IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/applec/v34y2002i15p1885-1892.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The relative economic performance of foreign subsidiaries in UK manufacturing

Author

Listed:
  • Chengqi Wang
  • Pamela Siler
  • Xiaming Liu

Abstract

This paper compares the economic performance of UK and foreign-owned firms in UK manufacturing industry. A panel data set covering 14 233 firms for the period 1992-1996 is used and the influences of firm-, industry- and country-specific advantages on productivity are examined. The results of the study show that labour productivity is higher in foreign subsidiaries than in UK firms and that foreign subsidiaries as a whole employ higher levels of human capital and enjoy greater economies of scale. A further source of productivity advantage for US subsidiaries is their higher level of intangible assets, and for European and Japanese subsidiaries their higher level of capital intensity. The results have policy implications for the targeting of promotion activities to attract FDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Chengqi Wang & Pamela Siler & Xiaming Liu, 2002. "The relative economic performance of foreign subsidiaries in UK manufacturing," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(15), pages 1885-1892.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:34:y:2002:i:15:p:1885-1892
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840210128762
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00036840210128762
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/00036840210128762?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. Christopher Carr, 1992. "Productivity and Skills in Vehicle Component Manufacturers in Britain, Germany, tne USA and Japan," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 139(1), pages 79-87, February.
    2. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    3. repec:sae:niesru:v:148:y::i:1:p:61-72 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Steven Globerman & John C. Ries & Ilan Vertinsky, 1994. "The Economic Performance of Foreign Affiliates in Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 27(1), pages 143-156, February.
    5. Barrell, Ray & Pain, Nigel, 1997. "The Growth of Foreign Direct Investment in Europe," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 160, pages 63-75, April.
    6. Mark Casson, 1987. "The Firm and the Market: Studies on the Multinational Enterprise and the Scope of the Firm," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262031299, December.
    7. Nigel Pain, 2002. "Financial Liberalisation, Alliance Capitalism and the Changing Structure of Financial Markets," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 199, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    8. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    9. repec:sae:niesru:v:160:y::i:1:p:63-75 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Xiaming Liu & Pamela Siler & Chengqi Wang & Yingqi Wei, 2000. "Productivity Spillovers From Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence From UK Industry Level Panel Data," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(3), pages 407-425, September.
    11. Rachel Griffith, 1999. "Using the ARD establishment level data to look at foreign ownership and productivity in the UK," IFS Working Papers W99/06, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    12. Griffith, Rachel, 1999. "Using the ARD Establishment Level Data to Look at Foreign Ownership and Productivity in the United Kingdom," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 109(456), pages 416-442, June.
    13. Geoff Mason & Karin Wagner, 1994. "Innovation and the Skill Mix: Chemicals and Engineering in Britain and Germany," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 148(1), pages 61-72, May.
    14. Raut, Lakshmi K., 1995. "R & D spillover and productivity growth: Evidence from Indian private firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 1-23, October.
    15. Wi Saeng Kim & Esmeralda O Lyn, 1990. "FDI Theories and the Performance of Foreign Multinationals Operating in the U.S," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(1), pages 41-54, March.
    16. John H Dunning, 1988. "The Eclectic Paradigm of International Production: A Restatement and Some Possible Extensions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(1), pages 1-31, March.
    17. Alan Rugman, 1980. "Internalization as a general theory of foreign direct investment: A re-appraisal of the literature," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 116(2), pages 365-379, June.
    18. repec:sae:niesru:v:139:y::i:1:p:79-87 is not listed on IDEAS
    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. Zhu, Pingfang & Li, Lei & Lundin, Nannan, 2005. "S&T activities and firm performance : microeconomic evidence from manufacturing in Shanghai," BOFIT Discussion Papers 5/2005, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    2. Helena Maria Ferreira Rêgo & Celeste Amorim Varum & Anabela Carneiro, 2010. "Empresas Estrangeiras e Capital Humano nos Serviços Intensivos em Conhecimento," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 32, pages 06-21, December.
    3. Pawlik, Konrad, 2005. "How knowledge transfer and absorption impact on the profitability of foreign affiliates in Transition Economy? The case of Poland: 1993-2002," Working Papers 2005-5, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Department of Management.
    4. Almas Heshmati & Rachid El-Rhinaoui, 2009. "Effects of Ownership and Market Share on Performance of Mobile Operators in MENA Region," TEMEP Discussion Papers 200921, Seoul National University; Technology Management, Economics, and Policy Program (TEMEP), revised Nov 2009.
    5. Shujie Yao, 2006. "On economic growth, FDI and exports in China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(3), pages 339-351.
    6. Zhu, Pingfang & Li, Lei & Lundin, Nannan, 2005. "S&T activities and firm performance: microeconomic evidence from manufacturing in Shanghai," BOFIT Discussion Papers 5/2005, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    7. repec:zbw:bofitp:2005_005 is not listed on IDEAS

    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. John Weche Gelübcke, 2013. "The performance of foreign affiliates in German manufacturing: evidence from a new database," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 149(1), pages 151-182, March.
    2. Uppenberg, Kristian & Riess, Armin, 2004. "Determinants and growth effects of foreign direct investment," EIB Papers 3/2004, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
    3. Argentino Pessoa, 2008. "Multinational Corporations, Foreign Investment, and Royalties and License Fees: Effects on Host-Country Total Factor Productivity," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 28, pages 6-31, December.
    4. Christian Bellak, 2004. "How Domestic and Foreign Firms Differ and Why Does it Matter?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 483-514, September.
    5. Sourafel Girma & Holger Görg, 2016. "Multinationals’ Productivity Advantage: Scale Or Technology?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES AND HOST COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT Volume 53: World Scientific Studies in International Economics, chapter 1, pages 3-15, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Driffield Nigel & Temouri Yama, 2014. "Inward Investment and the Drivers of Post Recession Recovery in Germany," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 234(6), pages 775-799, December.
    7. Richard Harris & Catherine Robinson, 2003. "Foreign Ownership and Productivity in the United Kingdom Estimates for U.K. Manufacturing Using the ARD," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 22(3), pages 207-223, May.
    8. Duanmu, Jing-Lin & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Lu, Jane Wenzhen & Clegg, Jeremy, 2022. "Contraction under minimum wages? Operational and financial advantages of multinational subsidiaries in China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2).
    9. Rachel Griffith & Helen Simpson, 2004. "Characteristics of Foreign-Owned Firms in British Manufacturing," NBER Chapters, in: Seeking a Premier Economy: The Economic Effects of British Economic Reforms, 1980–2000, pages 147-180, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Benfratello, Luigi & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2006. "Foreign ownership and productivity: Is the direction of causality so obvious?," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 733-751, July.
    11. Sule Ozler & Erol Taymaz, 2004. "Does foreign ownership matter for survival and growth? Dynamics of competition and foreign direct investment," ERC Working Papers 0406, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Mar 2004.
    12. Madan Dhanora & Ruchi Sharma & Walter G. Park, 2021. "Technological Innovations and Market Power: A Study of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry," Millennial Asia, , vol. 12(1), pages 5-34, April.
    13. Mohammad Sharif Karimi & Andrzej Cieslik, 2017. "Foreign Knowledge Spillovers and Total Factor Productivity Growth: Evidence from Four ASEAN Countries," Iranian Economic Review (IER), Faculty of Economics,University of Tehran.Tehran,Iran, vol. 21(2), pages 267-299, Spring.
    14. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    15. Griffith, Rachel & Redding, Stephen & Simpson, Helen, 2002. "Productivity Convergence and Foreign Ownership at the Establishment Level," CEPR Discussion Papers 3765, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    16. Bournakis, Ioannis & Papanastassiou, Marina & Pitelis, Christos, 2015. "Regional Growth and Convergence in the UK: the Role of MNE Subsidiaries and Domestic Firms," MPRA Paper 68090, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Xu, Jian & Liu, Yu & Abdoh, Hussein, 2022. "Foreign ownership and productivity," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 624-642.
    18. Richard I. Harris & Qian Cher Li, 2011. "The Determinants of Firm Exit from Exporting: Evidence for the UK," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 381-397, November.
    19. Harris, Richard, 2009. "Spillover and backward linkage effects of FDI: empirical evidence for the UK," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 33206, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Noor Aini Khalifah & Radziah Adam, 2009. "Productivity Spillovers from FDI in Malaysian Manufacturing: Evidence from Micro‐panel Data," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 23(2), pages 143-167, June.

    More about this item

    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:taf:applec:v:34:y:2002:i:15:p:1885-1892. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/RAEC20 .

    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.