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Foreign Direct Investment and Spillovers: Gradualism May Be Better

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  • Desmet, Klaus
  • Rojas, Juan A

Abstract

The standard argument says that in the presence of positive spillovers foreign direct investment should be promoted and subsidized. In contrast, this Paper claims that the very existence of such spillovers may require temporarily restricting and taxing inward FDI. Our argument in favour of gradual liberalization is based on two stylized features of spillovers: first, technology transfers ? and subsequent spillovers ? are limited by the economy?s absorptive capacity; and second, spillovers take time to materialize. By letting in capital more gradually, initial investment has the time to create spillovers ? and upgrade the economy?s absorptive capacity ? before further investment occurs. This allows subsequent capital inflows to benefit from greater technology transfers. As a result, the economy converges to a steady state with a superior technology and a greater capital stock.

Suggested Citation

  • Desmet, Klaus & Rojas, Juan A, 2004. "Foreign Direct Investment and Spillovers: Gradualism May Be Better," CEPR Discussion Papers 4660, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4660
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    Cited by:

    1. Gamal Atallah, 2009. "A Three-Period Analysis of R&D Spillovers in the Presence of an Industry Life Cycle Pattern," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 8(1), pages 21-35, April.
    2. Rodrigo Belo & Pedro Ferreira & Rahul Telang, 2016. "Spillovers from Wiring Schools with Broadband: The Critical Role of Children," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(12), pages 3450-3471, December.
    3. Camilla Jensen, 2006. "Foreign Direct Investment and economic transition: Panacea or pain killer?," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(6), pages 881-902.
    4. Wang, Chengqi & Deng, Ziliang & Kafouros, Mario I. & Chen, Yan, 2012. "Reconceptualizing the spillover effects of foreign direct investment: A process-dependent approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 452-464.
    5. Herbert Dawid & Benteng Zou, 2017. "Foreign Direct Investment with Endogenous Technology Choice," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 3-22, February.
    6. Muhammad Ateeq ur REHMAN & Furman ALI & Shang XIE, 2022. "Impact of Foreign Investment News on the Return, Cost of Equity and Cash Flow Activities," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(4), pages 112-127, December.
    7. 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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foreign direct investment; Gradualism; Big bang; Spillovers; Liberalization; Absorptive capacity; Transition economies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F20 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General

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