IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v40y2012i1p62-74.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Productivity Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment: Firm-Level Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Xu, Xinpeng
  • Sheng, Yu

Abstract

Using firm-level census data, this paper examines the spillover effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestic firms in the Chinese manufacturing industry between 2000 and 2003. Our analysis takes into account the endogeniety of input choices, simultaneity bias, and clustering errors that are known to cause biased and inefficient estimations. Our results suggest that positive spillovers from FDI arise from forward linkages where domestic firms purchase high-quality intermediate goods or equipment from foreign firms in the upstream sectors. Our results also show that domestic firms differ significantly in the extent to which they benefit from FDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Xinpeng & Sheng, Yu, 2012. "Productivity Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment: Firm-Level Evidence from China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 62-74.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:40:y:2012:i:1:p:62-74
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2011.05.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X11001331
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2011.05.006?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. Fleisher, Belton & Li, Haizheng & Zhao, Min Qiang, 2010. "Human capital, economic growth, and regional inequality in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 215-231, July.
    2. Klette, Tor Jakob & Griliches, Zvi, 1996. "The Inconsistency of Common Scale Estimators When Output Prices Are Unobserved and Endogenous," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(4), pages 343-361, July-Aug..
    3. Brian J. Aitken & Ann E. Harrison, 2022. "Do Domestic Firms Benefit from Direct Foreign Investment? Evidence from Venezuela," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 6, pages 139-152, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Albert G. Z. Hu & Gary H. Jefferson, 2002. "FDI Impact and Spillover: Evidence from China's Electronic and Textile Industries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 1063-1076, August.
    5. Luosha Du & Ann Harrison & Gary Jefferson, 2022. "FDI Spillovers and Industrial Policy: The Role of Tariffs and Tax Holidays," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 9, pages 215-232, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Olley, G Steven & Pakes, Ariel, 1996. "The Dynamics of Productivity in the Telecommunications Equipment Industry," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(6), pages 1263-1297, November.
    7. Ronald Findlay, 1978. "Relative Backwardness, Direct Foreign Investment, and the Transfer of Technology: A Simple Dynamic Model," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 92(1), pages 1-16.
    8. López, Ricardo A., 2008. "Foreign Technology Licensing, Productivity, and Spillovers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 560-574, April.
    9. Galina Hale & Cheryl Long, 2011. "Are There Productivity Spillovers From Foreign Direct Investment In China?," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(2), pages 135-153, May.
    10. Beata Smarzynska Javorcik, 2004. "Does Foreign Direct Investment Increase the Productivity of Domestic Firms? In Search of Spillovers Through Backward Linkages," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 605-627, June.
    11. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    12. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    13. Jonathan E. Haskel & Sonia C. Pereira & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2007. "Does Inward Foreign Direct Investment Boost the Productivity of Domestic Firms?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 89(3), pages 482-496, August.
    14. Lin, Ping & Liu, Zhuomin & Zhang, Yifan, 2009. "Do Chinese domestic firms benefit from FDI inflow?: Evidence of horizontal and vertical spillovers," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 677-691, December.
    15. Suyanto & Salim, Ruhul A. & Bloch, Harry, 2009. "Does Foreign Direct Investment Lead to Productivity Spillovers? Firm Level Evidence from Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1861-1876, December.
    16. Nickell, Stephen J, 1996. "Competition and Corporate Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(4), pages 724-746, August.
    17. Busakorn Chantasasawat & K. C. Fung & Hitomi Iizaka & Alan Siu, 2010. "FDI Flows to Latin America, East and Southeast Asia, and China: Substitutes or Complements?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(3), pages 533-546, August.
    18. Sizhong Sun, 2009. "How Does FDI Affect Domestic Firms’ Exports? Industrial Evidence," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 1203-1222, August.
    19. Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-338, May.
    20. Busakorn Chantasasawat & K. C. Fung & Hitomi Iizaka & Alan Siu, 2010. "FDI Flows to Latin America, East and Southeast Asia, and China: Substitutes or Complements?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(s1), pages 533-546, August.
    21. Y Wei & X Liu, 2006. "Productivity spillovers from R&D, exports and FDI in China's manufacturing sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(4), pages 544-557, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items 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. Xu, Xinpeng & Sheng, Yu, 2012. "Are FDI spillovers regional? Firm-level evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 244-258.
    2. Jin, Shaosheng & Guo, Haiyue & Delgado, Michael S. & Wang, H. Holly, 2017. "Benefit or damage? The productivity effects of FDI in the Chinese food industry," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Priit Vahter, 2010. "Does FDI spur innovation, productivity and knowledge sourcing by incumbent firms? Evidence from manufacturing industry in Estonia," Discussion Papers 10/09, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    4. Lin, Benxi & Du, Ruiying & Dong, Zekuan & Jin, Shaosheng & Liu, Weipin, 2020. "The impact of foreign direct investment on the productivity of the Chinese forest products industry," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    5. Luosha Du & Ann Harrison & Gary Jefferson, 2022. "FDI Spillovers and Industrial Policy: The Role of Tariffs and Tax Holidays," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 9, pages 215-232, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Sarker, Bibhuti & Serieux, John, 2022. "Foreign-invested and domestic firm attributes and spillover effects: Evidence from Brazil," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Lin, Ping & Liu, Zhuomin & Zhang, Yifan, 2009. "Do Chinese domestic firms benefit from FDI inflow?: Evidence of horizontal and vertical spillovers," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 677-691, December.
    8. Agarwal, Natasha & Milner, Chris & Riaño, Alejandro, 2014. "Credit constraints and spillovers from foreign firms in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 261-275.
    9. Jeon, Yongbok & Park, Byung Il & Ghauri, Pervez N., 2013. "Foreign direct investment spillover effects in China: Are they different across industries with different technological levels?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 105-117.
    10. Chun-Hung Lin & Chia-Ming Lee & Chih-Hai Yang, 2011. "Does foreign direct investment really enhance China's regional productivity?," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(6), pages 741-768, August.
    11. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & Helen Simpson, 2009. "Technological Catch‐Up And Geographic Proximity," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 689-720, October.
    12. Farole, Thomas & Winkler, Deborah, 2012. "Foreign firm characteristics, absorptive capacity and the institutional framework : the role of mediating factors for FDI spillovers in low- and middle-income countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6265, The World Bank.
    13. B. Merlevede & K. Schoors, 2006. "FDI and the Consequences Towards more complete capture of spillover effects," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 06/372, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    14. Todo, Yasuyuki & Miyamoto, Koji, 2006. "Knowledge Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment and the Role of Local R&D Activities: Evidence from Indonesia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(1), pages 173-200, October.
    15. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
    16. Karolien Lenaerts & Bruno Merlevede, 2015. "Firm size and spillover effects from foreign direct investment: the case of Romania," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 595-611, October.
    17. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    18. Peri, Giovanni & Urban, Dieter, 2006. "Catching-up to foreign technology? Evidence on the "Veblen-Gerschenkron" effect of foreign investments," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 72-98, January.
    19. Hanousek, Jan & Kocenda, Evzen & Maurel, Mathilde, 2011. "Direct and indirect effects of FDI in emerging European markets: A survey and meta-analysis," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 301-322, September.
    20. Todo, Yasuyuki & Miyamoto, Koji, 2006. "Knowledge Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment and the Role of Local R&D Activities: Evidence from Indonesia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(1), pages 173-200, October.

    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:wdevel:v:40:y:2012:i:1:p:62-74. 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/worlddev .

    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.