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Trade costs and foreign direct investment

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Author Info
Neary, J. Peter

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Abstract

This paper focuses on an apparent conflict between the theory of foreign direct investment (FDI) and recent trends in the globalized world. The bulk of FDI is horizontal rather than vertical, and standard theory predicts that horizontal FDI is discouraged when trade costs fall. This seems to conflict with the experience of the 1990s, when trade liberalisation and technological change led to dramatic reductions in trade costs yet FDI grew much faster than trade. Two possible resolutions to this paradox are explored. First, horizontal FDI in trading blocs is encouraged by intra-bloc trade liberalisation, because foreign firms establish plants in one country as export platforms to serve the bloc as a whole. Second, cross-border mergers, quantitatively more important than greenfield FDI, are encouraged rather than discouraged by falling trade costs.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Elsevier in its journal International Review of Economics & Finance.

Volume (Year): 18 (2009)
Issue (Month): 2 (March)
Pages: 207-218
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Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:18:y:2009:i:2:p:207-218

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Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620165

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Related research
Keywords: Cross-border mergers and acquisitions Export platform FDI Foreign direct investment International trade policy Trade liberalisation;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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    Other versions:
  3. Salant, Stephen W & Switzer, Sheldon & Reynolds, Robert J, 1983. "Losses from Horizontal Merger: The Effects of an Exogenous Change in Industry Structure on Cournot-Nash Equilibrium," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 98(2), pages 185-99, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  26. Grossman, Gene & Helpman, Elhanan & Szeidl, Adam, 2004. "Optimal Integration: Strategies for the Multinational Firm," CEPR Discussion Papers 4477, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  30. Bergstrand, Jeffrey H. & Egger, Peter, 2007. "A knowledge-and-physical-capital model of international trade flows, foreign direct investment, and multinational enterprises," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 278-308, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  33. Elhanan Helpman & Marc J. Melitz & Stephen R. Yeaple, 2004. "Export Versus FDI with Heterogeneous Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(1), pages 300-316, March. [Downloadable!]
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Kleinert, Jörn & Toubal, Farid, 2006. "Distance costs and Multinationals' foreign activities," CEI Working Paper Series 2006-6, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
  2. Michele Fratianni & Chang Hoon Oh, 2008. "Expanding RTAs, Trade Flows, and the Multinational Enterprise," Working Papers 2008-02, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Cuyvers L. & Plasmans J. & Soeng R. & Van den Bulcke D., 2008. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Cambodia: Country-Specific Factor Differentials," Working Papers 2008003, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Applied Economics. [Downloadable!]
  4. Steven Brakman & Harry Garretsen & Charles van Marrewijk, 2006. "Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions: The Facts as a Guide for International Economics," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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