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Productivity and Labour Demand Effects of Inward and Outward FDI on UK Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Nigel Driffield
  • James Love
  • Karl Taylor

    (Department of Economics, The University of Sheffield)

Abstract

We relate the technological and factor price determinants of inward and outward FDI to its potential productivity and labour market effects on both host and home economies. This allows us to distinguish clearly between technology sourcing and technology exploiting FDI, and to identify FDI which is linked to labour cost differentials. We then empirically examine the effects of different types of FDI into and out of the United Kingdom on domestic (i.e. UK) productivity and on the demand for skilled and unskilled labour at the industry level. Inward investment into the UK comes overwhelmingly from sectors and countries which have a technological advantage over the corresponding UK sector. Outward FDI shows a quite different pattern, dominated by investment into foreign sectors which have lower unit labour costs than the UK. We find that different types of FDI have markedly different productivity and labour demand effects, which may in part explain the lack of consensus in the empirical literature on the effects of FDI. Our results also highlight the difficulty for policy makers of simultaneously improving employment and domestic productivity through FDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Nigel Driffield & James Love & Karl Taylor, 2008. "Productivity and Labour Demand Effects of Inward and Outward FDI on UK Industry," Working Papers 2008001, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics, revised Jan 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:shf:wpaper:2008001
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Elia, Stefano & Mariotti, Ilaria & Piscitello, Lucia, 2009. "The impact of outward FDI on the home country's labour demand and skill composition," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 357-372, August.
    6. Adam P. Balcerzak & Miroslawa Zurek, 2011. "Foreign Direct Investment and Unemployment: VAR Analysis for Poland in the Years 1995-2009," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 3-14.
    7. Dierk Herzer, 2010. "The Long-Run Relationship between Outward FDI and Total Factor Productivity: Evidence for Developing Countries," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 199, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    8. Youngho Kang & Unjung Whang, 2018. "To Whom Does Outward FDI Give Jobs?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 613-639, July.
    9. Andre Varella Mollick & Rene Cabral Torres, 2007. "Productivity Effects on Mexican Manufacturing Employment before and after NAFTA," CID Working Papers 152, Center for International Development at Harvard University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foreign Direct Investment;

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements

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