scholarly journals Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Middle-Income Countries: New Middle-Income Trap Evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis A. Tampakoudis ◽  
Demetres N. Subeniotis ◽  
Ioannis G. Kroustalis ◽  
Manolis I. Skouloudakis
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Emerging Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Fdi Inflows ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Economic Level ◽  
Middle Income Trap ◽  
Gathering Data

Abstract The determinants of FDI have been examined extensively in the literature; however, the empirical findings are inconclusive and often diverging. Developing and emerging countries have attracted the bulk of FDI inflows since the early 2000s, subsequently improving their economic level. Nevertheless, many middle-income countries got stuck in the middle-income trap, failing to make the transition to the high-income level. The study investigates the effects of certain determinants on FDI inflows to middle-income countries, with respect to avoiding the middle-income trap. We employ a panel data analysis for fifteen middleincome countries gathering data from 1980 onwards. The results highlight the significance of trade openness, GDP and population growth on inward FDI, while financial development, inflation, infrastructure and fuel exports are found to be insignificant. Empirical findings may force governments to apply policies in certain areas, with the aim of attracting further FDI while at the same time escaping the middle-income trap.

Does foreign direct investment cause economic growth? A dynamic panel data analysis for SADC countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmore E Mahembe ◽  
Nicholas M Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Fdi Inflows ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Middle Income Countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the causal relationship between inward foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries over the period 1980-2012. It also investigates whether the causal relationship between FDI inflows and economic growth is dependent on the level of income. Design/methodology/approach – In order to assess whether the causal relationship between FDI inflows and economic growth is dependent on the level of income, the study divided the SADC countries into two groups, namely, the middle-income countries and the low-income countries. The study used the recent panel-data analysis methods to examine this linkage. The Granger causality test for the middle-income countries was conducted within a vector-error correction mechanism framework; while that of the low-income countries was conducted within a vector autoregressions framework. Findings – The results for the middle-income countries’ panel show that there is a uni-directional causal flow from GDP to FDI, and not vice versa. However, for the low-income countries’ panel, there was no evidence of causality in either direction. The study concludes that the FDI-led growth hypothesis does not apply to SADC countries. Research limitations/implications – Methodology applied in this study is a bivariate framework which is likely to suffer from the omission of variable bias (Odhiambo, 2008, 2011). Second, the Granger causality analysis employed in this only investigates the direction of causality and whether each variable can be used to explain another, but does not directly test for the mechanisms through which FDI leads to economic growth and economic growth leads to FDI. Practical implications – Future studies may include a third variable such as domestic savings, exports, or financial development in a trivariate or multivariate panel causality model. A more complete analysis which seeks to explain the channels through which FDI impacts growth is suggested for future studies. Lastly, sector level analysis will help policy makers draft effective industrial policies, which can guide allocation of incentives. Social implications – The results of this study support the Growth-led FDI hypothesis, but not the FDI-led growth hypothesis. In other words, it is economic growth that drives FDI inflows into the SADC region and into Southern Africa, and not vice versa. This implies that the recent high economic growth rates that have been recorded in some of the SADC countries, especially the middle-income countries, have led to a massive inflow of FDI into this region. Originality/value – At the regional level, SADC as a regional bloc has been actively pursuing policies and strategies aimed at attracting FDI into the region. Despite the important role of FDI in economic development, and the increase in FDI inflows into SADC countries in particular, there is a significant dearth of literature on the causal relationship between FDI and economic growth. The study used the recent panel-data analysis methods to examine the causal relationship between FDI and economic growth in SADC countries.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, IMPORTS AND TARIFF DEREGULATION ON EXPORTS AMONG PIONEERING ASEAN MEMBERS: PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Asirvatham ◽  
Rajah Rasiah ◽  
Govindamal Thangiah ◽  
Navaz Naghav
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Import Substitution ◽  
Turn Of The Millennium ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Rapid Pace

Following the successful development of the first-tier Newly Industrialized economies of South Korea and Taiwan, governments have gradually moved from import-substitution policies to export-led or export-led import substitution policies. The Association of Southeast Asian nations are no exception as the rapid pace of trade liberalization has been referred to as the prime driver of economic growth in these countries. While the industrial policies of these countries may not be as effective as those of the first-tier NIEs, the pioneering ASEAN members of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand have enjoyed rapid growth and structural change since the 1970s. Indeed, Singapore’s per capita income has remained higher than that of South Korea and Taiwan. Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand became middle income countries by the turn of the millennium. Hence, using panel data over the period 1970-2015 this paper seeks to analyze the influence of foreign direct investment, imports and tariff deregulation on export growth among the five pioneering ASEAN members. The results show that open trade policies in general and increases in FDI, imports and tariff deregulations has helped the ASEAN-5 stimulate exports. Keywords: Exports; Foreign direct investment; Imports; Tariffs; ASEAN.

Causal Interactions Between Foreign Direct Investments, Trade, and Economic Growth

2019 ◽  
pp. 242-264
Author(s):  
Fındık Özlem Alper ◽  
Ali Eren Alper
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Foreign Direct Investments ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Pooled Mean Group

The main objective of this chapter is to detect the impacts of FDI and foreign trade on the economic growth of middle income countries. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship among economic growth, foreign direct investments, and trade in 27 middle-income countries according to the United Nations (UN) classification through panel data analysis method. According to the results of the Pedroni cointegration test, the null hypothesis suggesting no cointegration among the series at 1% significance level is rejected in all seven tests. According to pooled mean group estimator estimation results, the coefficients of foreign direct investment and trade which have long-term impacts on economic growth are also identified. Accordingly, the coefficients of both variables are statistically significant. A 1% increase in foreign direct investment and trade increase economic growth by 0.24% and 0.02%, respectively.

scholarly journals Causal Links between Trade Openness and Foreign Direct Investment in Romania

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Malsha Mayoshi Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage ◽  
Gheorghe Epuran ◽  
Bianca Tescașiu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Real Effective Exchange Rate ◽  
Foreign Direct Investments ◽  
Causality Test ◽  
Fdi Inflows ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
Long Run

In this increasingly globalized era, foreign direct investments are considered to be one of the most important sources of external financing for all countries. This paper investigates the causal relationship between trade openness and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Romania during the period 1997–2019. Throughout this study, Trade Openness is the main independent variable, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Real Effective Exchange Rate (EXR), Inflation (INF), and Education (EDU) act as control variables for investigating the relationships between trade openness (TOP) and FDI inflow in Romania. The Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bounds test procedure was adopted to achieve the above-mentioned objective. Trade openness has negative and statistically significant long-run and short-run relationships with FDI inflows in Romania throughout the period. Trade openness negatively affects the FDI inflow, which suggest that the higher the level of openness is, the less likely it is that FDI will be attracted in the long run. The result of the Granger causality test indicated that Romania has a unidirectional relationship between trade openness and FDI. It also showed that the direction of causality ran from FDI to trade openness.

Effects of Infrastructure Development on Foreign Direct Investment in Kenya

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Teresa Wekesa ◽  
Nelson H. Wawire ◽  
George Kosimbei
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Fdi Inflows ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
Quality Infrastructure

Kenya’s foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows as a percentage of GDP have been increasing negligibly over the last 4 years, increasing from 0.4 per cent in 2010 to 0.9 per cent in 2013. And yet evidence shows that quality infrastructure lowers the cost of doing business and thus attracts FDI. Kenya has visible signs of infrastructure inadequacy and inefficiencies despite the fact that since the year 2000, there has been increased budgetary allocation to the infrastructure sector. This study, therefore, sought to determine the effects of transport, energy, communication and water and waste infrastructure development on FDI inflows in Kenya. The study used annual time series data sourced from Central Bank of Kenya, World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Using multiple regression analysis, it was established that improved transport infrastructure, communication infrastructure, water and waste infrastructure, exchange rate, economic growth and trade openness are important determinants of FDI inflows into Kenya. Hence, for Kenya to attract more FDI, continued infrastructural development is key since quality infrastructure affords investors a conducive investment climate in which to operate.

scholarly journals Determinant of FDI Inflows in OIC Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Megasari ◽  
Samsubar Saleh
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Exchange Rates ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Fixed Effect Model ◽  
Fdi Inflows ◽  
Macroeconomic Variables ◽  
Effect Model

This study aims to analyze the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) country members for the period 2005 to 2018 The determinant variables of FDI are corruption, political stability and macroeconomic variables such as inflation, exchange rates, economic growth, and trade openness. Analysis used in the study  is the fixed effect model (FEM) of the OIC data panel.The results showed that economic growth and trade openness had a significant influence on foreign direct investment (FDI), while the effects of corruption, political stability, inflation and the exchange rate have no significant effect on foreign direct investment (FDI).

scholarly journals Global competitiveness divide and the middle-income-trap

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Yaw Acheampong
Keyword(s):  
High Income ◽  
World Economic Forum ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Income Levels ◽  
Global Competitiveness ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Income Status ◽  
The World ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Middle Income Trap

In recent times, the middle-income trap (MIT) has become a pertinent issue as economists, researchers and development practitioners continue seek answers to why the majority of middle-income countries find it difficult to advance to high-income status. There is still no consensus in literature as to the exact cause(s) and the solution to the MIT. The World Economic Forum posits that, the score of countries on the Global Competitive Index (GCI) 4.0 accounts for over 80% of the variation in income levels of countries. This suggests that the extent of global competitiveness of countries could potentially help them to escape the MIT. However, some competitiveness literature have identified an apparent competitiveness divide among countries. This paper therefore seeks to answer the following questions: how does middle-income countries differ from the high-income countries in terms of global competitiveness. The study utilises an independent samples t-test and effect size measures to examine the GCI 4.0 scores of 140 countries. The study finds a very large and significant competitiveness divide between the high and middle-income countries.

Inward and Outward Foreign Direct Investment and Inequality: Evidence from a Group of Middle-Income Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Hsi Huang ◽  
Kai-Fang Teng ◽  
Pan-Long Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Income Distribution ◽  
Transition Economies ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Outward Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Outward Fdi ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Latin American Countries

Using panel data of a group of 39 middle-income countries over 1981–2006, this paper examines how globalization in general and inward and outward FDI in particular affects inequality. Depending on geographical region and economic system, each component of globalization affects inequality in three groups of countries in different ways: open to inward FDI tends to affect income distribution adversely in transition economies and Latin American countries, but marginally improves income distribution in countries of the reference group. In contrast, open to outward FDI is positively associated with inequality in the reference group whereas negatively associated with that of the other two groups of countries. Crucially, improvement in human capital appears to be the single most reliable way to reduce inequality.

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