Links between foreign direct investment and human capital formation: Evidence from the manufacturing sector in India

This paper is related to the literature on the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the labour market of host countries. Labour market literature has focused on the demand side of FDI; that is, increasing wage inequality by demanding more skilled workers or just increasing the overall average wages. On the supply side, FDI can enrich the skilled labour force of the host country by the provision of on-the-job training or learning or through indirect technological spillover effects. This paper takes into account both these effects and tests for human capital formation effect of FDI in India for core manufacturing sector firms for the period 2001–2015 using the Prowess database of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. It also takes into account the endogeneity of decision-making on the part of foreign firms in locating FDI. Different dynamic panel data methods are used with static and dynamic generalized method of moments techniques. This study does not find any positive supply-side human capital formation effects of FDI but finds a positive demand-side effect of FDI of raising wage inequality and average wages. The results remain robust while taking into account heterogeneities at region, industry, size, and age of the firms.     

Foreign Direct Investment,Productivity, Demand for Skilled Labour and Wage Inequality: An Analysis of Uruguay

This study seeks to identify the causal effects of foreign ownership on productivity, the demand for skilled labour and wage inequality. With this aim, we use differences‐in‐differences techniques for a panel of Uruguayan manufacturing firms in the period 1997–2005. Our results seem to indicate that FDI causes higher productivity and increased demand for skilled labour. Furthermore, although average wages are higher in foreign‐owned firms than in domestic ones, the wage gap between skilled and unskilled workers is wider. It follows that promoting foreign investment enhances productivity. In addition, due to the greater demand for skilled workers, policies such as training schemes would be conducive to raising productivity still further, while other social policies could help to mitigate the wage inequality effects.     

Industrial Policy, FDI and Employment: Still ‘Missing a Strategy’

This paper contrasts the effects of trade, inward FDI and technological development upon the demand for skilled and unskilled workers in the UK. By focussing on industry level data panel data on smaller firms, the paper also contrasts these effects with those generated by large scale domestic investment. The analysis is placed within the broader context of shifts in British industrial policy, which has seen significant shifts from sectoral to horizontal measures and towards stressing the importance of SMEs, clusters and new technology, all delivered at the regional scale. This, however, is contrasted with continued elements of British and EU regional policy which have emphasised the attraction of inward investment in order to alleviate regional unemployment. The results suggest that such policies are not naturally compatible; that while both trade and FDI benefit skilled workers, they have adverse effects on the demand for unskilled labour in the UK. At the very least this suggests the need for a range of policies to tackle various targets (including in this case unemployment and social inclusion) and the need to integrate these into a coherent industrial strategy at various levels of governance, whether regional and/or national. This has important implications for the form of any ‘new’ industrial policy.     

Foreign direct investment and wages: a cross-country analysis

While globalization has led to overall economic growth in a number of countries, questions abound on its distributional effects, especially on rising wage inequality across nations. The main objective of this study is to investigate empirically the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on wages in a cross-country setting. We investigate the general equilibrium propositions that capital inflows (outflows) increase (lower) wages in host (home) countries due to the change in relative factor endowments. We also explore whether capital inflows have differential impacts on skilled and unskilled wages in developing economies. Time-series data on 26 countries, 15 developed and 11 developing, are used to fit the labour share equation derived from a translog GNP function with net FDI stock as one of its arguments. Results confirm that capital movement brings about a cross-country convergence of wages. However, there is some evidence that inward FDI flows increase the wage gap between skilled and unskilled workers in developing countries.     

跨国公司的技术关联性及我国吸引外资政策

跨国公司的FDI和技术转移与技术的关联性有关,本文首先对相关技术和衍生技术做了新的界定,然后在新熊彼得学派曼斯菲尔德对外直接投资与技术转移的选择理论及邓宁的“三优势模式”等理论基础上,进一步剖析技术关联性对跨国公司FDI和技术转移的影响机理,提出了我国吸引外资的政策建议。     

Foreign direct investment and inequality: Evidence from China's policy change

In this paper, we examine the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on local urban inequality in China. Specifically, we consider the FDI policy change as an exogenous shock on the local labour markets. We find that cities that have experienced a bigger policy change in promoting FDI between 1997 and 2002 are significantly more unequal in 2005. This pattern is mainly driven by the positive association between FDI liberalisation and skill premia. The result holds after we control for other policy changes, such as privatisation of state-owned enterprises, infrastructure and trade liberalisation. We then turn to investigate the mechanisms using firm and individual-level information. Our firm-level evidence shows that FDI firms not only hire relatively more high-skilled workers but also provide relatively higher wages to high-skilled workers compared to domestic firms. Moreover, the individual-level analysis shows that FDI has a significantly positive spillover effect on wages received by skilled workers employed by state-owned enterprises, but not wages of unskilled workers.     

The merits of horizontal versus vertical FDI in the presence of uncertainty

We examine the impact of uncertainty on vertical and horizontal FDI. Our model shows that greater supply uncertainty reduces the expected income from vertical FDI but increases the expected income from horizontal FDI. Greater demand uncertainty adversely affects the expected income under both production modes. Uncertainty about predatory actions by the host country is more costly to the multinational under vertical than under the horizontal mode. We examine sales by foreign affiliates of U.S. parent companies. Conditioning on host-country characteristics thought to influence FDI, we find evidence that volatility and sovereign risk have a greater negative impact on vertical FDI than on horizontal FDI.     

East Asian FDI in Europe and Germany

During the 1980s foreign direct investment (FDI) expanded remarkably. Simultaneously, the regional structure of foreign direct investment changed. This relationship is discernible among industrial countries, as well as between industrial and developing countries. Of particular importance is the interface of foreign trade relations between the “Triad” and the economically dynamic East Asian and Pacific area. This article highlights, in particular, foreign investment coming from Eastern Asia into Europe and Germany.     

中国是否应该继续大量引进FDI——多重视角下FDI对中国经济的影响分析

随着中国经济的发展和改革开放的深入,在经济全球化的推动下,FDI源源不断地流入中国,文章着重分析了FDI流入中国的产业经济学基础,同时对FDI对中国经济的影响做了分析。中国在国际贸易中的位置和全球要素禀赋结构的变化决定了即便在几十年后仍然会有大量FDI流入中国。流入中国的FDI可分为港澳台外资企业和其他外资企业,因为这两种FDI的战略定位不同,对中国经济的影响也存在差异。“增量改革”使得中国区域间和产业间发展极不平衡,各产业和各地区之间的情况差异也很大,两种FDI对中国经济的影响也需要分情况研究。文章把中国分为东部中部西部三个区域进行了分区域分析,又把工业行业分成四组分别进行了分行业分析,得到了较为具体的分区域分行业分析结果,同时针对中国的具体情况给出了政策建议,并认为在引进FDI时应针对不同的FDI采取不同的策略,同时积极培育具有国际竞争力的本土企业才是保证中国经济长久稳定增长的关键。     

Is FTA/EPA effective for a developing country to attract FDI? The knowledge‐capital model revisited

To prepare an answer to the question of how a developing country can attract foreign direct investment (FDI), this paper explored the factors and policies that may help bring FDI into a developing country by utilising an extended version of the knowledge‐capital model. With a special focus on the effects of a free trade agreement (FTA) or an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between a pair of market and non‐market countries, simulations with the model revealed the following: (i) although FTA/EPA generally tends to increase FDI to a developing country, the possibility of improving welfare through increased demand for skilled and unskilled labour decreases as the size of the country grows; (ii) a developing country may suffer severe welfare losses through FTA/EPA if the availability of skilled labour is extremely limited; and (iii) a developing country can enhance welfare gains from a FTA, and it is even possible to recover the welfare effects from negative to positive, by making the arrangement an EPA.     

Offshore Outsourcing and Non‐production Workers: Firm‐level Relationships Disaggregated by Skills and Suppliers

In analysing the impact of offshoring on the skill composition, previous empirical studies have established that offshoring firms employ more non‐production workers. However, not all non‐production workers are highly skilled. This paper disaggregates non‐production workers into the following three categories: (i) skilled non‐production workers, (ii) unskilled non‐production workers and (iii) non‐production workers with special skills for offshoring and other overseas business management. By linking our offshoring survey data with firm‐level data for Japanese manufacturing firms, this paper finds that the share of skilled non‐production workers tends to be significantly high in offshoring firms but that of unskilled non‐production workers is not. As offshoring has expanded from production to non‐production tasks, this result implies that the distinction between skilled versus unskilled workers becomes critical among non‐production workers. Using our unique data on supplier types in offshoring, this paper finds that the share of non‐production workers for the management of overseas activities tends to be high in foreign direct investment firms and in firms outsourcing to foreign independent suppliers, but not in Japanese firms outsourcing to offshore suppliers located abroad but owned by other Japanese firms. This difference indicates that coordination burdens are likely to be at least partly mitigated by common languages or shared business practices. These findings suggest that offshoring has different impacts on employment depending on suppliers and the worker’s skill. The principal results are confirmed robust even after various firm characteristics are controlled for in panel regressions, though we should not give any causal interpretations.     

Foreign direct investment and wage differentials in Taiwan

Abstract

The ease of restrictions on foreign direct investment in China since 1990 has attracted a continuous and dramatic flow of outward investment from Taiwan to the mainland. At the same time, the relative wages for skilled workers in Taiwan have risen mildly despite a rapid increase in the share of educated workers in its labor market. The aim of this paper is to explore the linkage between capital outflows to China and the wage share of skilled workers in Taiwan over the period 1991 – 2001. We find that the pattern of changes in relative wages is consistent with shifts in the relative demand for skilled labor. For the most part, the increases in the relative demand for skilled workers could be attributable to within-industry factors. Findings also indicate that outward direct investment to China has a significantly positive impact on the skilled labor wage share.     

The “grabbing hand” or the “helping hand” view of corruption: Evidence from bank foreign market entries

This study adopts a resource perspective to explore a non-linear relationship between corruption and two measures of bank foreign market commitment, the capital invested and the share of equity, on a sample of 131 bank entries in forty host countries. Our findings support a U-shaped relationship providing evidence of the “grabbing hand” view at low to moderate levels of corruption and, supporting the “helping hand” view at high levels of it. In addition, market-seeking motives are found to have a positive moderating effect on this relationship. This study contributes to the long-standing debate about the effects of corruption on FDI.     

2018 WTO Trade Policy Review of Malaysia

This paper presents an academic analysis and review of the recently completed WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Malaysia, 2018. This includes suggesting policies that can help to promote Malaysia's international competitiveness. We show that the sharp decline in commodity prices that started in 2014 contributed in narrowing Malaysia's trade balance and current account balance as a share of GDP. The faster decline of exports as a share of GDP compared to imports accounted for most of the substantial reduction. Further, the collapse of commodity prices was accompanied by a sharp depreciation of Ringgit Malaysia. We also show that Malaysia is losing international attractiveness in terms of FDI inflows relative to its economic size. This is evidenced by the downward trend in Malaysia's FDI performance index since 1992. Further, international tourism has fallen on average since 2014, due largely to a drop in tourist arrivals from Singapore. Policymakers should introduce policies to enhance international competitiveness, such as reforming the education system to produce skilled workers and reducing reliance on low‐skilled foreign workers.     

FDI对江苏省产业结构优化升级的影响研究

FDI对一个地区产业结构的影响存在一定的滞后期。通过对江苏省FDI分布滞后模型分析得知,FDI对第一产业的影响有很小的负效应;对第二产业的影响存在着负效应;对第三产业GDP占比存在正相关,且存在较长的滞后期。为更好地利用外资促进江苏省产业结构的优化升级,应积极引导FDI流向第一产业和第二产业,尤其要引导外商直接投资优化第二产业内部结构;要鼓励外商增加对现代服务业和战略性新兴产业的投资。     

A model of demand,productivity and foreign location decision among Taiwanese firms

We develop a theoretical framework to examine the relative importance of firm demand and productivity in firm decisions to export and where to locate foreign direct investments. The model shows that the equilibrium firm decision depends on product technology, consumer preference for product quality, fixed investment costs of establishing a foreign subsidiary, transportation costs and relative wages. Our empirical results confirm the predictions of the theoretical model. Firm-level demand and productivity components are important in explaining the decision to participate in foreign markets with their relative importance depending on the firm's organizational form (exports versus FDI) and the destination of the investments. In general, FDI firms are more productive than exporting firms regardless of FDI destinations. FDI firms also have a higher demand component than exporters and this demand component is stronger than productivity. Finally, among FDI firms, while those with a high demand index and productivity have a significantly higher propensity to invest in high-income countries, firm productivity is the sole determinant of firms undertaking FDI in low-income countries.     

Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in the UK Electronic Industry: The Eclectic Approach

This article analyses the combined effects of Japanese firms' ownership and location advantages on the size of foreign direct investment (FDI). The size of FDI is measured by two proxies, the firm's employment level and its total assets. Econometric models are estimated. The estimated regression models show that the parent company's firm-specific resources and the external economies in the located region determine the flow of FDI at the time of entry of Japanese electronic firms in the UK. This result shows that empirical analysis on FDI flows should combine both the ownership and location advantages, as suggested by Dunning's eclectic paradigm.     

现代流通体系畅通双循环的理论逻辑与内在机理研究

双循环新发展格局构建的关键在于推动产业关联畅通和经济良性循环流转，实现供给侧与需求侧协同发展。现代流通体系在国民经济循环中处于核心环节，是衔接供给侧与需求侧的桥梁和纽带，在破解双循环新发展格局构建中面临的痛点、难点及堵点方面发挥着重要作用。文章着眼畅通双循环，构建了“四功能打造、六化转型、五体系升级”现代流通体系建设的逻辑模型，提出了现代流通体系在实现更高水平生产与消费循环、更高质量城市与农村循环、更高层次内外贸市场循环、更加协调跨区域市场循环中的重要作用，进而从信息传导、结构牵引、要素优化和科技创新四大功能出发，阐述了现代流通体系畅通双循环的内在机理及关键机制，并提出相应对策。     

外商直接投资的退出效应与绩效检验

文章摒弃了“从FDI进入研究东道国溢出效应”的传统思路,强调FDI退出对东道国的受益（贡献）情况。文章进一步利用2008-2013年间两位码分类的中国工业动态面板数据,估计了FDI退出对工业全要素生产率的效应。研究发现：FDI退出对中国工业绩效的影响呈现出显著的差异性,以追求研发创新和高端人才优势为战略动机的探索型FDI退出抑制了中国工业绩效的改善,而以国际分工和产业转移为投资目标的利用型FDI退出则有利于整体工业水平的提升,其对工业绩效改善的贡献呈递增之势。     

Evaluating the foreign ownership wage premium using a difference-in-differences matching approach

This paper seeks to identify the causal effect of foreign acquisitions on wages of skilled and unskilled workers, using difference-in-differences propensity score matching estimators. Our results suggest that there is substantial heterogeneity in the post-acquisition wage effect depending on the nationality of the foreign acquirer and the skill group of workers. We find sizable post acquisition wage effects on skilled and unskilled wages following an acquisition by a US firm. No such impacts result from acquisitions by EU multinationals. Also we discern some positive wage effects for unskilled workers resulting from acquisitions by multinationals from the rest of the world.