This volume gathers the cutting edge of new research on foreign direct investment and host country economic performance, and presents the most sophisticated critiques of current and past inquiries. It presents new results, concludes with an analysis of the implications for contemporary policy debates, and proposed new avenues for future research.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown dramatically and is now the largest and most stable source of private capital for developing countries and economies in transition, accounting for nearly 50 percent of all those flows. Meanwhile, the growing role of FDI in host countries has been accompanied by a change of attitude, from critical wariness toward multinational corporations to sometimes uncritical enthusiasm about their role in the development process. What are the most valuable benefits and opportunities that foreign firms have to offer? What risks and dangers do they pose? Beyond improving the micro and macroeconomic "fundamentals" in their own countries and building an investment-friendly environment, do authorities in host countries need a proactive (rather than passive) policy toward FDI? In one of the most comprehensive studies on FDI in two decades, Theodore Moran synthesizes evidence drawn from a wealth of case literature to assess policies toward FDI in developing countries and economies in transition. His focus is on investment promotion, domestic content mandates, export-performance requirements, joint-venture requirements, and technology-licensing mandates. The study demonstrates that there is indeed a large, energetic, and vital role for host authorities to play in designing policies toward FDI but that the needed actions differ substantially from conventional wisdom on the topic. Dr. Moran offers a pathbreaking agenda for host governments, aimed at maximizing the benefits they can obtain from FDI while minimizing the dangers, and suggests how they might best pursue this agenda.
Is foreign direct investment good for development? Moving beyond the findings of his previous book Does Foreign Direct Investment Promote Development? (CGD and IIE, 2005), Theodore H. Moran presents surprisingly good --and startlingly bad --news. The good news highlights how foreign direct investment can make a contribution to development significantly more powerful and more varied than conventional measurements indicate. The bad news reveals that foreign direct investment can also distort host economies and polities with consequences substantially more adverse than critics and cynics have imagined. This book rigorously examines the principal controversies and debates about FDI in manufacturing and assembly, extractive industries, and infrastructure, in light of new evidence and analysis. Written in engaging prose, it identifies how developed and developing countries, multilateral lending agencies, and civil society can work in concert to harness foreign direct investment to promote the growth and welfare of developing countries.
This Review assesses Ukraine’s investment climate vis-à-vis the country’s energy sector reforms and discusses challenges and opportunities in this context. Capitalising on the OECD Policy Framework for Investment and other relevant instruments and guidance, the Review takes a broad approach to investment climate challenges facing Ukraine’s energy sector.
Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, grade: 1,3, Berlin School of Economics, course: Development Economics, language: English, abstract: Developing countries today have to deal with the question of how to increase economic growth. This phenomenon depends on a variety of factors: political, economic and social ones. Due to globalisation, foreign direct investment (FDI) has become an often discussed issue in literature and is seen as a key factor for economic growth by many developing countries by now. But the effects of FDI are not necessarily positive. In this written assignment, the author would like to introduce policies to be conducted in order to maximise the positive effects and to minimise the negative ones. This paper will start with a definition of the terms developing country and foreign direct investment. In the second part, a short introduction in the controversial theories about the impact on economies of developing countries will be presented. In the following, several national and international policy considerations will be introduced. The paper will end with a conclusion.
This title was first published in 2002: Anthony Bende-Nabende focuses on the ongoing globalization process, which has sparked an unprecedented world-wide debate. He provides a one-stop centre for a balanced coverage of the theoretical, empirical and policy issues linking globalization with foreign direct investment, regional economic integration, and economic growth and sustainable development. This stimulating book comprehensively explores the theoretical and empirical literature inter-linking the aforementioned factors from the anti-globalization activists’ viewpoint, and from the pro-globalization proponents’ perspective. It proposes policies that individual countries should pursue, based on the recognition that globalization generates both positive and negative effects. These comprise policies required to maximise the economic benefits globalization may generate, and those that aim to eliminate or at least minimize the negative development-oriented effects globalization may engender and, hence, to propel sustainable development. The book will be an essential guide for students, academics and those involved in international economics, environmental studies, international relations, and growth and development studies.
In this cutting-edge analysis of foreign direct investment (FDI), Moran--one of the acknowledged experts in this area--questions traditional econometric measures of foreign direct investment flows, identifies flaws in past research, elaborates on how the latest research has moved More ... into new territory, and provides a first look at what new research has uncovered. Moran concentrates on FDI in the manufacturing and assembly sector, and discusses if FDI in manufacturing raises the productivity of host country economic activities, if FDI makes the host more competitive in new sectors, and generates externalities that benefit local firms and workers. He provides important new data on the kinds of activities, types of jobs, and level of wages associated with multinational manufacturing investment. This volume dissects the market failures associated with the contemporary idea of development as selfdiscovery, and addresses the tricky question of whether to provide incentives for FDI. In addition, he provides a novel reassessment of the debate about FDI crowding-out or crowding-in domestic investment. This book provides insight and lessons for developing and developed countries, NGOs, the corporate responsibility community, and multilateral lending institutions
This paper provides broader economic underpinnings for the specific issues relating to international discussions or negotiations on investment. It starts with a discussion of the effects of foreign direct investment on development through trade, one third of which takes place within corporate production systems. Then, it explores its impact on development beyond trade. By its nature, foreign direct investment brings into the recipient economy resources that are only imperfectly tradable on markets, especially technology, management know-how, skilled labor, access to international production networks, access to major markets and established brand names. The effects of foreign direct investment on development often depend on the initial conditions prevailing in the recipient countries, on the investment strategies of transnational corporations and on host government policies.--Publisher's description.
The Global Investment Competitiveness report presents new insights and evidence on drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries, and FDI’s role in development. The report’s survey of 750 executives of multinational corporations finds that a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment is a key driver of investment decisions in developing countries, along with political stability, security, and macroeconomic conditions. The report’s topic-specific chapters explore the potential of FDI to create new growth opportunities for local firms, assess the power of tax holidays and other fiscal incentives to attract FDI, analyze characteristics of FDI originating in developing countries, and examine the experience of foreign investors in countries affected by conflict and fragility. Three key features of this Global Investment Competitiveness report distinguish it from other publications on FDI. First, its insights are based on a combination of first-hand perspectives of investors, extensive analysis of available data and evidence, and international good practices in investment policy design and implementation. Secondly, rather than exploring broad FDI trends, the report provides detailed and unique analysis of FDI depending on its motivation, sector, geographic origin and destination, and phase of investment. Thirdly, the report offers practical and actionable recommendations to policymakers in developing countries wishing to reform their business climates for increased investment competitiveness. As such, the report is meant to complement other knowledge products of the World Bank Group focused even more explicitly on country-level data, detailed reform diagnostics, and presentation of best practices. We are confident this report will bring value and fresh perspectives to a variety of audiences. To governments and policymakers, including investment promotion professionals, the report offers direct insights into the role of government policies and actions in investors’ decision-making. To foreign investors and site location consultants, the report provides information on FDI trends and drivers across sectors and geographies. For academic audiences, the new datasets on investment incentives and FDI motivations enables opportunities for additional research and analysis. Lastly, for development assistance providers and other stakeholders, the report highlights key approaches for maximizing FDI’s benefits for development.
