Firm Productivity and Foreign Direct Investment into Non‐core Activities*

As foreign direct investment (FDI) often originates from multinational enterprises (MNEs) with non‐core activities and not single‐product firms, as MNE theory typically suggests, we hypothesize that such firms are more productive than MNEs without non‐core activities as well as non‐MNE firms. We test this hypothesis using Kolmogorov–Smirnov stochastic dominance Tests and Japanese firm‐level productivity and FDI data for the period 1985–2001. We find that both manufacturing and service multinational firms with non‐core foreign investments stochastically dominate firms without non‐core activities. We also find cost‐complementarities between certain core and non‐core FDI activities that span both manufacturing and service affiliates.     

Institutions and FDI location choice: The role of cultural distances

Using an extensive data set on foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) in the Chinese mainland, we compare the sensitivities of the location choice of foreign direct investment (FDI) from six major source countries/areas (Hong Kong, Taiwan, US, EU, Japan and Korea) toward the variation in the strength of economic institutions across China's regions. It is found that FIEs from the source countries/areas that are culturally more remote from China often exhibit a stronger aversion to regions with weaker economic institutions. Moreover, this pattern is often more salient when FDI takes the form of fully-owned enterprises (FOEs) than when it takes the form of joint ventures (JVs).     

企业出口与水平型FDI内生选择机制分析

与以往单独研究投资或贸易不同,本文在跨国投资理论基础上融入了国际贸易,用以研究多国(地区)制造业企业进入中国市场的方式。通过梳理一般产业均衡模型分析企业选择出口还是水平型FDI的内在机制,在此基础上进行实证检验,并得出结论:工厂规模经济和运输成本对样本国家(地区)制造业企业以出口还是水平型FDI方式进入中国市场起重要作用,而关税壁垒、公司规模经济、税收对此没有显著影响;采用基尼系数和GDP衡量中国实际市场需求时发现,中国市场变化没有促使样本国家(地区)制造业企业由出口方式转向水平型FDI。     

Vertical Spillover Effects of Multinationals on Chinese Domestic Firms via Supplier-Customer Relationships

Foreign direct investment （FDI） can benefit domestic firms in the host country. Using firm- level data for China, we find statistically positive vertical spillover effects of multinational enterprises on the performance of domestic firms through backward and forward supplier- customer relationships. The spillover effects are mainly from large multinational enterprises and are greater for state-owned firms and in poor regions. Our results are robust for both parametric regression and nonparametric matching techniques. Our findings have strong policy implications： while regulations relating to building business relationships with domestic firms when seeking foreign direct investment should be established, such policies should be aimed at private firms, big multinationals and less developed regions.     

Vertical foreign direct investment: Evidence from Japanese and U.S. multinational enterprises

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries has increased since the 1990s, but there is mixed evidence of vertical FDI associated with factor-seeking motives. This paper estimates the vertical motive of offshore production by multinational enterprises (MNEs) by exploiting past schooling characteristics as instruments for skilled-labor abundance in a host country. Using panel data on Japanese and U.S. MNEs in the 1990s, I find that skilled-labor abundance has a significantly negative impact on sales of manufacturing foreign affiliate only for Japanese MNEs. The results suggest that vertical FDI activity was more prevalent in Japanese MNEs than U.S. MNEs. A plausible explanation is that Japanese MNEs might be more vertically integrated with their offshore production than U.S. MNEs. A difference in foreign outsourcing activities could generate the observed deviation between Japanese and U.S. MNEs.     

FDI AND DOMESTIC INVESTMENT IN TAIWAN: AN ENDOGENOUS SWITCHING MODEL

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the FDI decision on domestic investment in the case of Taiwanese manufacturing firms. In addition, we also consider the deferral effect of the FDI decision and the role of firm size. To this end, this paper takes advantage of an endogenous switching model from which consistent estimators are obtained after correcting for the self‐selection problem. The empirical results show that the effect of these manufacturing firms’ FDI decisions on domestic investment is significant within the firms. Furthermore, a crowding‐out effect of FDI on domestic investment is found when Taiwanese firms engage in defensive FDI. Finally, FDI is found to have a positive influence on the domestic investment of the larger firms, while the influence is negative in the case of the smaller firms.     

A Review of the Empirical Literature on FDI Determinants

This paper surveys the recent burgeoning literature that empirically examines the foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and the resulting aggregate location of FDI across the world. The contribution of the paper is to evaluate what we can say with relative confidence about FDI as a profession, given the evidence, and what we cannot have much confidence in at this point. Suggestions are made for future research directions. This paper was written for an International Atlantic Economic Society session at the 2005 ASSA conference in Philadelphia, PA. I thank Ron Davies, Walid Hejazi, and an anonymous referee for excellent comments and suggestions. All remaining errors are my own.     

Who goes where and how? Firm and country characteristics in the choice of FDI type and location

This paper examines the roles of firm and country characteristics in determining multinationals' choice of foreign direct investment (FDI) type and location. Using Korean firm‐level data, we find that highly productive firms are more likely than their less efficient counterparts to invest in tough markets and choose a combined FDI strategy rather than a solely horizontal FDI or vertical FDI strategy across host countries. These findings, consistent with recent theories in international economics, indicate that firm and country heterogeneities play a significant role in determining the FDI strategy of a multinational enterprise.     

Structure of Firm Location Choices: An Examination of Japanese Greenfield Investment in China*

This paper presents an empirical investigation of the location decision structure of Japanese investors in China. In this study, a nested logit model and rich Japanese firm‐level greenfield manufacturing foreign direct investment data are calibrated together. This examination is not only driven by the unsatisfactory model specification of the conditional logit model in previous location choice analyses, specifically the violation of the independence from irrelevant alternatives assumption; but is also driven by the urgent need to better understand foreign investors’ in general and Japanese investors’ in particular location decision structure in China. Two potential hierarchical and sequential location decision‐making structures of Japanese investors are then tested, which are respectively in line with the spatial divide of China's FDI preferential policies and with China's six traditional census areas.     

FDI and market entry/exit: Evidence from China

This paper considers the impact of FDI and FDI-related spillovers on the entry and exit rates of domestic firms in mainland China's manufacturing sector. Since we suspect that aggregate results obscure differing effects based on the source of the FDI, we disaggregate FDI into that originating from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (HMT) area and the rest of the world. The empirical analysis, based on 4-digit industry level panel data over the period 2003–2007, reveals that FDI originating from the rest of the world has made a significant contribution to the entry rate of domestic firms in China and the spillover effect arising from backward linkages is also positive and significant. However, FDI originating from HMT area has not encouraged domestic entry, whilst it has contributed to an increase in the exit rate of domestic firms.     

Interdependence between Overseas and Domestic R&D Activities: Evidence from Taiwanese Multinationals

The purpose of the present paper is to examine the interdependence between the overseas and domestic R&D activities of Taiwanese multinational enterprises (MNEs). Because domestic (overseas) R&D activities may enter the overseas (domestic) R&D determination equation as an endogenous right‐hand side variable, the traditional estimation approach will be invalid due to the endogeneity problem. Therefore, it is proposed that the two R&D decisions be estimated using a simultaneous Tobit model. The results in this paper indicate that Taiwanese MNEs that engage in higher levels of domestic R&D activities will engage in overseas R&D activities. Interestingly, it is also found that Taiwanese MNEs increase their overseas R&D activities in developed countries instead of their domestic R&D activities, whereas Taiwanese MNEs that engage in overseas R&D activities in less‐developed countries will raise their domestic R&D activities. As for the other common determinants of the overseas and domestic R&D activities, firm size and the capital–labor ratio are found to be the main factors.     

Location choice in low-income countries: Evidence from Japanese investments in East Asia

Unlike most existing studies, this paper examines the location choices of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in low-income countries. Specifically, we investigate the location choices of Japanese MNEs among East Asian developing countries by estimating a four-stage nested logit model and a mixed logit model at the province level. Our findings are as follows. First, Japanese MNEs consider Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to be host countries different from China and the forerunners of ASEAN. In other words, for Japanese investors, ASEAN forerunners are countries replaceable by China. Second, the mechanics of vertical FDI are more likely to appear in FDIs in low-income countries. For example, rather than the market size of the host country, tariff rates on products from investing countries are more crucial location elements.     

淮安市台商投资影响因素分析及对策研究

就台商在淮安市投资的特点、影响因素以及发展趋势进行了分析。本文认为淮安市目前台商投资呈增长趋势,知名企业不断增加,已经初具集聚态势。分析发现丰富的矿产资源,低廉的劳动成本,初具规模的台资集聚效应,优良的投资环境以及日臻完善的基础设施是淮安市吸引台商的有利条件。淮安市今后引进台资应突出发展高科技和新兴产业并注重现代服务业和高效农业的发展。     

Democracy and foreign direct investment at the industry level: evidence for US multinationals

Theories of multinational enterprises emphasize that foreign direct investment (FDI) is undertaken in different industries for different reasons, yet studies of the effects of democracy on FDI most commonly use aggregate-level FDI data. This paper evaluates US FDI outflows to 15 industries (eight manufacturing, seven nonmanufacturing) in 54 countries in a linear dynamic panel-data gravity FDI model using a “system” generalized method of moments estimator and three widely used democracy indicators. At the aggregate-level, we estimate a positive effect of democracy on FDI, consistent with most prior studies. At the industry level, we estimate larger positive effects of democracy on FDI for service than manufacturing industries, particularly for finance and insurance and information, and negative effects for mining and oil and gas extraction.     

Are Regional Concentrations of OECD Exports and Outward FDI Consistent with Gravity?

A substantial amount of evidence has emerged indicating that a majority of the world's largest multinational enterprises concentrate activities in their home region. However, there are relatively few studies which test whether such concentrations are consistent with economic theory. This paper works to fill the void. It tests whether regional concentrations of OECD exports and outward FDI are consistent with predictions of a gravity model. The empirical evidence provided here indicates that exports are far more regional than the model predicts. As for FDI, the empirical evidence shows that intra-regional FDI in Europe is larger than the model predicts, whereas intra-regional FDI patterns within North America are consistent with gravity. Overall, this paper provides further support for Rugman's thesis that MNEs are best described as regional as opposed to global actors.     

跨国公司FDI理论的演进特征及发展趋势

本文在对传统跨国公司FDI理论进行分类与梳理的基础上,深入探讨了20世纪80年代以来跨国公司FDI理论思维取向的演变特征,即优势分析由静态化走向动态化,实践背景从发达国家扩展至发展中国家,基本对象从大型跨国公司转向中小型跨国公司,研究侧重点从动机探究偏向于区位分析。最后归纳总结了FDI理论发展的四大基本趋势。     

外商在华直接投资的区位因素分析——基于北京外商投资企业的典型调查研究

外商直接投资的区位问题是当前理论和实际工作者关心的热点问题之一,文章通过对北京81家外资企业的问卷调查,分析了外商在华直接投资的区位因素,发现市场规模、市场增长、政治和经济稳定是影响外商在华直接投资的最重要因素;劳动力成本、劳工素质、仿效或领先竞争对手也是吸引外商投资的重要因素;产品运输成本和基础设施也在外商的投资区位选择中占有一席之地;而政府的激励措施(包括税收优惠)在外商的投资驱动中并不占有十分重要的地位。     

服务业与制造业对华FDI区位选择的差异——基于存量调整模型的实证研究

选取我国省级细分行业面板数据,利用存量调整模型,对服务业与制造业的对华FDI区位选择的差异进行了研究。结果表明:与经济发达国家不同,处于转轨阶段的中国制造业FDI存量调整到均衡水平的速度快于服务业;服务业和制造业跨国公司在中国投资时,服务业FDI看重市场规模和基础设施水平,受集聚因素的影响不显著,制造业则看重市场规模和劳动力成本,倾向于投资到产业集聚度高的地区。此外,由于政府优惠政策多向制造业倾斜,因而地方政府控制力越大越有利于吸引制造业FDI,而不利于吸引服务业FDI。     

Factors Influencing FDI Location Choice in China＇s Inland Areas

Since 1978, the bulk of foreign direct investment （FDI） has gone to the south-eastern coastal areas in China, with only a small portion received inland. With the launch of the Western Development Strategy in 2000 and the Central China Rising Strategy in 2004, the choice of investment locations has expanded to inland areas. Based on panel data covering 98 inland cities from 1999 to 2005, this study identifies location preference variables for FDI invested in China＇s inland areas, and finds that well-established factors such as natural resources and low labor costs are not important factors in determining FDI locations within China＇s inland. Instead, policy incentives and industrial agglomeration are the most important factors. The findings of the present study have policy implications for both host country authorities and multinational corporations.     

技术进步、研发投入与外商直接投资的区位选择

本文从理论和实证分析的角度探讨了技术进步、研发投入和外商直接投资的关系。结果显示,中国各地区技术进步率、相对技术效率水平以及研发投入水平的提高,都有助于吸引更多外商直接投资的进入。新兴的研发和技术因素逐渐取代基础设施、交通运输条件等传统因素,成为外商在华直接投资区位选择的主要决定因素。据此本文认为,对于外资利用不足的中西部地区而言,应通过加大研发投入、培养区域自主创新能力、着力提高本地区的相对技术效率水平、加快推进本地区的技术进步幅度,以提高本地区对外商直接投资的吸引效应。