Foreign firms in China: modelling HRM in a toy manufacturing corporation

This article reports the study of a large, wholly foreign‐owned toy factory in China. It explores whether foreign direct investment (FDI) manufacturing firms in China inevitably operate in a Taylorist fashion, in contrast to the much praised HR model of blue chip multinational corporations (MNCs) in the country, or whether there is a ‘third way’ in which good HR practices may be adopted on the ground. The article concludes that a more nuanced approach is needed in our study of FDI companies in order to gain a fuller understanding of the institutional and cultural factors at play and of the consequent diversity in the HR and employment practices of FDI firms, instead of being trapped in a simplistic and polarising typological framework of analysis. This study is necessary in light of the growing diversity in the patterns of FDI companies operating in China in terms of their ownership structure, product market, management style and HR strategy, both for managers and for workers.     

环境规制是否抑制了外商直接投资的流入？

基于中国工业企业数据库、中国环境数据库和国泰安城市数据库的匹配数据,采用赫克曼（Heckman）两阶段模型,本文研究了环境规制对外商直接投资（FDI）流入的影响及作用机制。研究结果表明：环境规制对企业的FDI决策和FDI数量均具有显著的负向影响,并且对污染行业企业的负向影响更大、更明显;无论是港澳台投资还是外商投资,环境规制都对其引资决策和引资数量产生了显著的负向影响,并且对外商投资的负向影响更大、更明显;环境规制对私营企业、中西部地区企业、劳动密集型企业、低生产率企业、小规模企业和高融资约束企业的引资行为具有更大、更明显的负向影响;金融危机后,环境规制对FDI的负向影响增强;环境规制通过生产成本效应抑制了FDI的流入,并通过创新激励效应促进了FDI的流入,并且生产成本效应明显大于创新激励效应。 关键词：环境规制FDI流入FDI决策FDI数量赫克曼两阶段模型     

Foreign Market Strategies of European and United States Transnational Management-Consulting Firms in South East Asia: The Case of Thailand

ABSTRACT

The share of transnational corporations' (TNCs) foreign investment in the global investment has increased over the years. In this context, the international activities of transnational service corporations (TSCs) have become an important topic of discussion for international managers, governments, researchers, and academics. An even greater expansion has taken place in the case of management consulting services. The core subject of this study are entry strategies and FDI motives observed among transnational management-consulting firms (TMCFs) from the United States, Europe and Asia operating in Thailand. A management interview approach was the major tool for data collection in this study. Eighteen foreign TMCFs operating in Thailand were the main source of primary research data, which were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicate that TMCFs prefer full-ownership participation as an entry mode into the Thai market. As to their FDI motives, the most important one identified is to exploit the existing market opportunities in host countries. Other important motives include: market expansion, exploitation of competitive advantage, and following the client's international involvement.     

Firm Productivity and the Foreign‐Market Entry Decision

We use Japanese firm‐level data to examine how a firm’s productivity affects its foreign‐market entry strategy. The firm faces a choice between exporting and foreign direct investment (FDI). In the case of FDI, the firm has two options: greenfield investment or acquisition of an existing plant (M&A). If it selects greenfield investment, it has two ownership choices: whole ownership or a joint venture with a local company. Controlling for industry‐ and country‐specific characteristics, we find that the more productive a firm is, the more likely it is to choose FDI rather than exporting and greenfield investment rather than M&A.     

Corporate financial determinants of foreign direct investment

Financial market incompleteness and (partial) segmentation of financial markets internationally may endow some firms with a financial advantage which can be exploited through foreign direct investment. We argue that this advantage appears as a distinct cost-of-capital effect on FDI, and identify possible channels for such an effect. Using a sample of European firms’ cross-border acquisitions, and controlling for traditional firm-level determinants of FDI, we find strong support for a cost-of-equity effect, whereas the effect of debt costs is indeterminate. Moreover, financial FDI determinants are more important for firms with high knowledge intensity and for firms resident in relatively less financially developed countries.     

发展中国家对外直接投资的新趋势

文章在系统总结发展中国家对外直接投资历程的基础上,结合发展中国家FDI出现的新特点,认为发展中国家的对外直接投资除已出现学习型FDI、竞争策略型FDI以外,极少数发展中国家的跨国公司已开始进入更为高级的市场势力型FDI阶段。     

经济转型下的外商直接投资、国内资本与经济增长——基于中国时间序列数据的计量检验与实证分析

经济转型背景下,中国经济持续增长的一个重要原因是引入外商直接投资。本文对1985年-2010年中国外商直接投资、国内投资与经济增长的总量时间序列数据进行了实证分析。结果表明:FDI与国内资本对我国的经济增长的影响显著,都是GDP的格兰杰原因,与经济增长存在长期均衡关系;但FDI对经济增长的影响小于国内资本,并且FDI与国内资本还存在相互挤入效应。     

Sino-Indian Liberalization: The Role of Trade and Foreign Investment

Two major factors account for a country’s growing integration with the global economy: trade and foreign investment; expansion of exports, and foreign direct investment (FDI). Growth of exports became a dominant source of industrial growth during the 1980s in most developing countries (see Helleiner, 1995). Most of these countries including China and India, have replaced the old import-substitution policy by an export promotion strategy. Both domestic and international factors played an important role in the shift of national policies to repay debts. The process of globalization already underway necessitated export orientation for improving technology, management practices, marketing and international competitiveness. This paper aims at exploring the contributions of exports and FDI to growth and economic liberalization in China and lndia. The first section briefly reviews similarities and differences in the two economies. The second section deals with growth, composition and direction of foreign trade. The third section examines the role of FDI, and its sources and composition by sector, industry, and by overseas ethnic Chinese and Indians. Trade and FDI linkages are examined in the fourth section which also contains a brief case study of Guangdong (China). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Foreign direct investment: A genetic algorithm approach

This paper proposes a genetic algorithm (GA) approach as an analytical tool with a carefully defined fitness function for variable selection. Discriminant analysis will be used as a parameter evaluation method for the analysis of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. Results indicate that the proposed GA method is more efficient in classifying “successful or unsuccessful” inward FDI by providing higher accuracy rates while using fewer variables than previous efforts. An implication of this result is that, given a scarcity of resources and the need to promote FDI, the proposed GA may provide a more efficient way to concentrate on those fewer variables found to be important determinants of “successful” FDI inflow.     

DETERMINANTS OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT – A TALE OF NINE THEORETICAL MODELS

Abstract.  This paper presents a review of nine theoretical models of foreign direct investment (FDI). Discussed are early studies of determinants of FDI (1) as well as determinants of FDI based on the neoclassical trade theory (2), ownership advantages (3), aggregate variables (4), the ownership, location and internalization advantage framework (5), horizontal and vertical FDI models (6), the knowledge-capital model (7), diversified FDI and risk diversification models (8) and policy variables (9). From each of the nine theories, the relevant determinants of FDI are derived. Empirical studies indicate the importance of these determinants in the real world. The paper shows that there is not one single theory of FDI, but a variety of theoretical models attempting to explain FDI and the location decision of multinational firms. Therefore, any analysis of determinants of FDI should not be based on a single theoretical model. Instead, FDI should be explained more broadly by a combination of factors from a variety of theoretical models such as ownership advantages or agglomeration economics, market size and characteristics, cost factors, transport costs, protection, risk factors and policy variables.     

Financial advantage,outsourcing and FDI under wage uncertainty

This paper investigates outsourcing and foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions in North–South trade under conditions of wage uncertainty. The North has a financial advantage to raise capital, but the South has the advantage of low wages. If the expected outsourcing cost is lower than the in-house production cost, some outsourcing to a Southern firm is optimal. However, outsourcing to an FDI firm is superior to outsourcing to a Southern firm as well as in-house production. This finding is consistent with the rising foreign direct investment in China by Northern firms.     

外商对华投资独资化趋势分析

随着我国整体投资环境的持续改善,外商对华投资进入新的增长期。近年来,外商对华直接投资中独资企业比重大幅上升,外商并购中外合资企业中方资产、转化为外商独资企业或外商控股企业的案例迅速增加,外商对华投资出现了明显的独资化趋势。文中分析了外商在华投资独资化趋势的成因以及效应,并据此提出了我们的应对之策。     

Foreign direct investment,labour relations and sector effects: US investment outflows to Europe

This paper analyses the impact of national labour relations on foreign direct investment (FDI), with emphasis on macro-markets and sector properties. Since there are sector-specific differences between industries in transferability, labour-relations effects on FDI probably vary across sectors. The paper finds that labour costs dampen FDI, while the impact of national market potential remains inconclusive. Collective labour institutions have a significantly adverse impact on FDI in manufacturing, and a relatively beneficial one on FDI in services. While investment in manufacturing seeks to minimize labour costs at given skill levels, investment in services maximizes skills at given levels of cost.     

FDI占中国固定资产投资比重变动的倒U形特征与决定因素实证分析

1979～2008年,FDI进入占中国年度固定资产投资总额比重的变动过程,呈现显著的倒U形变动特征。1979～2000年前后,FDI占中国年度固定资产投资比重显著上升,起促进作用的因素主要是国有企业和集体企业劳动就业人口比重相对下降,税收政策优惠,以及对外贸易开放度提高。2002～2008年,FDI占中国年度固定资产投资比重显著下降,起关键作用的因素主要有中国高等教育入学率提高,以及中国加入WTO后对外贸易壁垒下降。此外,本文还就FDI占中国年度固定资产投资比重变动的决定因素分不同地区进行了实证研究。     

Foreign direct investment and its determinants: A regional panel causality analysis

Moving beyond traditional one- or possibly two-way causality involving foreign direct investment (FDI), a systematic approach is implemented for delineating both short- and long-run flows of causality involving FDI and a comprehensive set of FDI's possible determinants. Granger causality procedures incorporating error correction terms are implemented, using provincial panel data from China. In both the short and long run, growth in GDP directly influences FDI, while growth in local infrastructure and local investment provide indirect but not direct influence.     

Foreign capital inflows, economic growth and stock market capitalization in Asian countries: an ARDL bound testing approach

This study investigates the effects of foreign capital inflows and economic growth on stock market capitalization in 18 Asian countries by using the panel data from the period of 2000–2010. The ARDL bound testing cointegration approach confirms the valid long run relationship between the considered variables. Results indicate that foreign direct investment has significant negative and economic growth has significant positive relationship with the stock market capitalization, whereas, the results of workers’ remittances is found insignificant in long run. The error correction model confirms the significant positive relationship of economic growth and workers’ remittances while, FDI has negative and significant impact on stock market capitalization in short run. Results of causality test based on Toda and Yamamoto (J Econom 66: 225–250, 1995) show the bidirectional causal relationship of foreign direct investment and economic growth with stock market capitalization. However, no causal relationship is found in between workers’ remittances and stock market capitalization. It is suggested that investor should not idealize the inflow of workers’ remittances to invest in Asian stock markets in long run. Simultaneously, size of the economy is a better leading indicator for Asian stock markets. On the other hand, inflows of FDI may mislead the investor to invest. Investor should keep on eye whether FDI come in the competition of domestic market or not? If this happens so investor should not invest in the stock market of host country.     

我国环境规制对不同来源国FDI的影响

利用对中国直接投资排名前33位国家和地区的面板数据,对环境规制等因素与不同来源国FDI流入的关系进行研究,结果显示,我国环境规制虽然在一定程度上阻碍了来自发展中国家的FDI,但对发达国家的FDI并未产生影响.由于我国FDI大部分来自发达国家,因此我国环境规制对FDI流入的影响是有限的.提高我国的环境规制水平不但不会抑制FDI企业的进入,反而可以提高高新技术企业的竞争优势,发挥这些企业的技术扩散、外溢效应,更好地实现招商引资的战略目的.     

我国贸易失衡的结构特征、形成机制及政策启示

本文对我国贸易失衡的结构特征和原因进行了研究,并讨论了相应的政策启示.研究发现,近年来我国贸易顺差占GDP比重与其他新兴经济体相比并不大,但对欧美的贸易顺差以及对日、韩的贸易逆差的绝对规模处于上升趋势;从地区层面看,贸易失衡主要由贸易规模最大的几个省份引起;加工贸易占比越高的行业,贸易顺差规模越大.本文的政策启示如下:...     

Inter- and intra-industry linkages as a determinant of FDI in Central and Eastern Europe

This paper uses an unpublished dataset on disaggregated foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), and is rooted in new economic geography literature. A 10% increase in access to suppliers based in the FDI recipient country or access to the EU15 market for intermediate goods increases FDI by about 2% in Central European countries and by 1% in Eastern European countries. We argue that Central (core) European countries specialise in upstream industries and re-export goods toward FDI-origin countries, while Eastern (periphery) European countries are also involved in this production chain, but to a lesser extent.     

外商直接投资对吉林省服务业发展的影响研究

随着市场化经济趋势的逐步增强,发展服务业对我国国民经济的重要性也日益凸显出来。对吉林省而言,积极发展服务业,提高其服务规模和质量,既是本区产业结构调整的重要内容,也是加快工业化、现代化的必然要求。本文以吉林省服务业的发展为线索,研究了外商直接投资对吉林省服务业发展的影响,并在此基础上,对吉林省服务业如何进一步利用外资发展提出了建议。