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Accounting for quality differences in human capital and foreign direct investment

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  • Namsuk Choi

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates how cross-country differences in the quality of human capital, as they are captured by the conventional measures of international test score differences, influences the patterns of foreign direct investment. Using panel data covering 32 countries during the period between 1985 and 2004, this paper finds that a host country's quality of educational attainment plays an independent role in attracting foreign direct investment. In particular, the quality of human capital influences horizontal foreign direct investment, even after accounting for the roles of skill and factor endowments, trade costs, investment costs, and country-size and income effects.

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  • Namsuk Choi, 2015. "Accounting for quality differences in human capital and foreign direct investment," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 228-246, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jitecd:v:24:y:2015:i:2:p:228-246
    DOI: 10.1080/09638199.2014.898680
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    Cited by:

    1. STOENOIU Carmen-Elena & SERBAN Mioara Florica & CRISTEA Ciprian, 2021. "Foreign Investments In The Economy Of Eastern European Countries," Revista Economica, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 73(1), pages 101-113, March.
    2. Kottaridi, Constantina & Louloudi, Konstantina & Karkalakos, Sotiris, 2019. "Human capital, skills and competencies: Varying effects on inward FDI in the EU context," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 375-390.
    3. Weibing Li & Kaixia Zhang, 2019. "Does Air Pollution Crowd Out Foreign Direct Investment Inflows? Evidence from a Quasi-natural Experiment in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(4), pages 1387-1414, August.

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