IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/atlecj/v51y2023i4d10.1007_s11293-023-09785-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determinants of FDI Inflows as Seen Through the Doing Business Indicators Lens: Evidence from the EU

Author

Listed:
  • Ioanna Bardakas

    (Research Department, Bank of Greece)

  • Dimitris Doulos

    (American College of Greece)

  • George A. Zombanakis

    (Navy War College and American College of Greece)

Abstract

The Doing Business indicators published by the World Bank serve as a proxy for assessing the quality of institutions and the business environment. In recent years, Doing Business scores or rankings have been used to evaluate choices affecting foreign direct investment decisions. The study purpose is to examine the extent to which the quality of institutions and the business environment, as reflected in the Doing Business indicators, is associated with higher foreign direct investment inflows in European Union countries. The paper uses data on member country performance based on selected indicators, the Corruption Perception Index, and data on work stoppages and strikes. The latter is used to capture the importance of the labour market environment and political stability. Panel data cover the period 2005–2020 for most European Union member countries. The results suggest that the quality of business and institutional environments is an important factor in attracting foreign direct investment inflows. These results vary considerably depending on the countries chosen and have important policy implications. Specifically, governments should put emphasis not only on the general functioning of the economy, but also on the improvement of institutional quality to attract foreign direct investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Ioanna Bardakas & Dimitris Doulos & George A. Zombanakis, 2023. "Determinants of FDI Inflows as Seen Through the Doing Business Indicators Lens: Evidence from the EU," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 51(4), pages 243-257, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:51:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s11293-023-09785-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-023-09785-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11293-023-09785-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11293-023-09785-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Samina Sabir & Anum Rafique & Kamran Abbas, 2019. "Institutions and FDI: evidence from developed and developing countries," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 5(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Egger, Peter & Winner, Hannes, 2005. "Evidence on corruption as an incentive for foreign direct investment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 932-952, December.
    3. Adrian Corcoran & Robert Gillanders, 2015. "Foreign direct investment and the ease of doing business," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 151(1), pages 103-126, February.
    4. Hansen, Lars Peter & Heaton, John & Yaron, Amir, 1996. "Finite-Sample Properties of Some Alternative GMM Estimators," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 14(3), pages 262-280, July.
    5. Bruce Blonigen, 2005. "A Review of the Empirical Literature on FDI Determinants," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 33(4), pages 383-403, December.
    6. Barassi, Marco R. & Zhou, Ying, 2012. "The effect of corruption on FDI: A parametric and non-parametric analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 302-312.
    7. Avik Chakrabarti, 2001. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investments: Sensitivity Analyses of Cross‐Country Regressions," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 89-114, February.
    8. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    9. Arellano, Manuel, 2003. "Panel Data Econometrics," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199245291.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cao Hong Minh, 2019. "Institutional Quality and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows: The Case of Vietnam," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(5), pages 630-641, May.
    2. Qu, Guangjun & Sylwester, Kevin & Wang, Feng, 2016. "Anticorruption and Growth: Evidence from China," MPRA Paper 72190, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Vanessa da Silva Mariotto Onody & Ana Catarina Gandra de Carvalho & Eduardo Polloni-Silva & Guilherme Augusto Roiz & Enzo Barberio Mariano & Daisy Aparecida Nascimento Rebelatto & Herick Fernando Mora, 2022. "Corruption and FDI in Brazil: Contesting the “Sand” or “Grease” Hypotheses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Raphael Chiappini & François Viaud, 2021. "Macroeconomic, institutional, and sectoral determinants of outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from Japan," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 404-433, August.
    5. Cohle, Zachary & Ortega, Alberto, 2022. "Life of the party: The polarizing effect of foreign direct investment," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    6. Akhtaruzzaman, M. & Berg, Nathan & Hajzler, Christopher, 2017. "Expropriation risk and FDI in developing countries: Does return of capital dominate return on capital?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 84-107.
    7. Arellano, Manuel & Hansen, Lars Peter & Sentana, Enrique, 2012. "Underidentification?," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 170(2), pages 256-280.
    8. Nadia Doytch, 2022. "FDI: Hot or Cold Money? The Behaviour of Sectoral FDI Inflows and Outflows Over Periods of Growth Accelerations and Decelerations," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 57(3), pages 324-350, August.
    9. Angelica Gonzalez, 2007. "Angelica Gonzalez," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 168, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    10. Sebastian Kripfganz & Claudia Schwarz, 2019. "Estimation of linear dynamic panel data models with time‐invariant regressors," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(4), pages 526-546, June.
    11. Ashby, Nathan J. & Ramos, Miguel A., 2013. "Foreign direct investment and industry response to organized crime: The Mexican case," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 80-91.
    12. Shi, Lei & Lu, Jun & Zhao, Jianhua & Chen, Gemai, 2016. "Case deletion diagnostics for GMM estimation," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 176-191.
    13. Jun Lu & Wen Gan & Lei Shi, 2022. "Local influence analysis for GMM estimation," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 106(1), pages 1-23, March.
    14. Kamal, Javed Bin & Wahid, Abu N.M. & Kamal, Khaled Bin, 2016. "Relationship between FDI and Environment: Evidence from Emerging Countries," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 39(3-4), pages 121-140, sept-dec.
    15. repec:awi:wpaper:538 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Ștefan Cristian Gherghina & Liliana Nicoleta Simionescu & Oana Simona Hudea, 2019. "Exploring Foreign Direct Investment–Economic Growth Nexus—Empirical Evidence from Central and Eastern European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-33, September.
    17. Angelica Gonzalez, 2007. "Empirical Likelihood: Improved Inference within Dynamic Panel Data Models," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 154, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    18. Cai, Huifen & Boateng, Agyenim & Guney, Yilmaz, 2019. "Host country institutions and firm-level R&D influences: An analysis of European Union FDI in China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 311-326.
    19. Camarero, Mariam & Montolio, Laura & Tamarit, Cecilio, 2019. "What drives German foreign direct investment? New evidence using Bayesian statistical techniques," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 326-345.
    20. Dimitra Mitsi & Constantina Kottaridi, 2022. "Fiscal and non-fiscal institutional context effects and foreign direct investment: empirical evidence in developing countries," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 72(1-2), pages 11-33, January-J.
    21. Jingtao Yi & Shuang Meng & Craig D. Macaulay & Mike W. Peng, 2019. "Corruption and foreign direct investment phases: The moderating role of institutions," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(2), pages 167-181, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:51:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s11293-023-09785-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.