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Multinationals in Sub-Saharan Africa: Domestic linkages and institutional distance

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  • L. Pérez-Villar
  • A. Seric

Abstract

This paper analyzes the role of institutional distance in the establishment of domestic linkages by multinational enterprises in a cross-section of 19 Sub-Saharan countries. Investors? familiarity with formal and informal procedures in the host country lowers uncertainty and facilitates networking with local firms. Hence, a similar degree of institutional development boosts linkages between domestic firms and multinationals. Using a novel dataset from the 2010 Africa Investor Survey by UNIDO, we find that institutional distance in terms of contract enforcement deters the domestic linkage if institutions are worse in host countries than in the origin country. Additionally, institutional distance matters more for multinationals from industrialized countries. The paper contributes to the literature on domestic linkages by including the understudied institutional dimension, to the still scarce literature on South–South foreign direct investment in least developed countries and contributes to the definition of clearer targets for foreign investment policies.

Suggested Citation

  • L. Pérez-Villar & A. Seric, 2015. "Multinationals in Sub-Saharan Africa: Domestic linkages and institutional distance," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 142, pages 94-117.
  • Handle: RePEc:cii:cepiie:2015-q2-142-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Marco Sanfilippo & Adnan Seric, 2016. "Spillovers from agglomerations and inward FDI: a multilevel analysis on sub-Saharan African firms," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 152(1), pages 147-176, February.
    2. Franz Huber & Alan Ponce & Francesco Rentocchini & Thomas Wainwright, 2020. "The Wealth of (Open Data) Nations? Examining the Interplay of Open Government Data and Country-level Institutions for Entrepreneurial Activity at the Country-level," SPRU Working Paper Series 2020-13, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    3. Moran, Theodore H. & Görg, Holger & Seric, Adnan, 2016. "Quality FDI and Supply-Chains in Manufacturing: Overcoming Obstacles and Supporting Development," KCG Policy Papers 1, Kiel Centre for Globalization (KCG).
    4. Wang, Delu & Tong, Xian & Wang, Yadong, 2020. "An early risk warning system for Outward Foreign Direct Investment in Mineral Resource-based enterprises using multi-classifiers fusion," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Robert Gold & Holger Görg & Aoife Hanley & Adnan Seric, 2017. "South–South FDI: is it really different?," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 153(4), pages 657-673, November.
    6. Moran, Theodore H. & Görg, Holger & Seric, Adnan & Krieger-Boden, Christiane, 2017. "How to Attract Quality FDI?," KCG Policy Papers 2, Kiel Centre for Globalization (KCG).
    7. Pérez-Villar, Lucia & Seric, Adnan, 2015. "Knowledge transfer in global supply chains: Multinationals in Sub-Saharan Africa," Kiel Working Papers 1994, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    8. Murat Yulek & Nurullah Gur, 2017. "Foreign direct investment, smart policies and economic growth," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 17(3), pages 245-256, July.
    9. Marco Sanfilippo & Adnan Seric, 2014. "Spillovers from agglomerations and inward FDI. A Multilevel Analysis on SSA domestic firms," RSCAS Working Papers 2014/76, European University Institute.
    10. Nicola D. Coniglio & Rezart Hoxhaj & Adnan Seric, 2017. "The demand for foreign workers by foreign firms: evidence from Africa," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 153(2), pages 353-384, May.
    11. Jordaan,Jacob Arie & Douw,Willem & Qiang,Zhenwei, 2020. "Multinational Corporation Affiliates, Backward Linkages, and Productivity Spillovers in Developing and Emerging Economies : Evidence and Policy Making," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9364, The World Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multinational firms; South–South FDI; Backward linkages; Institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations

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