IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/worlde/v47y2024i3p1191-1246.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does foreign direct investment benefit local firms? Evidence from a natural experiment study

Author

Listed:
  • Cuong Viet Nguyen
  • Tuyen Quang Tran
  • Huong Van Vu

Abstract

We examine the spillover effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestic firms in Vietnam. We use distance between each district center and the 17th parallel north latitude as an instrumental variable for FDI firm density at the district level. The rationale for this instrument is that districts which are closer to the 17th parallel north latitude, are more likely to suffer from unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Indochina wars and therefore attract fewer FDI firms. We find that 1% increase in FDI firm density leads to 0.2% increase in revenue and profit per employee of domestic firms. The main mechanism for this positive effect does not take place through technology spillovers but through backward linkages where domestic firms in districts with a higher FDI firm density have more FDI customers. Our study also shows the long‐term effect of war on the efficacy of domestic firms. In particular, 1% increase in the proportion of UXO‐contaminated areas reduces revenue and profit per employee of domestic firms by 0.28% and 0.29%, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Cuong Viet Nguyen & Tuyen Quang Tran & Huong Van Vu, 2024. "Does foreign direct investment benefit local firms? Evidence from a natural experiment study," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 1191-1246, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:47:y:2024:i:3:p:1191-1246
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.13487
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13487
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/twec.13487?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Holger Görg & David Greenaway, 2016. "Much Ado about Nothing? Do Domestic Firms Really Benefit from Foreign Direct Investment?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES AND HOST COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT Volume 53: World Scientific Studies in International Economics, chapter 9, pages 163-189, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Kleibergen, Frank & Paap, Richard, 2006. "Generalized reduced rank tests using the singular value decomposition," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 97-126, July.
    3. Nigel Driffield & Max Munday & Annette Roberts, 2002. "Foreign Direct Investment, Transactions Linkages, and the Performance of the Domestic Sector," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 335-351.
    4. Aviv Nevo & Adam M. Rosen, 2012. "Identification With Imperfect Instruments," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(3), pages 659-671, August.
    5. Magnus Blomström & Ari Kokko & Mario Zejan, 2000. "Multinational Corporations and Spillovers," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 8, pages 101-133, Palgrave Macmillan.
    6. Brian J. Aitken & Ann E. Harrison, 2022. "Do Domestic Firms Benefit from Direct Foreign Investment? Evidence from Venezuela," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 6, pages 139-152, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Gorodnichenko, Yuriy & Svejnar, Jan & Terrell, Katherine, 2014. "When does FDI have positive spillovers? Evidence from 17 transition market economies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 954-969.
    8. Alberto Abadie & Javier Gardeazabal, 2003. "The Economic Costs of Conflict: A Case Study of the Basque Country," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(1), pages 113-132, March.
    9. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Thailand," World Bank Publications - Reports 33601, The World Bank Group.
    10. Edward L. Glaeser & Glenn Ellison, 1999. "The Geographic Concentration of Industry: Does Natural Advantage Explain Agglomeration?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 311-316, May.
    11. Nuno Crespo & Maria Paula Fontoura & Isabel Proença, 2009. "FDI spillovers at regional level: Evidence from Portugal," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 88(3), pages 591-607, August.
    12. repec:bla:econom:v:41:y:1974:i:162:p:176-93 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Renáta Kosová, 2010. "Do Foreign Firms Crowd Out Domestic Firms? Evidence from the Czech Republic," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(4), pages 861-881, November.
    14. Muhammad Asali & Adolfo Cristobal-Campoamor & Avner Shaked, 2016. "Local human capital formation and optimal FDI," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(5), pages 691-705, August.
    15. Ellison, Glenn & Glaeser, Edward L, 1997. "Geographic Concentration in U.S. Manufacturing Industries: A Dartboard Approach," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(5), pages 889-927, October.
    16. Ouarda Merrouche, 2011. "The Long Term Educational Cost of War: Evidence from Landmine Contamination in Cambodia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 399-416.
    17. José Luis Montiel Olea & Carolin Pflueger, 2013. "A Robust Test for Weak Instruments," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 358-369, July.
    18. Zhuan Pei & Jörn-Steffen Pischke & Hannes Schwandt, 2019. "Poorly Measured Confounders are More Useful on the Left than on the Right," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 205-216, April.
    19. Lu, Yi & Tao, Zhigang & Zhu, Lianming, 2017. "Identifying FDI spillovers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 75-90.
    20. Aw, Bee Yan & Lee, Yi, 2008. "Firm heterogeneity and location choice of Taiwanese multinationals," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 167-179, May.
    21. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Nigeria," World Bank Publications - Reports 33596, The World Bank Group.
    22. Nigel Driffield & Dylan Hughes, 2003. "Foreign and Domestic Investment: Regional Development or Crowding Out?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 277-288.
    23. Jarle Moen, 2005. "Is Mobility of Technical Personnel a Source of R&D Spillovers?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 23(1), pages 81-114, January.
    24. Javorcik, Beata S. & Spatareanu, Mariana, 2011. "Does it matter where you come from? Vertical spillovers from foreign direct investment and the origin of investors," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 126-138, September.
    25. Damijan, Jože P. & Rojec, Matija & Majcen, Boris & Knell, Mark, 2013. "Impact of firm heterogeneity on direct and spillover effects of FDI: Micro-evidence from ten transition countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 895-922.
    26. Blalock, Garrick & Gertler, Paul J., 2008. "Welfare gains from Foreign Direct Investment through technology transfer to local suppliers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 402-421, March.
    27. Mi Lin & Yum K. Kwan, 2017. "FDI Spatial Spillovers in China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(8), pages 1514-1530, August.
    28. Melissa Dell & Pablo Querubin, 2018. "Nation Building Through Foreign Intervention: Evidence from Discontinuities in Military Strategies," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 133(2), pages 701-764.
    29. Cragg, John G. & Donald, Stephen G., 1993. "Testing Identifiability and Specification in Instrumental Variable Models," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 222-240, April.
    30. Beata Smarzynska Javorcik, 2004. "Does Foreign Direct Investment Increase the Productivity of Domestic Firms? In Search of Spillovers Through Backward Linkages," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 605-627, June.
    31. Djankov, Simeon & Hoekman, Bernard M, 2000. "Foreign Investment and Productivity Growth in Czech Enterprises," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 14(1), pages 49-64, January.
    32. Young, Alwyn, 2022. "Consistency without Inference: Instrumental Variables in Practical Application," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    33. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Vietnam," World Bank Publications - Reports 33598, The World Bank Group.
    34. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Turkey," World Bank Publications - Reports 33594, The World Bank Group.
    35. Blomstrom, Magnus & Persson, Hakan, 1983. "Foreign investment and spillover efficiency in an underdeveloped economy: Evidence from the Mexican manufacturing industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 11(6), pages 493-501, June.
    36. Jonathan E. Haskel & Sonia C. Pereira & Matthew J. Slaughter, 2007. "Does Inward Foreign Direct Investment Boost the Productivity of Domestic Firms?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 89(3), pages 482-496, August.
    37. Yuri Jo & Chang-Yang Lee, 2014. "Technological Capability, Agglomeration Economies and Firm Location Choice," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(8), pages 1337-1352, August.
    38. Bruce A. Blonigen & Jeremy Piger, 2019. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 1, pages 3-54, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    39. Beata S. Javorcik & Alessia Lo Turco & Daniela Maggioni, 2018. "New and Improved: Does FDI Boost Production Complexity in Host Countries?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(614), pages 2507-2537, September.
    40. James C. Murdoch & Todd Sandler, 2004. "Civil Wars and Economic Growth: Spatial Dispersion," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(1), pages 138-151, January.
    41. Sophia Dimelis & Helen Louri, 2004. "Foreign direct investment and technology spillovers: Which firms really benefit?," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 140(2), pages 230-253, June.
    42. Tran Toan Thang & Thi Song Hanh Pham & Bradley R. Barnes, 2016. "Spatial Spillover Effects from Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(10), pages 1431-1445, October.
    43. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    44. Carlton, Dennis W, 1983. "The Location and Employment Choices of New Firms: An Econometric Model with Discrete and Continuous Endogenous Variables," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 65(3), pages 440-449, August.
    45. Colin M. Barry, 2018. "Peace and conflict at different stages of the FDI lifecycle," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 270-292, March.
    46. John, Kose & Knyazeva, Anzhela & Knyazeva, Diana, 2011. "Does geography matter? Firm location and corporate payout policy," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 533-551, September.
    47. Papageorgiou, Y. Y. & Thisse, J. -F., 1985. "Agglomeration as spatial interdependence between firms and households," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 19-31, October.
    48. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Brazil," World Bank Publications - Reports 33602, The World Bank Group.
    49. Aw, Bee Yan & Lee, Yi, 2008. "Firm heterogeneity and location choice of Taiwanese multinationals," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 403-415, December.
    50. Steven Globerman, 1979. "Foreign Direct Investment and `Spillover' Efficiency Benefits in Canadian Manufacturing Industries," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 12(1), pages 42-56, February.
    51. Havranek, Tomas & Irsova, Zuzana, 2011. "Estimating vertical spillovers from FDI: Why results vary and what the true effect is," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(2), pages 234-244.
    52. Ha, Van & Holmes, Mark J. & Tran, Tuyen Quang, 2022. "Does foreign investment crowd in domestic investment? Evidence from Vietnam," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 18-29.
    53. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - China," World Bank Publications - Reports 33600, The World Bank Group.
    54. Young, Alwyn, 2022. "Consistency without inference: instrumental variables in practical application," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115011, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    55. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Mexico," World Bank Publications - Reports 33599, The World Bank Group.
    56. Justin Wolfers, 2006. "Did Unilateral Divorce Laws Raise Divorce Rates? A Reconciliation and New Results," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1802-1820, December.
    57. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Indonesia," World Bank Publications - Reports 33595, The World Bank Group.
    58. Newman, Carol & Rand, John & Talbot, Theodore & Tarp, Finn, 2015. "Technology transfers, foreign investment and productivity spillovers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 168-187.
    59. Jaeyong Song & Paul Almeida & Geraldine Wu, 2003. "Learning--by--Hiring: When Is Mobility More Likely to Facilitate Interfirm Knowledge Transfer?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 351-365, April.
    60. Haddad, Mona & Harrison, Ann, 1993. "Are there positive spillovers from direct foreign investment? : Evidence from panel data for Morocco," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 51-74, October.
    61. Klaus E Meyer, 2004. "Perspectives on multinational enterprises in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(4), pages 259-276, July.
    62. Md Arif-Ur-Rahman & Kazuo Inaba, 2021. "Foreign direct investment and productivity spillovers: a firm-level analysis of Bangladesh in comparison with Vietnam," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 10(1), pages 1-23, December.
    63. Michael R Czinkota & Gary Knight & Peter W Liesch & John Steen, 2010. "Terrorism and international business: A research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(5), pages 826-843, June.
    64. David Card & Stefano DellaVigna, 2020. "What Do Editors Maximize? Evidence from Four Economics Journals," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 102(1), pages 195-217, March.
    65. World Bank, 2020. "2019 Investment Policy and Regulatory Review - Malaysia," World Bank Publications - Reports 33597, The World Bank Group.
    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. Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Tran, Tuyen Quang & Van Vu, Huong, 2024. "The long-term effects of war on foreign direct investment and economic development: evidence from Vietnam," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth Cour, 2020. "Foreign influence, control, and indirect ownership: Implications for productivity spillovers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1391-1412, December.
    3. Sajid Anwar & Sizhong Sun, 2019. "Firm heterogeneity and FDI-related productivity spillovers: A theoretical investigation," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(1), pages 1-10, January.
    4. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth Cour, 0. "Foreign influence, control, and indirect ownership: Implications for productivity spillovers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-22.
    5. Ioannis Bournakis & Sotiris Papaioannou & Marina Papanastassiou, 2022. "Multinationals and domestic total factor productivity: Competition effects, knowledge spillovers and foreign ownership," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(12), pages 3715-3750, December.
    6. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    7. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth La Cour, 2018. "What is a Foreign Firm? Implications for Productivity Spillovers," CESifo Working Paper Series 7109, CESifo.
    8. Ergun Dogan & Koi Nyen Wong & Michael M. C. Yap, 2017. "Vertical and Horizontal Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Malaysian Manufacturing," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 16(3), pages 158-183, Fall.
    9. Yoshimichi Murakami & Keijiro Otsuka, 2020. "Governance, Information Spillovers, and Productivity of Local Firms: Toward an Integrated Approach to Foreign Direct Investment and Global Value Chains," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 58(2), pages 134-174, June.
    10. Bournakis, Ioannis & Papanastassiou, Marina & Papaioannou, Sotiris, 2020. "Multinationals and Domestic TFP: Market Shares, Agglomerations Gains and Foreign Ownership," MPRA Paper 106626, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Vujanović, Nina & Radošević, Slavo & Stojčić, Nebojša & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap & Hashi, Iraj, 2022. "FDI spillover effects on innovation activities of knowledge using and knowledge creating firms: Evidence from an emerging economy," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    12. Jie Bai & Panle Jia Barwick & Shengmao Cao & Shanjun Li, 2020. "Quid Pro Quo, Knowledge Spillover, and Industrial Quality Upgrading: Evidence from the Chinese Auto Industry," NBER Working Papers 27644, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Segundo Camino-Mogro & Natalia Bermúdez-Barrezueta & Mary Armijos, 2023. "Is FDI a potential tool for boosting firm’s performance? Firm level evidence from Ecuador," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 341-391, April.
    14. Dea Tusha & Jacob A. Jordaan, 2021. "Biased FDI spillovers in incomplete datasets: An empirical examination," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 582-600, May.
    15. Ni, Bin & Spatareanu, Mariana & Manole, Vlad & Otsuki, Tsunehiro & Yamada, Hiroyuki, 2017. "The origin of FDI and domestic firms’ productivity—Evidence from Vietnam," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 56-76.
    16. Seda Köymen Özer & Selin Sayek Böke, 2017. "The Characteristics of Domestic Firms: Materializing Productivity Spillovers from FDI," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(11), pages 2562-2584, November.
    17. Orlic, Edvard & Hashi, Iraj & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap, 2018. "Cross sectoral FDI spillovers and their impact on manufacturing productivity," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 777-796.
    18. Czesława Pilarska, 2018. "Efekty zewnętrzne bezpośrednich inwestycji zagranicznych z perspektywy kraju goszczącego," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 4, pages 93-124.
    19. Olivier N. Godart & Holger Görg, 2016. "Suppliers of multinationals and the forced linkage effect: Evidence from firm level data," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES AND HOST COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT, chapter 15, pages 277-288, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    20. Shawn W. Tan & Dea Tusha, 2023. "Foreign firm characteristics, labour market restrictions and FDI spillovers: Evidence from Moldova," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 85-119, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:bla:worlde:v:47:y:2024:i:3:p:1191-1246. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0378-5920 .

    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.