Transfer Pricing In Transnational Operations: A Case- And Literature-Based Analysis

Abstract

This paper represents a combined case- and literature-based analysis of transnational pricing and highlights the difference in the issues and perspectives of the business and academic environments. Following an introduction to the issue (noting the growing importance of the transfer of goods from one organizational entity to another within a multinational firm), a short case - The Henderson Company - illustrates how a relatively simple announcement can lead to a lengthy and heated discussion that points out the differences in opinion both between the headquarters and the subsidiaries and between the various regional entities themselves. The analysis of the case reflecting the concerns and perspectives of the members of the international management team (in terms of involvement and partnership, legal and operational concerns, competitive marketing strategy, and evaluation, compensation, and motivational issues) is followed by a literature-based analysis that looks at the complexities of the situation in terms of management, economics, taxation, and finance research. The paper concludes with the recognition that the issue of transnational pricing is a complex one that needs to be addressed from both an organizational perspective and from an international viewpoint emphasizing the development of ways of more accurately reflecting cost allocations.