac is a go e nance o m close o he pu e ma ke go e nance as i
con inues o ely on p ices o guide adjus men s and coo dina e decisions. Con ac s a e ai ly
s anda dized and comple e bu he epea ed and long- e m pe spec i e o he ansac ion makes
ele an he iden i y o he pa ies. To subs i u e a pa ne has an impo an cos (a leas you ha e
he sea ch cos s, ying o ind he bes new pa ne ). A ime dis ance will gene ally exis be ween
he “quid” and he “quo” o he ansac ion, and he e o e he o mal and explici con ac plays a
mo e signi ican ole in egula ing he ansac ion.
Neoclassical Con ac ing is a go e nance o m whe e con ac s p o ide a amewo k unde which
p oduc ion o exchange will ake place, and some deg ee o incomple eness and ambigui y is
acknowledged. The owne ship o he asse s is sepa a ed among he ansac ing pa ies, as in he
p e ious wo cases, bu he con ac may include sa egua ds o he ansac ing pa ies in he o m
16
Figu e 2. Rela ionship be ween Go e nance Cos s and T ansac ion Complexi y.
Go e nance Cos s
1
*
X2
*
X
Go e nmen h ough Go e nmen h ough
Long Te m Classical Con ac Hie a chy
Go e nmen h ough
Neoclassical Con ac
Sou ce: Adap ed om Williamson (1991).
Figu e 2, oge he wi h he a ibu es o he T ansac ion which ha e been ecognized as sou ces o
complexi y, allow us o o mula e he ollowing hypo hesis:
H1a: The e exis wo o de ed complexi y h esholds in in e - i m collabo a ions, which
de e mine he espec i e choice o Long Te m Classical con ac ing, Neoclassical con ac ing
and Hie a chical a angemen s.
H1b: Complexi y is posi i ely associa ed wi h coo dina ion needs, as in e dependencies
inc ease, and also wi h incen i e p oblems, in o ma ion asymme ies, esou ce speci ici y and
measu emen cos .
So a , no conside a ion is made o he cos s o owne ship, as he subs i u ion o con ac s by
hie a chy has only conside ed he in oduc ion o adminis a i e and ope a ional mechanisms o
coo dina ion and con ol. As i has been men ioned abo e, o go om “con ac s” o “ i ms”
implies o change he alloca ion o owne ship igh s on non-human asse s and his has implica ions
o e iciency.
Long-Te m Classical Con ac
Neoclassical Con ac
Hie a chy
T ansac ion Complexi y

17
Mo eo e , join owne ship is only e icien , compa ed wi h all owne ship al e na i es, unde
special condi ions. So he p ope y H’x < N’x no longe holds in gene al: sepa a ed owne ship o
physical asse s, which is he case in Neoclassical con ac ing, may be mo e e icien in e ms o ex-
an e incen i es o in es in asse s speci ic o he ansac ion, han join owne ship.
F om he p ope y igh s pe spec i e, hen, hie a chy may be less a ac i e han con ac s a high
le els o complexi y (unce ain y and esou ce speci ici ies), especially when he speci ic asse s a e
human capi al no inco po a ed in o physical capi al in he p ocess o he ansac ion.
H2: When he e a e ex-an e in es men s in human capi al embodied on he pe sons making
he in es men , in e - i m collabo a ions which imply join owne ship o he non human
asse s a e less likely han hose which keep owne ship o asse s sepa a ed among he
collabo a ing pa ies.
Consequen ly, in he case o join en u es, we may ha e o weigh he po en ial bene i s o
in oducing adminis a i e sys ems, which help o sol e coo dina ion needs, wi h he di ec cos s o
hese sys ems AND wi h he indi ec cos s due o he choice o an ine icien go e nance o m om
he poin o iew o he alloca ion o owne ship igh s.
2.2. Collusion oppo uni ies and implici con ac s as de e minan s o he i ms bounda ies
Collusion in e es s
In e - i m collabo a ions may no only espond o e iciency conside a ions aimed o lowe
p oduc ion and ansac ion cos s, bu o acili a e coo dina ion among i ms in he p oduc ma ke
and alle ia e compe i i e p essu es.
I i ms a e i als in he p oduc ma ke he cos s and bene i s o collabo a ion a e mo e di icul o
e alua e since now hey may in e e e wi h he compe i i e p ocess. Veugele s and Kes eloo
(1996) each his conclusion o i ms collabo a ing in R&D ac i i ies. Reynolds and Snapp (1986),
on he o he hand, show ha i ms in he same p oduc ma ke may educe he in ensi y o
compe i ion and ob ain p o i s close o he monopoly solu ion by c ea ing equi y linkages among
hem (c oss-sha eholding and join en u es). The sea ch o mo e ma ke powe and he acili a e o
collusi e p ac ices may hen be addi ional easons why i ms collabo a e.
18
H3: Fo a gi en le el o ansac ion complexi y, in e - i m collabo a ions wi h equi y linkages
a e mo e likely when he e a e oppo uni ies o a enua e p oduc ma ke compe i ion among
collabo a ing i ms.
Implici con ac s
The economic analysis o in e - i m collabo a ions as a pa o he b oade ques ion o explaining
he bounda ies o he i m (ma ke , in eg a ion, hyb ids) has conside ed so a he selec ion among
explici con ac s (mo e o less comple e) o egula e he ansac ions. Howe e , collabo a ing
pa ies may also ely on implici con ac s, i.e. con ac s ha a e sus ained by mu ual p omises o
good ai h, non-oppo unis ic beha io and p io i y o collec i e in e es o e indi idual ones.
T ansac ing pa ies a e willing o pa icipa e in ansac ions go e ned by implici con ac s because
he e a e sa ings in cos s compa ed wi h he use o explici con ac s sus ained by he cou s and
legal p ocedu es, and because each one belie es ha he o he pa ies will comply wi h he
p omises o no ac ing oppo unis ically. The educ ion in cos s is ob ious i we ake in o accoun
ha con ac s do no ha e o be w i en down and ha no ex-pos e i ica ion by hi d pa will be
implemen ed (since he e is no o mal con ac , e i ica ion is excluded as a possibili y).
The c edibili y o p omises o “good beha io ” will be sus ained by he p esence o social no ms,
Coleman (1990), Kandel and Lazea (1992), and by he egois ic in e es o p ese ing a good
epu a ion. I one pa y abuses o he us o he o he , who accep ed o ansac unde he
go e nance o an implici con ac , i may be b oken a social no m which es ablishes wha a e
conside ed he desi able pa e ns o beha io om he poin o iew o he collec i i y. Social
p essu es in he o m o sen imen s o “guil ” and/o “shame” make p omises c edible as pa ies
know ha hose making he p omises will y o a oid such social sanc ions.
Repu a ion helps o sus ain implici con ac s, as pe sons build up belie es abou u u e beha io o
he o he s based upon obse ed beha io in he pas (K eps, 1990). I one agen has abused o he
us o he o he s in he pas , i is expec ed ha no one will wan o be in ol ed in implici
con ac s wi h such agen in he u u e. The po en ial sho - e m bene i o he abuse may be o se
by he u u e losses, as he abuse will no be able o pa icipa e o he ad an ages o implici
con ac s. In ac , some ansac ions may gene a e so high ansac ion cos s i hey ely on explici
con ac s ha hey can only be iable i implici con ac s a e easible. The e o e, he access o such
ansac ions will be es ic ed o hose whose epu a ion induces in o he s belie es o good ai h in
hei beha io .
19
In he in e - i m collabo a ion li e a u e, implici con ac s can be conside ed subs i u es o explici
con ac p o isions in Neoclassical con ac ing, and/o subs i u es o oice and o he sa egua d
mechanisms agains oppo unis ic beha io when Hie a chies subs i u e con ac s. The e o e, o a
gi en le el o ansac ion complexi y i is expec ed o obse e less hie a chical go e nance
s uc u es in collabo a ions whe e implici con ac s a e easible han in hose whe e hey a e no
(Gula i, 1995; Gula i and Singh, 1998; Oxley, 1997).
H4a: Fo a gi en le el o ansac ion complexi y, he likelihood o con ac ual sa egua ds and
hie a chical con ols in in e - i m collabo a ion is lowe when collabo a ions a e ca ied
o wa d unde condi ions which a o social no ms and epu a ion e ec s, as sus ainable o
implici con ac s.
No ice, howe e , ha , as indica ed abo e, he p ope y igh s heo y inds complemen a i ies
be ween implici con ac s and some o ms o hie a chical go e nance s uc u es conside ed in
in e - i m collabo a ions, such as join en u es, as a case o join owne ship. Recall ha he
e iciency o join owne ship as a o m o go e nance is eco e ed when epu a ion conside a ions
a e in oduced in o he analysis. The eason is ha , wi h join owne ship, i is possible o lowe he
pa ies payo s in he case o con ac abuse and, consequen ly, inc ease he u u e losses which a e
compa ed wi h sho - e m bene i s o de ec ing; Halonen (1994).
H4b: The likelihood o join owne ship in in e - i m collabo a ions wi h pe son-embodied
speci ic human capi al inc eases unde condi ions ha a o epu a ion e ec s.
3. EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
The da a used in his wo k come om a de ailed s udy o he in e - i m collabo a ions announced in
Spanish leading economic newspape s and magazines du ing he h ee-yea pe iod o 1990 ill
1992. The condi ion o an announcemen o be included in he da abase was ha a leas one o he
pa icipa ing i ms had o be om Spain. When possible, he desc ip ion o he collabo a ion and o
he selec ed go e nance s uc u e was comple ed wi h in o ma ion coming om di e en sou ces.
Finally, a o al o 1148 e idences o collabo a ions we e iden i ied and comple ely desc ibed wi h
he a iables lis ed below.
Va iables
Dependen Va iable
The dependen a iable is he go e nance o m o he collabo a ion. The coding o his a iable
p oceeds as ollows:
20
i) Long Te m Classical Con ac = 0, when he collabo a ion is an Exchange Ag eemen
ii) Neoclassical Con ac = 1, when he collabo a ion is an Alliance
iii) Hie a chy = 2, when he collabo a ion in ol e a C oss-Sha eholding o a Join Ven u e.
An in e i m collabo a ion is iden i ied as an Exchange Ag eemen when i in ol es he supply o a
p oduc , se ice o know-how om one i m o he o he in a ecu en basis; when i ms sha e a
gi en acili y o ma ke ing, dis ibu ion o a e sale se ices; echnology licensing; subcon ac ing
o manu ac u e o R&D.
Fo example, since 1995 F eixene , he Spanish i m leade o he spa kling wine ma ke , is
collabo a ing wi h he Ge man dis ibu o Eckes. The ela ion is based on a dis ibu ion con ac
among bo h i ms. The ime pe iod ha was ini ially es ablished we e h ee yea s (a he end o his
pe iod bo h i ms could main ain he ela ion i hey we e in e es ed in). The con ac clauses
es ablish he supply o he p oduc (speci ying all hei cha ac e is ics) and some aspec s o he
ma ke ing p og am. Fo example, Eckes mus sell a minimum o bo les. I hey could no do i ,
F eixene would be able o cancel he con ac , compensa ing Eckes wi h an amoun equi alen o
one-yea p o i s8.
Collabo a ion is classi ied as an Alliance when i ms se up a p ojec ha implies he p oduc ion o
de elopmen o a non-exis ing p oduc o se ice. No new legally independen en i y is c ea ed and
he p ojec may ha e a limi ed o open ime ho izon. Fo example, Telmex, a Mexican i m, and
Tele ónica de eloped a p ojec wi h he pu pose o inally c ea ing a digi al sys em ope a ed
h ough a subma ine cable o op ic ibe . No ime limi was es ablished in he con ac .
The exchange o mino i y in e es , C oss-Sha eholdings, and he c ea ion o new en i ies, Join
en u es, a e he collabo a ions mo e easy o iden i y and p ope ly sepa a e om Alliances and
Exchange Ag eemen s. Fo example, Banco de San ande and Royal Bank o Sco land exchanged
equi y ( he o me bough 9.9 pe cen o sha es o he la e and Bank o Sco land bough 4.9 pe
cen o Banco San ande ) o do join in es men s in Eu ope and exchange expe ience and
echnology. On he o he hand, Ace inox, a Spanish company, and A mco, a US i m, join ly
c ea ed he i m No h Ame ican S ainless, an example o join en u e.
The codi ica ion o he a iables does no explici ly ecognize he di e en o ms o owne ship.
Howe e no ice ha Exchange Ag eemen s and Alliances a e cases o Sepa a e Owne ship as
collabo a ing i ms con ol he esidual decisions igh , i any, o he physical asse s in ol ed in he
collabo a ion. C oss-sha eholdings and Join en u es, on he o he hand, a e ea ed ini ially as
21
o ms o Join Owne ship. Ideally, i would be o in e es o know in which cases he pa ies ha e
indi idual e o powe on he asse s combined in he collabo a ion and/o he ac ual sha es hold o
each o hem in he join en u e, bu such in o ma ion was no a ailable. No ice, howe e , ha
Ge inge and He be (1989) and Killing (1983) epo empi ical e idence on he ac ha , in
gene al, he c ea ion o a join en u e inco po a es he igh o e o o e s a egic decisions by he
pa ne s. We ely on his e idence o assume ha his e o powe is p esen in mos o he join
en u es o ou sample, al hough his e idence has no been con as ed. To see he obus ness o he
esul s o his assump ion some sensi i i y analysis will be pe o med, o example, excluding
c oss-sha eholdings as a o m o join owne ship.
Explana o y a iables
In his pape we conside ha i is possible o assign a mo e o less deg ee o complexi y o he
obse ed ansac ion depending upon he unce ain y, he asse s speci ici y, in e dependencies,
numbe o pa ies, measu emen p oblems, e c. The assump ion pos ula es ha mo e complex
ansac ions p esen highe alues in hese unde lying a ibu es.
Mos o en, empi ical da a do no allow measu ing di ec ly he heo e ically pos ula ed a ibu es;
he e o e, we ha e o manage wi h he app op ia e p oxies. In ou pa icula case, he a ibu es o
he ansac ion ac ually obse ed a e: he numbe o collabo a ing pa ies; whe he he e a e
mul iple ac i i ies con empla ed in he ansac ion o only a single one; whe he he collabo a ion
in ol es R&D ac i i ies o no ; whe he he collabo a ion had o do wi h he expansion in he same
p oduc -ma ke whe e he i ms a e al eady ac i e o , o he con a y, in ol es di e si ica ion in o
new ones. We now ela e hese obse able a iable a ibu es wi h he sou ces o complexi y.
The numbe o independen pa ies in ol ed in he ansac ion will a ec he complexi y o such
ansac ion as he numbe o po en ial in e ac ions, and he e o e in e dependencies among hem,
will inc ease wi h such numbe . So, he numbe o pa ne s is conside ed o ha e posi i e
in luences on he coo dina ion needs. The p oblems o measu ing indi idual con ibu ions o he
collec i e ac ion, which acili a e ee iding beha io (Alchian and Demse z, 1972), will also likely
inc ease.
As he numbe o ac i i ies o be pe o med wi hin he in e - i m collabo a ion inc eases, i is likely
ha he numbe o in e dependencies will also inc ease. Collabo a ions wi h mul iple ac i i ies
(coded wi h 1) as compa ed wi h hose wi h a single ac i i y (0), ha e mo e coo dina ion needs.
Fu he mo e, he likely in e ela ions among hem will make mo e di icul o spell ou he

22
con ibu ions and pay-o o each pa ne and, he e o e, i will inc ease he isks o exp op ia ion,
compa ed wi h hose when only one ac i i y is pe o med. The e o e i is possible o associa e his
obse ed a ibu e wi h highe deg ees o ansac ion complexi y.
The wo o he a ibu es a ec ing he complexi y o he ansac ion a e he ealiza ion o echnology
and R&D ela ed ac i i ies (1), compa ed wi h he absence o such ac i i ies (0), and whe he he
pu pose o he collabo a ion is o di e si y in o new p oduc -ma ke (1), compa ed wi h expansion
in he cu en ones (0).
The p esence o R&D ela ed ac i i ies in he collabo a ion sugges ha he ansac ion in ol e
p oduc ion and ans e o knowledge, which is di icul o p o ec wi h con ac s. In his si ua ion,
ansac ion complexi y inc eases because (A ow, 1969; Williamson, 1985):
i) Fo ixing a p ice i is necessa y o know he p oduc , bu once he knowledge is acqui ed
he e is no poin in paying he p ice.
ii) The knowledge may be non-codi ied and o en ex-an e unce ain, so he ou comes o he
ansac ion a e di icul o enume a e and e i y.
iii) The gene a ion o knowledge o en in ol es sunk cos s and he e o e speci ic esou ces o
he ansac ion.
Finally, i will be assumed ha inno a ion h ough R&D ac i i ies is likely o ha e mo e pe son
embodied human capi al han o he ac i i ies. Inno a ion is highly labo in ensi e and he cos s
incu ed on i a e widely ecognized as sunk cos s (S igli z, 1987).
In e - i m collabo a ions which imply di e si ica ion in o new p oduc s and ma ke s will be
associa ed wi h mo e ansac ion complexi y han hose which only expand cu en p oduc s-
ma ke s o he pa ies, because i is expec ed highe unce ain y in he o me han in he la e .
Expansion will allow he ansac ing pa ies o d aw om p e ious expe iences a he ime o
enume a ing possible con ingencies o ake place along he ansac ion. Di e si ica ion, on he o he
hand, implies newness and less po en ial o an icipa ing dis up ing e en s and o e alua ing hei
likelihood o occu ence.
The condi ions ha a o social p essu e and epu a ion e ec s as sus ainable o implici con ac s,
a e p oxies by he a iables na ionali y o he collabo a ing pa and loca ion o he ac i i ies o be
ca ied ou . Social no ms a e mo e likely in cul u ally homogeneous social communi ies. Mo eo e ,
geog aphical p oximi y will acili a e he obse a ion o he beha io o he pa ne s and check
whe he such beha io is consis en o no wi h he p emises. Obse a ion o he beha io , o a
23
leas , o he consequences o i , is necessa y o apply social sanc ions such as shame, and o s a
he applica ion o economic penal ies by excluding he de ia ing pa om u u e collabo a ions.
The pa ne na ionali y a iable is di ided in i e ca ego ies: Spanish, Eu opean Union, Uni ed
S a es, Japan and O he coun ies. Implici con ac s a e expec ed o be mo e iable when pa ne s
a e Spanish o Eu opean (cul u al p oximi y). I may also be a gued ha highe socio-cul u al
dis ance among collabo a ing pa ne s may di icul collabo a ions ha in ol e s ong in e pe sonal
ela ions. So, ins ead o in oducing mo e hie a chical con ols, i ms choose o ely on mo e
s anda dized con ac s such as licensing. So, socio-cul u al dis ance may a o bo h, long- e m
con ac s and hie a chies.
Collusion oppo uni ies a e p oxied by a a iable ha e e s o he na u e o he ela ions among
collabo a ing i ms. A dis inc ion is made be ween ho izon al (1) and e ical (0) ela ion. In he
i s case, collabo a ing i ms belong o he same s age o he indus y’s alue chain and he e o e
a e likely o compe e in he same ma ke . Ve ical ela ions occu when i ms belong o consecu i e
s ages o he alue chain. The sea ch o ma ke powe , as a possible objec i e o some o m o
equi y linkages among i ms, can be expec ed unde ho izon al ela ions.
In o ma ion is also a ailable on he economic sec o whe e he collabo a ion akes place.
Manu ac u ing, Cons uc ion and Se ice sec o s a e widely ep esen ed. I is acknowledge ha
pa en p o ec ion di e ac oss indus ies (Oxley, 1997; Gula i and Singh, 1998), so he legal sys em
will p o ec in a di e en deg ee he in e es s o he pa s depending upon he economic sec o
whe e he collabo a ion is de eloped. Fu he mo e, acco ding o Ha igan (1985) apidly changing
echnological de elopmen induces he o ma ion o somewha mo e in o mal o ms o
collabo a ion such as non-equi y ag eemen s. As indus ies become ma u e, mo e o mal modes o
collabo a ion such as join en u es become he p e e ed ones. So, in choosing pa icula modes o
collabo a ion, he le el o echnological sophis ica ion o indus ies plays an impo an ole
(Hagedoo n and Na ula, 1996, p. 280). Osbo n and Baughn’s (1990) su ey sugges ha
echnological s abili y o indus ial sec o s is a c ucial ac o in explaining di e en pa e ns o
equi y and non-equi y pa ne ships. The es ima ion will con ol o sec o e ec s including sec o
dummies as explana o y a iables.
Finally, wo ime dummies, one o he yea 1990 and o he o he yea 1991 (so he omi ed yea
is 1992), a e included as con ol a iables o accoun o possible mac oeconomic ac o s common
o all collabo a ing i ms in a gi en yea . Table 1 summa izes he explana o y a iables used in he
analysis and p o ides basic desc ip i e s a is ics o each o hem.
24
Inse Table 1.
O e all, 26 pe cen o he collabo a ions a e Exchange Ag eemen s, 32 pe cen Alliances and 41
pe cen in ol e equi y in e es s (C oss-sha eholdings and join en u es). The dominan o m o
collabo a ion has he ollowing a ibu es: i in ol es ac i i ies di e en om R&D, i is c ea ed
wi h he pu pose o ma ke expansion, he pa ne is om ou side om Spain, he collabo a ion
akes place in a manu ac u ing sec o and he i ms in ol ed ha e an ho izon al ela ion.
Me hodology
To es he hypo heses we shall use wo me hodologies: o de ed logi and mul inomial logi choice
models.
Le xi be he le el o complexi y o collabo a ion i whe e:
Xi = βyi + εi(3)
The ec o yi includes all he a iables (p oxies) conside ed as sou ces o complexi y ( oge he wi h
possible con ol e ms); he ec o β includes he weigh s a ached o each sou ce o complexi y;
and εi is he e o e m.
The heo e ical model, syn hesized in condi ions (1) and (2), assumes ha he unobse able
a iable xi de e mines he choice o one o he o de ed go e nance o ms as i alls in one o he
ollowing disc e e in e als:
i) I xi < µ0, Long Te m Con ac (=0) is selec ed
ii) I µ0 < xi < µ1, Neoclassical Con ac (=1) is selec ed
iii) I µ1< xi, Hie a chy (=2) is selec ed (4)
The o de ed logi s a is ical analysis es ima es he ec o o pa ame e s β aking in o accoun he
obse ed cha ac e is ics o he collabo a ion yi and he mapping in (4). I assumes ha he
unde lying p obabili y dis ibu ion o εi is no mal.
Accep ance o hypo hesis 1 equi es ha he h esholds le els µ0 and µ1, wi h µ0 < µ1, a e
con i med by he s a is ical es ima ion and ha he a iables conside ed associa ed wi h complexi y
do in ac ha e a β coe icien posi i e and signi ican .
Ou model de i es he h esholds µ0 and µ1 assuming p ope ies (1) and (2) o he unde lying and
unobse able cos unc ions. The mul inomial logi choice model p o ides an s a is ical
25
me hodology which is based upon he compa ison o he u ili ies (nega i e cos s), associa ed wi h
each o he al e na i e go e nance o ms, gi en a ec o o ansac ion’s cha ac e is ics. In
p obabilis ic o m, he model is exp essed as ollows:
Pij = P(G = j / yi) = e αjyi / Σk eαkyi
Whe e Pij is he p obabili y ha collabo a ion i is go e ned by s uc u e j, j = 0, 1, 2; αj is a ec o
o coe icien s which de e mine he impac o he explana o y a iables on he p obabili y ha each
o he go e nance o ms will be selec ed. The a ia ion o αj ac oss go e nance o ms is consis en
wi h he assump ion ha he cos unc ions (u ili ies) a e di e en o each o hem, see Figu e 2.
To es ima e he coe icien αj he u ili y o one o he al e na i es is used as no maliza ion alue. In
ou case, he al e na i e will be he Long Te m Classical con ac ing. The e o e, he pa ame e s o
he o he al e na i es ha e o be in e p e ed in e e ence o he omi ed one. A pa icula alue o
one es ima ed coe icien αlj, indica es he ex en o which he a ibu e l o he ansac ion
con ibu es o he u ili y o go e nance al e na i e j, beyond he con ibu ion ha his a ibu e
would ha e in de e mining he u ili y o he base op ion, Long Te m Classical con ac ing.
The exis ence o he h esholds o complexi y pos ula ed in hypo hesis 1 is he esul o inc easing
ixed cos s and dec easing ma ginal cos s wi h espec o complexi y as go e nance o ms
app oxima e he hie a chy. I he base op ion o compa e wi h is he Long Te m Classical
con ac ing, hen we should expec ha he likelihood o choosing o he go e nance o ms di e en
om he base op ion a lowe le els o ansac ion complexi y dec eases as such go e nance o ms
a e close o he hie a chy. A he same ime, he likelihood o choosing an al e na i e go e nance
o m compa ed wi h ha o choosing he base op ion, as complexi y inc eases should inc ease
mo e in ensi ely as mo e hie a chical is he al e na i e o m. The e o e, we expec α1 < α2.
The mul inomial logi choice model allows o ano he way o es H1a, and also will be he
me hodology used o es he o he hypo heses as hey a e o mula ed in e ms o compa isons o
likelihood alues.
4. RESULTS
The i s es ima ion co esponds o he o de ed logi model; Table 2. The s a is ical package
LIMDEP 5 used o such es ima ion, ixes a h eshold alue o µ0 = 0, and he e o e, in Table 2
only he es ima ed alue o µ1, he second h eshold, is epo ed.
32
h eshold alue o he a iable which de e mines he choice o he go e nance o m. Howe e , such
h eshold is he co ne s one o he heo y, as ou Figu e 2 makes clea . Mo eo e , ou in e p e a ion
o he a iable which de e mines he choice o go e nance in e ms o complexi y o he ansac ion
as his complexi y alls wi hin ce ain limi s, h esholds alues, i is mo e consis en wi h he heo y
ha he in e p e a ion gi en in Oxley (1997, p. 401). Secondly, we es ablish a de ailed link be ween
he coe icien s es ima ed in he mul inomial logi model and he o de ed logi esul s. Such link is
possible because hese coe icien s can be ela ed o he di e ences in ixed cos s and in a iable
cos s o go e nance, ac oss go e nance o ms, as a unc ion o any a iable ha makes he
ansac ion mo e o less complex in he e ms es ablished in he pape .
As i is gene ally he case in p e ious li e a u e and hypo hesized in he heo y sec ion, he pape
also inds e idence ha he cul u al and social p oximi y o he pa ne s, measu ed by hei
geog aphical o igin, may in luence he choice o he go e nance o m. P oximi y a o s in gene al
Neoclassical con ac ing, i.e. he in e media e o m be ween Classical (Long-Te m) con ac s and
hie a chical con ols. The e o e, collabo a ing i ms may pe cei e Classical con ac s and he
p esence o equi y in e es s as go e nance o ms which p o ide mo e p o ec ion agains ex-pos
oppo unism han Neoclassical con ac s, and hey will be p e e ed when pa ne s a e mo e
“dis an ” so implici con ac s a e less easible.
This esul , oge he wi h o he s, o example, he ac ha equi y in e es s a e mo e likely han
Classical con ac s bu less likely han Neoclassical ones when i ms a e ho izon ally ela ed,
sugges s he ele ance o disagg ega ing con ac s in wo (o mo e) ca ego ies. Compa ing a single
ca ego y o con ac wi h go e nance o ms including equi y in e es s, we would ind ha equi y
in e es s a e mo e likely when collabo a ion is among ho izon ally ela ed i ms and, acco ding o
ou hypo hesis, conclude ha he e may be collusion in e es s behind in e i m collabo a ions.
When Classical and Neoclassical con ac s a e dis inguished, such conclusion does no eme ge.
Ou pape and he esul s ob ained, al hough encou aging in e ms o opening new a enues o
empi ical wo k on he bounda ies o he i m, ha e limi a ions due mainly o he na u e o he da a.
The in o ma ion abou he collabo a ions is qui e limi ed bo h in e ms o he ac ual ea u es o he
selec ed go e nance o m and in e ms o he a ibu es which a e iden i ied as sou ces o
complexi y in he ansac ion. We would ha e bene i ed om a mo e de ailed desc ip ion o he
e ms o he con ac s o make su e ha he coding o he dependen a iable was he co ec one.
This di icul y is o en ecognized in he li e a u e, Oxley (1997, p. 391), bu ne e heless i is
impo an o ecall i and in oduce some cau ion in he conclusions. In o ma ion was also limi ed
on he ype o echnological ac i i ies and in pa icula whe he hey eally in ol ed pe son

33
embodied speci ic human capi al. To ha e his de ailed in o ma ion, as well as he deg ee o
complemen a i y be ween human and non-human asse s in ol ed in he collabo a ion, i will be
c i ical o be able o p og ess in empi ical analysis o he p ope y igh s p edic ions. We hope ha
he p elimina y e idences p esen ed in his pape will encou age u u e e o s o collec hese da a
and e i y he obus ness o he esul s.
34
Table 1. Desc ip i e S a is ics o he Va iables.
Va iable Mean S anda d
De ia ion Minimum Maximum
Numbe o pa ne s (mean) 2.27 0.94 2 16
Coope a ion ange (%) 0.527 0.5 0 1
1. Mul iple ac i i ies
0. One ac i i y
Kind o ac i i y (%) 0.082 0.27 0 1
1. R+D
0. O he kind
Na u e (%) 0.609 0.49 0 1
1. Ho izon al
0. Ve ical
Pu pose (%) 0.07 0.25 0 1
1. Di e si ica ion
0. O he
Nacionali y (%) 0.652 0.48 0 1
1. In e na ional
0. Na ional
Sec o (%)
Manu ac u ing (dummy) 0.436 0.50 0 1
Gene al se ices (dummy) 0.265 0.44 0 1
Ene gy (dummy) 0.112 0.32 0 1
Cons uc ion (dummy) 0.069 0.25 0 1
Finance se ices (dummy) 0.118 0.32 0 1
Pa ne ’s coun y
Eu ope (dummy) 0.405 0.491 0 1
USA (dummy) 0.103 0.304 0 1
Japan (dummy) 0.034 0.183 0 1
O he (dummy) 0.456 0.498 0 1
To al collabo a ions 1148
35
Table 2. O de ed Logi Es ima ion o he Choice o Go e nance.
Model 1 Model 2
In e cep . -0.44775**
(0.19514) -0.76107**
(0.38380)
Nº pa ne s 0.11299
(0.78897E-01) 0.86489E-01
(0.84830E-01)
Mul iple 3.5044***
(0.16573) 3.5683***
(0.17632)
R+D 0.52309**
(0.25124) 0.55994**
(0.25094)
Di e si ica ion 2.1279***
(0.46526) 2.3986***
(0.47620)
Ho izon al 0.41458***
(0.14597)
Spanish 0.27627E-01
(0.22904)
Eu ope 0.37750*
(0.22256)
USA -0.40945
(0.28502)
Japan 0.23452
(0.38883)
Manu ac u ing -0.34588
(0.21862)
Cons uc ion 0.15029E-01
(0.24332)
Ene gy -0.81374***
(0.26971)
Gn al. Se ices -0.77157**
(0.30925)
Da a90 0.52688***
(0.15886)
Da a91 0.36143**
(0.16182)
MU(1) 2.5476***
(0.13570) 2.6503***
(0.13970)
Log. Likelihood -885.6349 -852.6389
Chi squa e. 709.5562*** 775.5482***
Pe cen age co ec classi ica ion 64.8% 66.63%
S anda d E o in pa en hesis.
*Signi icance < 0.1; ** Signi icance < 0.05; ***Signi icance < 0.01.
36
Table 3: Mul inomial Logi Es ima ion o he Choice o Go e nance.
Alliance Join en u e –C oss
sha eholdings Alliance Join en u e –C oss
sha eholdings
In e cep -2.4017***
(0.63206) -4.2256***
(0.73369) -2.3870***
(0.63723) -4.2234***
(0.73981)
Nº pa ne s 0.51583***
(0.19420) 0.51923**
(0.20334) 0.54326***
(0.19848) 0.54672***
(0.2075)
Mul iple 2.5029***
(0.31307) 5.1406***
(0.33287) 2.4637***
(0.31237) 5.1166***
(0.33196)
R+D 1.0269***
(0.27512) -1.3540*
(0.70703) 0.28192
(0.32978) -2.6932**
(1.1236)
Di e si ica ion 2.1697**
(1.0928) 4.3480***
(1.1347) 2.0183*
(1.1106) 4.1415***
(1.1422)
Ho izon al 1.312***
(0.21442) 0.63020**
(0.24799) 1.4202***
(0.21995) 0.70958***
(0.25066)
Spanish 1.1482***
(0.36132) 0.60872
(0.41303) 0.87867**
(0.36733) 0.37770
(0.41682)
Eu ope 0.64788*
(0.34792) 1.0296***
(0.39552) 0.65997*
(0.34714) 1.0509***
(0.39716)
USA 0.47468E-01
(0.42847) 0.17438
(0.50061) 0.85475E-01
(0.42740) 0.19522
(0.50204)
Japan 0.12250
(0.63599) 0.77240
(0.68677) 0.24290
(0.62801) 0.87603
(0.68857)
Manu ac u ing -1.6333***
(0.32403) -0.43285
(0.38995) -1.6766***
(0.32684) -0.47242
(0.39295)
Cons uc ion -0.28044
(0.35296) 0.92721E-01
(0.42069) -0.31080
(0.35632) 0.71995E-01
(0.42405)
Ene gy -0.64690
(0.39997) -1.4997***
(0.49656) -0.55857
(0.40407) -1.4160***
(0.50083)
Gn al. Se ices 1.1349
(0.82259) 0.55134
(0.87064) 1.1882
(0.82892) 0.60150
(0.87738)
Da a90 0.42867*
(0.23815) 0.96341***
(0.28187) 0.39667
(0.24174) 0.94437***
(0.28419)
Da a91 0.38318
(0.23856) 0.60610**
(0.28497) 0.35872
(0.24159) 0.58309**
(0.28676)
R&D – Spanish 2.4489***
(0.67906) 3.5564**
(1.4725)
Log. Likelihood -753.9903 -745.4062
Chi squa e 972.8455*** 990.0137***
Pe cen age co ec classi ica ion 71.95% 71.95%
S anda d e o in pa en hesis.
*Signi icance < 0.1; ** Signi icance < 0.05; ***Signi icance < 0.01.
37
NOTES:
1 In his pape he wo d “collabo a ion” is p e e ed o “coope a ion” because he la e sugges s he con e gence o
objec i es among i ms pa icipa ing in he exchange o p oduc ion and he e o e he absence o con lic s o in e es s.
The ac ha i ms collabo a e does no imply ha each one changes i s p ope objec i es and in e es s and assume
collec i e ones. The e m “alliance” also widely used o e e o any o m o collabo a ion, as in Gula i and Singh
(1998, p. 781), is used in his pape o iden i y a subse o collabo a ion o ms.
2 See o example he issue o he Jou nal o Economics S udies, Janua y (1999).
3 The e ha e been se e al pape s discussing he ad an ages and disad an ages o balanced join en u es e sus non-
balanced one’s (see Kogu (1988) o a good classi ica ion). Bu no e e ences ha e been made o he cos s and bene i s
o owne ship as conside ed in he p ope y igh app oach.
4 A de ailed compa ison be ween Classical and Neoclassical con ac ing is ound in Mcneil (1974, 1978). See also
Williamson (1991, p. 271-273; 1985, p. 70-72).
5 To igno e wo o he possible al e na i es, spo con ac ing and me ge o in e nal de elopmen , when explaining he
choice o go e nance o ms in collabo a ion, may in ac bias he esul s. In any case, he li e a u e on he de e minan s
o “ e ical in eg a ion” is e y la ge. Wo h o men ion because o i s p oximi y o in e i m collabo a ion, is he s udy
o e ical in eg a ion in he con ex o he heo y o he mul ina ional i m; Ga ignon and Ande son (1988) is an
excellen example o he wo k in his ield.
6 The exp ession L’x means he de i a i e o he unc ion L(x) wi h espec o he a iable x.
7 Linea i y o he a iable cos s unc ions is assumed o simplici y and wi hou loss o gene ali y.
8 “Compensa ion due o clien s” sa es comme ce agen s. I is supposed ha he agen c ea es some clien s o he
expo e and, o c ea ing hem, hey mus ecei e non-su ende compensa ion.
9 The esul is he same i numbe o pa ne s is ea ed as a dummy a iable wi h 0 o wo pa ne s and 1 o mo e han
wo.

38
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40
Issues:
95/1 P oduc i idad del abajo, e iciencia e hipó esis de con e gencia en la indus ia ex il-
con ección eu opea
Jo di López Sin as
95/2 El amaño de la emp esa y la emune ación de los máximos di ec i os
Ped o O ín Ángel
95/3 Mul iple-Sou cing and Speci ic In es men s
Miguel A. Ga cía-Ces ona
96/1 La es uc u a in e na de pues os y sala ios en la je a quía emp esa ial
Ped o O ín Ángel
96/2 E icien P i a iza ion Unde Incomple e Con ac s
Miguel A. Ga cía-Ces ona
Vicen e Salas-Fumás
96/3 Ins i u ional Imp in ing, Global Cul u al Models, and Pa e ns o O ganiza ional Lea ning:
E idence om Fi ms in he Middle-Range Coun ies
Mau o F. Guillén (The Wha on School, Uni e si y o Pennsyl ania)
96/4 The ela ionship be ween i m size and inno a ion ac i i y: a double decision app oach
Es e Ma ínez-Ros (Uni e si a Au ònoma de Ba celona)
José M. Labeaga (UNED & Uni e si a Pompeu Fab a)
96/5 An App oach o Asse -Liabili y Risk Con ol Th ough Asse -Liabili y Secu i ies
Joan Mon llo i Se a s
Ma ía-An onia Ta azón Rodón
97/1 P o ección de los adminis ado es an e el me cado de capi ales: e idencia empí ica en
España
Ra ael C espí i Clade a
97/2 De e minan s o Owne ship S uc u e: A Panel Da a App oach o he Spanish Case
Ra ael C espí i Clade a
97/3 The Spanish Law o Suspension o Paymen s: An Economic Analysis F om
Empi ical E idence
Es eban an Hemmen Almazo
98/1 Boa d Tu no e and Fi m Pe o mance in Spanish Companies
Ca les Gispe i Pellice
98/2 Lib e compe encia en e a egulación en la dis ibución de medicamen os:
eo ía y e idencia empí ica pa a el caso español
E a Jansson
41
98/3 Fi m’s Cu en Pe o mance and Inno a i e Beha io A e he Main De e minan s o
Sala ies in Small-Medium En e p ises
Jo di López Sin as y Es e Ma ínez Ros
98/4 On The De e minan s o Expo In e naliza ion: An Empi ical
Compa ison Be ween Ca alan and Spanish (Non-Ca alan) Expo ing Fi ms
Alex Rialp i C iado
98/5 Modelo de p e isión y análisis del equilib io inancie o en la emp esa
An onio Amo ós Mes es
99/1 A aluació dinàmica de la p oduc i i a dels hospi als i la se a descomposició
en can i ecnològic i can i en e iciència ècnica
Magda Solà
99/2 Block T ans e s: Implica ions o he Go e nance o Spanish Co po a ions
Ra ael C espí, and Ca les Gispe
99/3 The Asymme y o IBEX-35 Re u ns Wi h TAR Models
Mª Dolo es Má quez, and Césa Villazón
99/4 Sou ces and Implica ions o Asymme ic Compe i ion: An Empi ical S udy
Pila López Belbeze
99/5 El ap endizaje en los acue dos de colabo ación in e emp esa ial
Josep Rialp i C iado
00/1 The Cos o Owne ship in he Go e nance o In e i m Collabo a ions
Josep Rialp i C iado, i Vicen e Salas Fumás