| Scope of study. This dissertation summarizes research in examining the impact of commercial offsets and countertrade on U.S. companies. The research question suggests there is a negative impact on U.S. companies involved in countertrade activities required to obtain foreign contracts. The research question also suggests U.S. jobs lost are directly related to the level of countertrade agreements.; Findings and conclusions. Though specific countertrade information from U.S. companies is not available, deductions from annual reports, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and other public information indicates that beginning in the 1990s the practice of investments in local businesses began replacing countertrade agreements. Joint ventures, local subsidiaries, and technology transfer are more advantageous to all parties compared with contertrade. Jobs in the United States continue to be lost, not because of countertrade practices, but due to lower labor costs outside the United States. Job losses are not only in manufacturing but also in high-tech industries. |
