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Location choices of multinational firms in Europe: the role of national boundaries and EU policy

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  • Roberto Basile

    ()

  • Davide Castellani

    ()

  • Antonello Zanfei

    ()

Abstract

We examine the determinants of multinational firms’ location choices in Europe by estimating a nested logit model on a data-set of 5,761 foreign subsidiaries established in 55 regions in 8 EU countries over the period 1991-1999. We find that firms perceive regions across different countries as more similar than regions within national borders. This might be revealing that the process of European integration has reduced the national specificities perceived by multinationals and that regions within Europe compete to attract FDIs more across than within countries. Controlling for regional market size and potential, agglomeration economies and labor markets conditions, we also find that EU regional policy, captured by Cohesion Funds and Objective 1 eligibility, played a significant role in attracting multinationals, thus mitigating the agglomeration forces at work. Differences emerge in determinants of EU and US multinationals location choices, with special reference to the role of labor markets.

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Paper provided by European Regional Science Association in its series ERSA conference papers with number ersa04p37.

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Date of creation: Aug 2004
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Handle: RePEc:wiw:wiwrsa:ersa04p37
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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
  • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
  • R30 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - General

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Cited by:

  1. Basile, Roberto & Castellani, Davide & Zanfei, Antonello, 2008. "Location choices of multinational firms in Europe: The role of EU cohesion policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 328-340, March.
  2. Davide CASTELLANI & Valentina MELICIANI & Loredana Mirra, 2012. "The determinants of inward foreign direct investment in business services across european regions," Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia, Finanza e Statistica 104/2012, Università di Perugia, Dipartimento Economia.
  3. Roberto Basile & Luigi Benfratello & Davide Castellani, 2010. "Location Determinants of Greenfield Foreign Investments in the Enlarged Europe: Evidence from a Spatial Autoregressive Negative Binomial Additive Model," Working papers 10, Former Department of Economics and Public Finance "G. Prato", University of Torino.
  4. Roberto Basile & Luigi Benfratello & Davide Castellani, 2005. "Attracting Foreign Direct Investments in Europe: Are Italian Regions Doomed?," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, vol. 95(1), pages 319-, January-F.
  5. Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod & Daniel Liviano-Solis & Miguel Manjón-Antolín, 2010. "Empirical Studies In Industrial Location: An Assessment Of Their Methods And Results," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 685-711.
  6. Calá, Carla Daniela, 2009. "Spatial issues on firm demography: an analysis for Argentina," Nülan. Deposited Documents 1379, Centro de Documentación, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata.
  7. Kokko, Ari & Gustavsson, Patrik, 2004. "Regional integration, foreign direct investment, and regional development," EIB Papers 5/2004, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
  8. Rodrigo Alegria, 2006. "Countries, Regions and Multinational Firms: Location Determinants in the European Union," ERSA conference papers ersa06p143, European Regional Science Association.
  9. Roberto Basile & Luigi Benfratello & Davide Castellani, 2005. "Attracting Foreign Investments in Europe - are Italian Regions Doomed?," ERSA conference papers ersa05p148, European Regional Science Association.
  10. Riess, Armin & Uppenberg, Kristian, 2004. "The internationalisation of production: moving plants, products, and people," EIB Papers 1/2004, European Investment Bank, Economics Department.
  11. Siedschlag, Iulia & Zhang, Xiaoheng & Smith, Donal, 2009. "What Determines the Attractiveness of EU Regions to the Location of Multinational Firms in the ICT Sector?," Papers DYNREG45, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
  12. Frances Ruane & Xiaoheng Zhang, 2007. "Where do MNEs Expand Production: Location Choices of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Europe after 1992," Papers WP211, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

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