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Greenfield FDI and skill upgrading: A polarized issue

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  • Ronald B. Davies
  • Rodolphe Desbordes

Abstract

Outbound FDI is often accused of increasing income inequality in developed countries by shifting labour demand from low-skilled towards high-skilled workers (wage polarization). In response, we employ data on greenfield FDI that, in contrast to M&As, may be more clearly linked to skill upgrading. Our data also delineate greenfield FDI by sector, function and destination, allowing us to control for different motives and skill intensities for 17 developed countries for 20032005. We find that greenfield FDI in support services, e.g., back and front office services, induces polarized skill upgrading, benefitting high-skilled workers at the expense of medium-skilled workers, thereby polarizing wages.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronald B. Davies & Rodolphe Desbordes, 2015. "Greenfield FDI and skill upgrading: A polarized issue," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 48(1), pages 207-244, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:cje:issued:v:48:y:2015:i:1:p:207-244
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12126
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Amoroso & Pietro Moncada-Paternò-Castello, 2018. "Inward Greenfield FDI and Patterns of Job Polarization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-20, April.
    2. Sylwia Bialek & Alfons J. Weichenrieder, 2021. "Do Stringent Environmental Policies Deter FDI? M&A versus Greenfield," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(3), pages 603-636, November.
    3. Konstantin Koerner & Michael Moritz & Johannes Schäffler, 2022. "Foreign direct investment and onshore employment dynamics: Evidence from German firms with affiliates in the Czech Republic," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1773-1829, June.
    4. Ronald B. Davies & Rodolphe Desbordes, 2018. "Export Processing Zones and the Composition of Greenfield FDI," Working Papers 201807, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    5. J. Eduardo Ibarra-Olivo & Thomas Neise & Moritz Breul & Jöran Wrana, 2024. "FDI and human capital development: a tale of two Southeast Asian economies," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(3), pages 314-336, September.
    6. Jan Hogrefe & Jens Wrona, 2015. "Trade, tasks and training: The effect of offshoring on individual skill upgrading," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(4), pages 1537-1560, November.
    7. Luigi Benfratello & Anna D’Ambrosio & Alida Sangrigoli, 2025. "Foreign direct investment, structural transformation and employment: evidence from Ghana," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 161(1), pages 373-412, February.
    8. Ronald B. Davies & Iulia Siedschlag & Zuzanna Studnicka, 2021. "The impact of taxes on the extensive and intensive margins of FDI," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(2), pages 434-464, April.
    9. Ronald B. Davies & Rodolphe Desbordes & Anna Ray, 2018. "Greenfield versus merger and acquisition FDI: Same wine, different bottles?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 51(4), pages 1151-1190, November.
    10. Sara Amoroso & Pietro Moncada-Paterno-Castello, 2018. "Inward Greenfield FDI and Patterns of Job Polarisation," JRC Working Papers JRC111347, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions

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