Supply Network Formation and Fragility

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2022
Volume: 112
Issue: 8
Pages: 2701-47

Authors (3)

Matthew Elliott (not in RePEc) Benjamin Golub (Northwestern University) Matthew V. Leduc (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We model the production of complex goods in a large supply network. Each firm sources several essential inputs through relationships with other firms. Individual supply relationships are at risk of idiosyncratic failure, which threatens to disrupt production. To protect against this, firms multisource inputs and strategically invest to make relationships stronger, trading off the cost of investment against the benefits of increased robustness. A supply network is called fragile if aggregate output is very sensitive to small aggregate shocks. We show that supply networks of intermediate productivity are fragile in equilibrium, even though this is always inefficient. The endogenous configuration of supply networks provides a new channel for the powerful amplification of shocks.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:112:y:2022:i:8:p:2701-47
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25