Mimetic isomorphism, offshore outsourcing and backshoring decisions among micro and small enterprises

This paper exploits novel data on Italian manufacturing firms to investigate how mimetic isomorphism influences offshore outsourcing and backshoring decisions among micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The results show that offshore outsourcing by peers located in the same home region positively affects the likelihood that an MSE will engage in the same global sourcing strategy. When these dynamics emerge, firms are more likely to engage in...