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Migrants and International Economic Linkages: A Meta-Overview

Author

Listed:
  • Masood Gheasi

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Peter Nijkamp

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Piet Rietveld

    (VU University Amsterdam)

Abstract

This discussion paper resulted in an article in Spatial Economic Analysis (2011). Volume 6, issue 4, pages 359-376. The rapid growth in the foreign-born population in many high and middle-income countries in the past decades has prompted much research on the socio-economic impacts of immigration. The migration issue has become one of the most debated subjects in many developed countries. Since the early 1990s, many applied studies have been conducted on the impact of international migration on international trade, foreign direct investment, and tourism. These studies have largely adopted the same specification, viz. the log-linear gravity model in combination with the knowledge capital model, where the (logarithm of the) stock of migrants from a specific source country may be included as an additional explanatory variable. Our study provides a concise review of the relationship between migrants and their international economic linkages. It then focuses on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), for both inward and outward FDI. The main aim of our study is to offer a synthesis by means of a meta-analysis of various studies undertaken worldwide, in order to test the robustness of the relationship between migration and foreign direct investment. Our primary results confirm that immigration has a positive impact on FDI investment in both directions (inward and outward), and that these impacts are higher when migrants are highly-educated and skilled.

Suggested Citation

  • Masood Gheasi & Peter Nijkamp & Piet Rietveld, 2011. "Migrants and International Economic Linkages: A Meta-Overview," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 11-147/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20110147
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Huiying Zhang & Yikang Liu, 2022. "Do Foreign Direct Investment and Migration Influence the Sustainable Development of Outward Foreign Direct Investment? From the Perspective of Intellectual Property Rights Protection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Murat Genc & Masood Gheasi & Peter Nijkamp & Jacques Poot, 2012. "The impact of immigration on international trade: a meta-analysis," Chapters, in: Peter Nijkamp & Jacques Poot & Mediha Sahin (ed.), Migration Impact Assessment, chapter 9, pages 301-337, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. B. Fingleton & P. Cheshire & H. Garretsen & D. Igliori & J. Le Gallo & P. McCann & J. McCombie & V. Monastiriotis & B. Moore & M. Roberts, 2011. "Editorial," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(4), pages 351-357, December.
    4. Rodolfo Metulini, 2013. "Spatial gravity models for international trade: a panel analysis among OECD countries," ERSA conference papers ersa13p522, European Regional Science Association.
    5. Annie Tubadji & Peter Nijkamp, 2015. "Cultural Gravity Effects among Migrants: A Comparative Analysis of the EU15," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 91(3), pages 343-380, July.
    6. Julie Fry, 2014. "Migration and Macroeconomic Performance in New Zealand: Theory and Evidence," Treasury Working Paper Series 14/10, New Zealand Treasury.
    7. Masood Gheasi & Peter Nijkamp & Piet Rietveld, 2013. "Migration and foreign direct investment: education matters," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 51(1), pages 73-87, August.
    8. Annie Tubadji & Brian Osoba & Peter Nijkamp, 2015. "Culture-based development in the USA: culture as a factor for economic welfare and social well-being at a county level," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 39(3), pages 277-303, August.
    9. Celbis, Mehmet Güney & Nijkamp, Peter & Poot, Jacques, 2013. "How big is the impact of infrastructure on trade? Evidence from meta-analysis," MERIT Working Papers 2013-032, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    10. Masood Gheasi & Peter Nijkamp, 2017. "A Brief Overview of International Migration Motives and Impacts, with Specific Reference to FDI," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-11, August.
    11. Maximiliano Alvarez & Vicente Royuela, 2022. "The effect of labor‐market differentials on interregional migration in Spain: A meta‐regression analysis," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(4), pages 913-937, September.
    12. Elburz, Zeynep & Nijkamp, Peter & Pels, Eric, 2017. "Public infrastructure and regional growth: Lessons from meta-analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-8.
    13. Amjad Naveed & Cong Wang, 2021. "Can Attitudes Toward Immigrant Explain Social Integration in Europe? EU versus Non-EU Migrant," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 345-383, January.
    14. Ibrahim Sirkeci & Fatma Zeren, 2018. "Diaspora Marketing Revisited: The nexus of entrepreneurs and consumers," Transnational Marketing Journal, Oxbridge Publishing House, UK, vol. 6(2), pages 139-157, October.
    15. Annie Tubadji & Peter Nijkamp, 2013. "Cultural Distance and Gravity Effects among Migrants," ERSA conference papers ersa13p484, European Regional Science Association.
    16. Emmanouil Tranos & Masood Gheasi & Peter Nijkamp, 2015. "International Migration: A Global Complex Network," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 42(1), pages 4-22, February.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • P45 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - International Linkages

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