IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ememar/v13y2012i2p210-229.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Emerging economies' attraction of foreign direct investment

Author

Listed:
  • Groh, Alexander Peter
  • Wich, Matthias

Abstract

This paper uses a composite measure to examine why some countries attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) than others. The measure considers all identified, measurable, and comparable socioeconomic aspects that affect FDI decisions on an aggregated country level. As a result, we can rank 127 countries with respect to their FDI attraction. The measure allows detailed strength and weakness analyses and enhances the discussion of why FDI flows are concentrated in advanced economies. Additionally, the findings reveal the areas in which emerging countries should improve in order to narrow existing gaps. Our robustness checks indicate that the composite measure accurately tracks real FDI activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Groh, Alexander Peter & Wich, Matthias, 2012. "Emerging economies' attraction of foreign direct investment," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 210-229.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:13:y:2012:i:2:p:210-229
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2012.03.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1566014112000167
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ememar.2012.03.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jyothi Pantulu & Jessie P.H. Poon, 2003. "Foreign direct investment and international trade: evidence from the US and Japan," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 241-259, July.
    2. Berthelemy, Jean-Claude & Demurger, Sylvie, 2000. "Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth: Theory and Application to China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(2), pages 140-155, June.
    3. Giuseppe Nicoletti & Stefano Scarpetta & Olivier Boylaud, 2000. "Summary Indicators of Product Market Regulation with an Extension to Employment Protection Legislation," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 226, OECD Publishing.
    4. Tony Addison & Almas Heshmati, 2003. "The New Global Determinants of FDI Flows to Developing Countries: The Importance of ICT and Democratization," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2003-45, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Agnès Bénassy‐Quéré & Maylis Coupet & Thierry Mayer, 2007. "Institutional Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 764-782, May.
    6. Ebert, Udo & Welsch, Heinz, 2004. "Meaningful environmental indices: a social choice approach," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 270-283, March.
    7. Michela Nardo & Michaela Saisana & Andrea Saltelli & Stefano Tarantola & Anders Hoffman & Enrico Giovannini, 2005. "Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators: Methodology and User Guide," OECD Statistics Working Papers 2005/3, OECD Publishing.
    8. Klimis Vogiatzoglou, 2007. "Vertical Specialization and New Determinants of FDI: Evidence from South and East Asia," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(3), pages 245-266.
    9. Alfaro, Laura & Chanda, Areendam & Kalemli-Ozcan, Sebnem & Sayek, Selin, 2004. "FDI and economic growth: the role of local financial markets," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 89-112, October.
    10. Shang-Jin Wei, 2000. "How Taxing is Corruption on International Investors?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(1), pages 1-11, February.
    11. Diyarbakirlioglu, Erkin, 2011. "Foreign equity flows and the “Size Bias”: Evidence from an emerging stock market," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 485-509.
    12. Hubert Janicki & Phanindra Wunnava, 2004. "Determinants of foreign direct investment: empirical evidence from EU accession candidates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(5), pages 505-509.
    13. Noorbakhsh, Farhad & Paloni, Alberto & Youssef, Ali, 2001. "Human Capital and FDI Inflows to Developing Countries: New Empirical Evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1593-1610, September.
    14. Fung, K. C. & Iizaka, Hitomi & Parker, Stephen, 2002. "Determinants of U.S. and Japanese Direct Investment in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 567-578, September.
    15. Keith Chapman, 2003. "Cross-border mergers/acquisitions: a review and research agenda," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 309-334, July.
    16. Kamal Saggi, 2002. "Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, and International Technology Transfer: A Survey," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 17(2), pages 191-235, September.
    17. Kimberly A. Clausing & Cosmina L. Dorobantu, 2005. "Re‐entering Europe: Does European Union candidacy boost foreign direct investment?," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 13(1), pages 77-103, January.
    18. Kenneth A. Froot & Jeremy C. Stein, 1991. "Exchange Rates and Foreign Direct Investment: An Imperfect Capital Markets Approach," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 106(4), pages 1191-1217.
    19. Moosa, Imad A. & Cardak, Buly A., 2006. "The determinants of foreign direct investment: An extreme bounds analysis," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 199-211, April.
    20. Douglas Nigh, 1985. "The Effect of Political Events on United States Direct Foreign Investment: A Pooled Time-Series Cross-Sectional Analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, March.
    21. Kravis, Irving B. & Lipsey, Robert E., 1982. "The location of overseas production and production for export by U.S. multinational firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3-4), pages 201-223, May.
    22. David W Loree & Stephen E Guisinger, 1995. "Policy and Non-Policy Determinants of U.S. Equity Foreign Direct Investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(2), pages 281-299, June.
    23. Xose Rodriguez & Julio Pallas, 2008. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Spain," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(19), pages 2443-2450.
    24. Schneider, Friedrich & Frey, Bruno S., 1985. "Economic and political determinants of foreign direct investment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 161-175, February.
    25. Scaperlanda, Anthony E & Mauer, Laurence J, 1969. "The Determinants of U.S. Direct Investment in the E.E.C," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(4), pages 558-568, Part I Se.
    26. W. A. Naude & W. F. Krugell, 2007. "Investigating geography and institutions as determinants of foreign direct investment in Africa using panel data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(10), pages 1223-1233.
    27. Asiedu, Elizabeth, 2002. "On the Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment to Developing Countries: Is Africa Different?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 107-119, January.
    28. Koji Miyamoto, 2003. "Human Capital Formation and Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries," OECD Development Centre Working Papers 211, OECD Publishing.
    29. Shang-Jin Wei, 2000. "Local Corruption and Global Capital Flows," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 31(2), pages 303-354.
    30. Ladekarl, Jeppe & Zervos, Sara, 2004. "Housekeeping and plumbing - the investability of emerging markets," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3229, The World Bank.
    31. Zhang, Xiaoxi & Daly, Kevin, 2011. "The determinants of China's outward foreign direct investment," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 389-398.
    32. Erkin Diyarbakirlioglu, 2011. "Foreign equity flows and the "Size Bias" : Evidence from an emerging stock market," Post-Print hal-01127657, HAL.
    33. Ladekarl, Jeppe & Zervos, Sara, 2004. "Housekeeping and plumbing: the investability of emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 267-294, September.
    34. Root, Franklin R & Ahmed, Ahmed A, 1979. "Empirical Determinants of Manufacturing Direct Foreign Investment in Developing Countries," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(4), pages 751-767, July.
    35. Omar M. Al Nasser, 2007. "The Determinants of the U.S. Foreign Direct Investment: Does the Region Matter?," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(1), pages 37-51.
    36. Steven Cassou, 1997. "The link between tax rates and foreign direct investment," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(10), pages 1295-1301.
    37. Mishra, Anil V. & Ratti, Ronald A., 2011. "Governance, monitoring and foreign investment in Chinese companies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 171-188, June.
    38. Harri Ramcharran, 1999. "Foreign direct investment and country risk: Further empirical evidence," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 49-59.
    39. Chakrabarti, Avik, 2001. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: Sensitivity Analyses of Cross-Country Regressions," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 89-113.
    40. Singh, Harinder & Kwang W. Jun, 1995. "Some new evidence on determinants of foreign direct investment in developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1531, The World Bank.
    41. Hryckiewicz, Aneta & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2010. "Economic determinates, financial crisis and entry modes of foreign banks into emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 205-228, September.
    42. Michael Freudenberg, 2003. "Composite Indicators of Country Performance: A Critical Assessment," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2003/16, OECD Publishing.
    43. Barrell, Ray & Pain, Nigel, 1996. "An Econometric Analysis of U.S. Foreign Direct Investment," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(2), pages 200-207, May.
    44. Xiaohui Liu & Chang Shu & Peter Sinclair, 2009. "Trade, foreign direct investment and economic growth in Asian economies," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(13), pages 1603-1612.
    45. Shatz, Howard J. & Venables, Anthony J., 2000. "The geography of international investment," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2338, The World Bank.
    46. Wheeler, David & Mody, Ashoka, 1992. "International investment location decisions : The case of U.S. firms," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1-2), pages 57-76, August.
    47. Mr. Ewe-Ghee Lim, 2001. "Determinants of, and the Relation Between, Foreign Direct Investment and Growth: A Summary of the Recent Literature," IMF Working Papers 2001/175, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ponciano S. INTAL Jr., 2015. "AEC Blueprint Implementation Performance and Challenges: Investment Liberalization," Working Papers DP-2015-32, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
    2. Niccolò Pisani & Ans Kolk & Václav Ocelík & Ganling Wu, 2019. "Does it pay for cities to be green? An investigation of FDI inflows and environmental sustainability," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(1), pages 62-85, March.
    3. Vianna, Andre C. & Mollick, Andre V., 2018. "Institutions: Key variable for economic development in Latin America," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 42-58.
    4. Kayalvizhi, P.N. & Thenmozhi, M., 2018. "Does quality of innovation, culture and governance drive FDI?: Evidence from emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 175-191.
    5. Moralles, Herick Fernando & Moreno, Rosina, 2020. "FDI productivity spillovers and absorptive capacity in Brazilian firms: A threshold regression analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 257-272.
    6. Sibanjan Mishra, 2016. "Macro-economic factors and foreign direct investment in India: a Toda Yamamoto causality approach," International Journal of Economics and Business Research, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 11(3), pages 195-208.
    7. Al Amin Biswas & A. H. M. Shahriar & Mohammad Jahangir Alam & Ruhul Kuddus & Uttam Golder & Mita Rani Paul, 2023. "Rethinking FDI Policy in Bangladesh: An Asymmetric Approach to Globalization, Population, and Trade," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 13(6), pages 168-176, November.
    8. Liu, Kelly & Daly, Kevin & Varua, Maria Estela, 2014. "Analysing China's foreign direct investment in manufacturing from a high–low technology perspective," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 82-95.
    9. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Carlos Pestana Barros & Bruno Damasio, 2013. "Foreign direct investment in the Asian economies," NCID Working Papers 10/2013, Navarra Center for International Development, University of Navarra.
    10. Dell'Anno, Roberto & Strat, Vasile Alecsandru, 2018. "The potential of the EU economies in attracting FDI – A composite index based approach," MPRA Paper 93384, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. André C. Jordaan & Mustafa Sakr, 2016. "Emerging multinational corporations: Theoretical and conceptual framework," Working Papers 574, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    12. International Monetary Fund, 2013. "Uruguay: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2013/109, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Tien-Chin Wang & Chia-Nan Wang & Xuan Huynh Nguyen, 2016. "Evaluating the Influence of Criteria to Attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Develop Supporting Industries in Vietnam by Utilizing Fuzzy Preference Relations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-14, May.
    14. Mori Kogid & Jaratin Lily & Rozilee Asid & James M. Alin & Dullah Mulok, 2022. "Volatility spillover and dynamic co-movement of foreign direct investment between Malaysia and China and developed countries," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 131-148, February.
    15. Nur Feriyanto, 2015. "Dominant Economic Sectors in Kulonprogo, Gunungkidul, and Bantul Regencies in Yogyakarta Special Province," Economic Journal of Emerging Markets, Universitas Islam Indonesia, vol. 7(2), pages 93-106, April.
    16. Hong Hiep Hoang & Michaël Goujon, 2018. "Determinants of Intra-Region and Extra-Region Foreign Direct Investment Inflow in ASEAN: A Spatial Econometric Analysis," Post-Print hal-01918889, HAL.
    17. Cumming, Douglas & Zhang, Yelin, 2016. "Alternative investments in emerging markets: A review and new trends," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-23.
    18. Marie-Line Duboz & Nathalie Kroichvili & Julie Le Gallo, 2016. "Do Foreign Investors’ Location Determinants in Service Functions Differ According to Sectors? An Empirical Analysis of EU for 1997 to 2011," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 39(4), pages 417-456, October.
    19. Suzuki, Keishun, 2014. "Southern Innovation and Foreign Direct Investment," MPRA Paper 57054, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Nnadi, Matthias & Soobaroyen, Teerooven, 2015. "International financial reporting standards and foreign direct investment: The case of Africa," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 228-238.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Groh, Alexander P. & Wich, Matthias, 2009. "A composite measure to determine a host country's attractiveness for foreign direct investment," IESE Research Papers D/833, IESE Business School.
    2. Dzianis Mukha, 2019. "National Economy Attractiveness For Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence From Belarus And European Region Countries," Economy & Business Journal, International Scientific Publications, Bulgaria, vol. 13(1), pages 43-60.
    3. Andreia Olival, 2012. "The influence of Doing Business’ institutional variables in Foreign Direct Investment," GEE Papers 0048, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Dec 2012.
    4. Fathi Ali & Norbert Fiess & Ronald MacDonald, 2010. "Do Institutions Matter for Foreign Direct Investment?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 201-219, April.
    5. Bilgili, Faik & Tülüce, Nadide Sevil Halıcı & Doğan, İbrahim, 2012. "The determinants of FDI in Turkey: A Markov Regime-Switching approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1161-1169.
    6. Marouane ALAYA (GREThA-GRES) & Dalila NICET-CHENAF (GREThA-GRES) & Eric ROUGIER (GREThA-GRES), 2007. "FDI Promotion policies and dynamic of growth in the South East Mediterranean countries (In French)," Cahiers du GRES (2002-2009) 2007-13, Groupement de Recherches Economiques et Sociales.
    7. Akhtaruzzaman, M. & Berg, Nathan & Hajzler, Christopher, 2017. "Expropriation risk and FDI in developing countries: Does return of capital dominate return on capital?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 84-107.
    8. Marcella Alsan & David E. Bloom & David Canning, 2004. "The Effect of Population Health on Foreign Direct Investment," NBER Working Papers 10596, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Bailey, Nicholas, 2018. "Exploring the relationship between institutional factors and FDI attractiveness: A meta-analytic review," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 139-148.
    10. Alsan, Marcella & Bloom, David E. & Canning, David, 2006. "The effect of population health on foreign direct investment inflows to low- and middle-income countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 613-630, April.
    11. Paulo Júlio & Ricardo Pinheiro–Alves & José Tavares, 2013. "Foreign direct investment and institutional reform: evidence and an application to Portugal," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 12(3), pages 215-250, December.
    12. Duong, Nguyen Minh Huy, 2015. "An Investigation of the Determinants of US FDI in Developed Countries, 1982-2010," MPRA Paper 66518, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Anwar, Amar Iqbal & Hasse, Rolf & Rabbi, Fazli, 2008. "Location Determinants of Indian Outward Foreign Direct Investment: How Multinationals Choose their Investment Destinations?," MPRA Paper 47397, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Fosu, Prince, 2016. "Infrastructure and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows: Evidence from Ghana," MPRA Paper 100375, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 13 May 2020.
    15. Victor, Kidake, 2018. "Infrastructure and Foreign Direct Investment in Kenya: A Time Series Analysis 1980-2015," MPRA Paper 98014, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Wasseem Mina & Louis Jaeck, 2015. "Labor Market Flexibility and FDI Flows: Evidence from Oil-Rich GCC and Middle Income Countries," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1501, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    17. Paulo Júlio & Ricardo Pinheiro-Alves & José Tavares, 2013. "Foreign investment and institutional reform: Portugal in European perspective," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    18. Iamsiraroj, Sasi & Doucouliagos, Hristos, 2015. "Does growth attract FDI?," Economics Discussion Papers 2015-18, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    19. Alali, Walid Y., 2010. "Impact of Natural Environment, Regional Integration, and Policies on FDI," MPRA Paper 115612, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Marc Audi & Amjad Ali & Yannick Roussel, 2021. "Aggregate and Disaggregate Natural Resources Agglomeration and Foreign Direct Investment in France," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 11(1), pages 147-156.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    FDI; Economic comparison; Emerging markets; Composite measure;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:13:y:2012:i:2:p:210-229. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620356 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.