Outward investment, employment, and wages in Swedish multinationals

Examining detailed data for the home-country operations in Swedishmultinationals during the period 1986-94, this paper shows thatthere are signs of very notable structural changes in the home-countryoperations of these corporations. It also shows that the effectsvary according to economic conditions in the home country. Inthe 1980s, when the Swedish economy was characterized by hightaxes, high inflation rates, and a tight labour market, relativelyattractive jobs within the multinational corporations (MNCs)were relocated from Swedish plants to foreign affiliates. Inthe 1990s, by contrast, when the financial crisis had necessitateda host of micro- and macroeconomic reforms, the location decisionof the MNCs were more favourable for the Swedish economy. Newjobs created by the multinationals were found in activitieswith high productivity and wages. Thus, home-country effectsof foreign direct investment seem, to a large extent, to bedetermined by the home countries' economic environment.