IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/fortra/v59y2024i2p309-337.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Systematic Review of the Empirical Studies

Author

Listed:
  • Mohammad Shaiful Islam
  • Ahmed Beloucif

Abstract

A growing body of literature is concerned with the factors that determine the inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into a host country. However, hardly any literature has been carried out to provide a systematic literature review (SLR) of the FDI determinants. An SLR methodology underlies this conceptual paper to evaluate and categorise a literature survey of 112 empirical studies published from 2000 to 2018. The result indicates that the size of the host market is the most robust determinant, followed by trade openness, infrastructure quality, labour cost, macroeconomic stability, human capital, and the growth prospect of the host country. Market size is highly significant in virtually all studies. This partly reflects the fact that most of the world’s FDI are market-seeking. This study provides a clear understanding of the scope of the research in the field of FDI determinants as the practical implication for future research. JEL Code: F14

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad Shaiful Islam & Ahmed Beloucif, 2024. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Systematic Review of the Empirical Studies," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 59(2), pages 309-337, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:fortra:v:59:y:2024:i:2:p:309-337
    DOI: 10.1177/00157325231158846
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00157325231158846
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00157325231158846?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. P Srinivasan, 2011. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in SAARC Nations: An Econometric Investigation," The IUP Journal of Managerial Economics, IUP Publications, vol. 0(3), pages 26-42, August.
    2. Priya Gupta & Archana Singh, 2016. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment Inflows in BRICS Nations: A Panel Data Analysis," Emerging Economy Studies, International Management Institute, vol. 2(2), pages 181-198, November.
    3. Boateng, Agyenim & Hua, Xiuping & Nisar, Shaista & Wu, Junjie, 2015. "Examining the determinants of inward FDI: Evidence from Norway," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 118-127.
    4. Tang, Chor Foon & Yip, Chee Yin & Ozturk, Ilhan, 2014. "The determinants of foreign direct investment in Malaysia: A case for electrical and electronic industry," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 287-292.
    5. Pooran Lall & David Norman & Allen Featherstone, 2003. "Determinants of US direct foreign investment in the Caribbean," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(13), pages 1485-1496.
    6. K. Ravinthirakumaran & E.A. Selvanathan & S. Selvanathan & T. Singh, 2015. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Sri Lanka," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 16(2), pages 233-256, September.
    7. 0smail Çevi & Burak Çamurdan, 2007. "The Economic Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries and Transition Economies," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 46(3), pages 285-299.
    8. Urata, Shujiro & Kawai, Hiroki, 2000. "The Determinants of the Location of Foreign Direct Investment by Japanese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 79-103, September.
    9. Erdal Demirhan & Mahmut Masca, 2008. "Determinants of foreign direct investment flows to developing countries: a cross-sectional analysis," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2008(4), pages 356-369.
    10. Hubert Janicki & Phanindra Wunnava, 2004. "Determinants of foreign direct investment: empirical evidence from EU accession candidates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(5), pages 505-509.
    11. Boopen Seetanah & Sawkut Rojid, 2011. "The determinants of FDI in Mauritius: a dynamic time series investigation," African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 2(1), pages 24-41, April.
    12. Elizabeth Asiedu, 2006. "Foreign Direct Investment in Africa: The Role of Natural Resources, Market Size, Government Policy, Institutions and Political Instability," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 63-77, January.
    13. Imad Moosa, 2009. "The determinants of foreign direct investment in MENA countries: an extreme bounds analysis," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(15), pages 1559-1563.
    14. Carstensen, Kai & Toubal, Farid, 2004. "Foreign direct investment in Central and Eastern European countries: a dynamic panel analysis," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 3-22, March.
    15. Cheng, Leonard K. & Kwan, Yum K., 2000. "What are the determinants of the location of foreign direct investment? The Chinese experience," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 379-400, August.
    16. Dauti Bardhyl, 2015. "Determinants Of Foreign Direct Investment In Transition Economies, With Special Reference To Macedonia: Evidence From Gravity Model," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 10(2), pages 7-28, December.
    17. Normaz Ismail, 2009. "The Determinant of Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN: A Semi-Gravity Approach," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 16(3), pages 710-722, October.
    18. WIJEWEERA, Albert & MOUNTER, Stuart, 2008. "A Var Analysis On The Determinants Of Fdi Inflows: The Case Of Sri Lanka," Applied Econometrics and International Development, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 8(1), pages 189-198.
    19. Xose Rodriguez & Julio Pallas, 2008. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Spain," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(19), pages 2443-2450.
    20. Ahmed Nawaz Hakro & Ikhtiar Ali Ghumro, 2011. "Determinants of foreign direct investment flows to Pakistan," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 44(2), pages 217-242, January-M.
    21. Mohammad Reza Mohammadvandnahidi & Nasim Jaberikhosroshahi & Davoud Norouzi, 2012. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Iran: Bounds Testing Approach," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 560-579, January.
    22. Triches, Divanildo & Correa da Silveira, Eduarda Martins & Dias Samsonescu, Jorge Augusto, 2017. "The determinants of foreign direct investment in Brazil: empirical analysis for 2001-2013," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), April.
    23. W. A. Naude & W. F. Krugell, 2007. "Investigating geography and institutions as determinants of foreign direct investment in Africa using panel data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(10), pages 1223-1233.
    24. Birgül Cambazoglu & Hacer Simay Karaalp, 2014. "Does foreign direct investment affect economic growth? The case of Turkey," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 41(6), pages 434-449, June.
    25. Scott L. Newbert, 2007. "Empirical research on the resource‐based view of the firm: an assessment and suggestions for future research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 121-146, February.
    26. Cuyvers, Ludo & Soeng, Reth & Plasmans, Joseph & Van Den Bulcke, Daniel, 2011. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Cambodia," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 222-234, June.
    27. Kinuthia, Bethuel Kinyanjui & Murshed, Syed Mansoob, 2015. "FDI determinants: Kenya and Malaysia compared," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 388-400.
    28. Jai S. Mah & Sang-Chul Yoon, 2010. "Determinants of FDI Flows into Indonesia and Singapore," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 13(1), pages 63-73, March.
    29. Reenu Kumari & Anil Kumar Sharma, 2017. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in developing countries: a panel data study," International Journal of Emerging Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(4), pages 658-682, September.
    30. Laura CASI & Laura RESMINI, 2010. "Evidence on the determinants of foreign direct investment: the case of EU regions," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 1, pages 93-118, December.
    31. Yulia Gorbunova & Davide Infante & Janna Smirnova, 2012. "New Evidence on FDI Determinants: An Appraisal Over the Transition Period," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(2), pages 129-149.
    32. Omar G. Aziz & Anil V. Mishra, 2016. "Determinants of FDI inflows to Arab economies," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 325-356, June.
    33. Svetlana Ledyaeva, 2009. "Spatial Econometric Analysis of Foreign Direct Investment Determinants in Russian Regions," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 643-666, April.
    34. Miguel D. Ramirez, 2006. "Economic And Institutional Determinants Of Foreign Direct Investment In Chile: A Time‐Series Analysis, 1960–2001," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 24(3), pages 459-471, July.
    35. Tham Siew Yean & Andrew Jia-Yi Kam & Nirwan bin Noh, 2018. "The Determinants of Inward FDI in Selected ServiceS Industries in MalaysiA," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2018(2), pages 215-231.
    36. Melisa Chanegriha & Chris Stewart & Christopher Tsoukis, 2017. "Identifying the robust economic, geographical and political determinants of FDI: an Extreme Bounds Analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 759-776, March.
    37. Chidlow, Agnieszka & Salciuviene, Laura & Young, Stephen, 2009. "Regional determinants of inward FDI distribution in Poland," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 119-133, April.
    38. Phonesavanh Xaypanya & Poomthan Rangkakulnuwat & Sasiwimon Warunsiri Paweenawat, 2015. "The determinants of foreign direct investment in ASEAN," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(3), pages 239-250, March.
    39. Christian Bellak & Markus Leibrecht & Jože P. Damijan, 2009. "Infrastructure Endowment and Corporate Income Taxes as Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern European Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 267-290, February.
    40. Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Kaliappa Kalirajan, 2010. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis," ASARC Working Papers 2010-13, The Australian National University, Australia South Asia Research Centre.
    41. Navina Lucke & Stefan Eichler, 2016. "Foreign direct investment: the role of institutional and cultural determinants," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(11), pages 935-956, March.
    42. Dimitra Dimitropoulou & Philip McCann & Simon P. Burke, 2013. "The determinants of the location of foreign direct investment in UK regions†," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(27), pages 3853-3862, September.
    43. Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Kaliappa Kalirajan, 2010. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 4(4), pages 369-404, November.
    44. Jaroslaw Michal Nazarczuk & Anna Krajewska, 2018. "Local determinants of foreign direct investment in Poland: the role of relative distance," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 73-88, March.
    45. Bekhet, Hussain Ali & Al-Smadi, Raed Walid, 2015. "Determinants of Jordanian foreign direct investment inflows: Bounds testing approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 27-35.
    46. Wei, Wenhui, 2005. "China and India: Any difference in their FDI performances?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 719-736, August.
    47. Romita Biswas, 2002. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 492-504, October.
    48. Jeannie Yih Yun Yang & Nicolaas Groenewold & Moonjoong Tcha, 2000. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 76(232), pages 45-54, March.
    49. 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.
    50. Recep Kok & Bernur Acikgoz Ersoy, 2009. "Analyses of FDI determinants in developing countries," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(1/2), pages 105-123, January.
    51. Faris Nasif Al Shubiri, 2016. "Determinants Of Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence Of Sultanate Of Oman," Polish Journal of Management Studies, Czestochowa Technical University, Department of Management, vol. 13(2), pages 7-17, June.
    52. List, John A., 2001. "US county-level determinants of inbound FDI: evidence from a two-step modified count data model," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 953-973, May.
    53. Boopen Seetanah & Sawkut Rojid, 2011. "The determinants of FDI in Mauritius: a dynamic time series investigation," African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 2(1), pages 24-41, April.
    54. Villaverde, José & Maza, Adolfo, 2015. "The determinants of inward foreign direct investment: Evidence from the European regions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 209-223.
    55. Chee-Keong Choong & Siew-Yong Lam, 2010. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Malaysia: A Revisit," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(2), pages 175-195.
    56. Fotini Economou & Christis Hassapis & Nikolaos Philippas & Mike Tsionas, 2017. "Foreign Direct Investment Determinants in OECD and Developing Countries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 527-542, August.
    57. Bevan, Alan A. & Estrin, Saul, 2004. "The determinants of foreign direct investment into European transition economies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 775-787, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tolkyn Kakizhanova & Zhanar Askarova & Ainur Amirova & Bakhyt Baitanayeva & Gulmira Andabayeva, 2024. "Impact of Oil Price, CO2 Emissons, Inflation and Economic Growth on FDI Inflow: Case of Kazakhstan," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(6), pages 484-491, November.

    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. Eric Evans Osei Opoku & Alex O. Acheampong & Janet Dzator & Nana Kwabena Kufuor, 2022. "Does environmental sustainability attract foreign investment? Evidence from developing countries," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3542-3573, November.
    2. Ahmed MUSABEH & Mehdi ZOUAOUI, 2020. "Policies and Variables affecting FDI: A Panel Data Analysis of North African Countries," Journal of Economic Policy Researches, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Sarker, Bibhuti & Serieux, John, 2023. "Multilevel determinants of FDI: A regional comparative analysis," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(3).
    4. Elina De Simone & Marcella D’Uva, 2017. "Social Support, Industrial Parks and FDI Location Choice Across Hungarian Counties," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 1031-1045, September.
    5. Rosa Forte & Nancy Santos, 2015. "A cluster analysis of FDI in Latin America," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 52(1), pages 25-56, May.
    6. Udi Joshua, 2020. "Accounting for the Determinants of FDI Inflow in Nigeria amidst Global Oil Price Shock and Economic Recession," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 6(3), pages 30-38, September.
    7. John C. Anyanwu, 2012. "Why Does Foreign Direct Investment Go Where It Goes?: New Evidence From African Countries," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 13(2), pages 425-462, November.
    8. Mariam Camarero & Laura Montolio & Cecilio Tamarit, 2020. "Determinants of FDI for Spanish regions: evidence using stock data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 2779-2820, December.
    9. Mina, Wasseem, 2020. "Do GCC market-oriented labor policies encourage inward FDI flows?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    10. Hock Tsen Wong, 2022. "Asymmetric Real Exchange Rate and Foreign Direct Investment Determinants: An Empirical Study of Malaysia," Capital Markets Review, Malaysian Finance Association, vol. 30(2), pages 19-37.
    11. K. Ravinthirakumaran & E.A. Selvanathan & S. Selvanathan & T. Singh, 2015. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Sri Lanka," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 16(2), pages 233-256, September.
    12. Aneta Bobenič Hintošová & František Sudzina & Terézia Barlašová, 2021. "Direct and Indirect Effects of Investment Incentives in Slovakia," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-12, February.
    13. Fotini Economou & Christis Hassapis & Nikolaos Philippas & Mike Tsionas, 2017. "Foreign Direct Investment Determinants in OECD and Developing Countries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 527-542, August.
    14. Aurora A.C. Teixeira & Rosa Forte & Susana Assunção, 2017. "Do countries' endowments of non-renewable energy resources matter for FDI attraction? A panel data analysis of 125 countries over the period 1995–2012," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 150, pages 57-71.
    15. Hong Hiep Hoang & Cong Minh Huynh & Nguyen Minh Huy Duong & Ngoc Hoe Chau, 2022. "Determinants of foreign direct investment in Southern Central Coast of Vietnam: a spatial econometric analysis," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 285-310, February.
    16. Nielsen, Bo Bernhard & Asmussen, Christian Geisler & Weatherall, Cecilie Dohlmann, 2017. "The location choice of foreign direct investments: Empirical evidence and methodological challenges," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 62-82.
    17. Masahiro Tokunaga & Ichiro Iwasaki, 2017. "The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Transition Economies: A Meta-analysis," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(12), pages 2771-2831, December.
    18. Mushtaq AHMAD & Ferhan K. AHMAD & Muhammad Ali NASIR & Gulzar KHAN, 2015. "Internal Absorption and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows: A new approach towards Market Size," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 2(3), pages 400-410, September.
    19. Andreia Olival, 2012. "The influence of Doing Business’ institutional variables in Foreign Direct Investment," GEE Papers 0048, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Dec 2012.
    20. Alemayehu Geda & Addis Yimer, 2024. "What Drives Foreign Direct Investment into Africa? Insights from a New Analytical Classification of Countries as Fragile, Factor-Driven, or Investment-Driven," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 14199-14234, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Developing world; financial investment/analysis; international business; theoretical and empirical research in cross-border issues;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

    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:sae:fortra:v:59:y:2024:i:2:p:309-337. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.