Are small firms really sub-optimal?: compensating factor differentials in small dutch manufacturing firms
The advent of a growing share of small firms in modern economies raises some intriguing questions. The most intriguing question undoubtedly is why so many smaller firms, which have traditionally been classified as sub-optimal scale firms, can exist. We suggest that, through pursuing a strategy of compensating factor differentials, that is by remunerating and deploying factors of production differently than their larger counterparts, small firms are able to compensate for size-inherent cost disadvantages. Using a sample of over seven thousand Dutch manufacturing firms, we find considerable evid... Mehr ...
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Dokumenttyp: | workingPaper |
Erscheinungsdatum: | 1999 |
Schlagwörter: | firm size / firm strategy / manufacturing / minimum effect scale |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Permalink: | https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-27065880 |
Datenquelle: | BASE; Originalkatalog |
Powered By: | BASE |
Link(s) : | http://repub.eur.nl/pub/9719 |
The advent of a growing share of small firms in modern economies raises some intriguing questions. The most intriguing question undoubtedly is why so many smaller firms, which have traditionally been classified as sub-optimal scale firms, can exist. We suggest that, through pursuing a strategy of compensating factor differentials, that is by remunerating and deploying factors of production differently than their larger counterparts, small firms are able to compensate for size-inherent cost disadvantages. Using a sample of over seven thousand Dutch manufacturing firms, we find considerable evidence that such a strategy of compensating factor differentials is pursued within a European context. When viewed through a static lens, the existence of such a strategy, while making small and sub-optimal scale firms viable, suggests that they impose a net welfare loss on the economy. However, when viewed through a dynamic lens, the findings of a positive relationship between firm age and employee compensation as well as firm age and firm productivity suggest that there may be at least a tendency for the inefficient firm of today to become the efficient firm of tomorrow. 5 Are Small Firms Really Sub-Optimal?