IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/soueco/v24y2023i1p7-19.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Nexus Between Foreign Direct Investment, Informal and Formal Sectors in Sri Lanka

Author

Listed:
  • T. Bhavan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the bilateral relationship among formal, informal and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the case of Sri Lanka during the period from 1990 to 2019. Using annual time series data, the Two Stage Least Square method is employed to investigate the relationship among the endogenous variables. The results derived from the analysis suggest that the integration between formal and informal sectors and formal sector and FDI are positive and have significant impacts on each other. However, the negative and significant impacts of the informal sector and FDI on each other further suggest that the integration between the informal sector and FDI did not give an optimistic signal to the country to contemplate that the informal sector is supporting foreign investors. At the same time, a sign that FDI discourages informal sector progression in the results has triggered the attention of further investigations on whether foreign investment agglomeration in Sri Lanka promotes informal-formal sectoral transformation at the cost of the informal sector. However, this study proposes an interest in sound policy requirements to reshape the informal sector towards the interest of foreign direct investors and informal-formal sector transformation. JEL Codes: E26, F21, J21, J46

Suggested Citation

  • T. Bhavan, 2023. "The Nexus Between Foreign Direct Investment, Informal and Formal Sectors in Sri Lanka," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 24(1), pages 7-19, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:soueco:v:24:y:2023:i:1:p:7-19
    DOI: 10.1177/13915614231158729
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13915614231158729
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/13915614231158729?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. Balamurali, N. & Bogahawatte, C., 2004. "Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Sri Lanka," Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics, Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA), vol. 6, pages 1-15.
    2. Koujianou Goldberg, Pinelopi & Pavcnik, Nina, 2003. "The response of the informal sector to trade liberalization," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 463-496, December.
    3. Md Reza Sultanuzzaman & Hongzhong Fan & Mahamud Akash & Banban Wang & Uddin Sarker Md Shakij, 2018. "The role of FDI inflows and export on economic growth in Sri Lanka: An ARDL approach," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 1518116-151, January.
    4. Mohammad Ali & Alok K. Bohara, 2017. "How Does FDI Respond to the Size of Shadow Economy: An Empirical Analysis under a Gravity Model Setting," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(2), pages 159-178, April.
    5. Marjit, Sugata, 2003. "Economic reform and informal wage--a general equilibrium analysis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 371-378, October.
    6. Günther, Isabel & Launov, Andrey, 2012. "Informal employment in developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 88-98.
    7. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Mukhopadhyay, Ujjaini, 2013. "Foreign direct investment, environmentally sound technology and informal sector," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 206-213.
    8. Arvin-Rad, Hassan & Basu, Arnab K. & Willumsen, Maria, 2010. "Economic reform, informal-formal sector linkages and intervention in the informal sector in developing countries: A paradox," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 662-670, October.
    9. Zoran Vaupot & Milena Fornazarič, 2021. "Press and informal institutions as FDI barriers: what changed in Slovenia between 1992 and 2018?," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(8), pages 993-1011, November.
    10. Antonio Baez, 2014. "“A panel data analysis of FDI and informal labor markets”," IREA Working Papers 201404, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Feb 2014.
    11. repec:bla:econom:v:60:y:1993:i:237:p:79-103 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Driffield, Nigel & Taylor, Karl, 2000. "FDI and the Labour Market: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Implications," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 16(3), pages 90-103, Autumn.
    13. Beladi, Hamid & Dutta, Meghna & Kar, Saibal, 2016. "FDI and Business Internationalization of the Unorganized Sector: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 340-349.
    14. Hemmer, Hans-R. & Mannel, C., 1989. "On the economic analysis of the urban informal sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 17(10), pages 1543-1552, October.
    15. Ihrig, Jane & Moe, Karine S., 2004. "Lurking in the shadows: the informal sector and government policy," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 541-557, April.
    16. Ana Moreno-Monroy & Janneke Pieters & Abdul Erumban, 2014. "Formal sector subcontracting and informal sector employment in Indian manufacturing," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-17, December.
    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. Dutta, Nabamita & Kar, Saibal & Roy, Sanjukta, 2013. "Corruption and persistent informality: An empirical investigation for India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 357-373.
    2. Ceyhun Elgin & M. Ayhan Kose & Franziska Ohnsorge & Shu Yu, 2021. "Growing Apart or Moving Together? Synchronization of Informal and Formal Economy Cycles," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 2115, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.
    3. Ceyhun Elgin & M. ayhan Köse & Franziska Ohnsorge & Shu Yu, 2021. "Growing Apart or Moving Together? Synchronization of Informal and Formal Economy Cycles Abstract:," Working Papers 2021/04, Bogazici University, Department of Economics.
    4. Beladi, Hamid & Dutta, Meghna & Kar, Saibal, 2016. "FDI and Business Internationalization of the Unorganized Sector: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 340-349.
    5. Erumban, Abdul A., 2024. "Informality and aggregate labor productivity growth: Does ICT moderate the relationship?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1).
    6. Ceyhun Elgin, 2021. "Foreign direct investment, informality and technology transfer," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 994-1015, May.
    7. Chaudhuri, Sarbajit & Mukhopadhyay, Ujjaini, 2009. "Revisiting the Informal Sector: A General Equilibrium Approach," MPRA Paper 52135, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Semih Tumen, 2016. "Informality as a stepping stone: A search-theoretical assessment of informal sector and government policy," Central Bank Review, Research and Monetary Policy Department, Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, vol. 16(3), pages 109-117.
    9. Sugata Marjit & Saibal Kar, 2012. "Firm Heterogeneity, Informal Wage and Good Governance," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(4), pages 527-539, November.
    10. Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2022. "Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth in Kenya: An Empirical Investigation," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(8), pages 620-631, June.
    11. Valenzuela, Ernesto & Hertel, Thomas W. & Ivanic, Maros & Nin Pratt, Alejandro, 2004. "Evaluating Poverty Impacts of Globalization and Trade Policy Changes on Agricultural Producers," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 20242, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    12. Bennett, John, 2008. "Formality, Informality, and Social Welfare," IZA Discussion Papers 3550, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Dibyendu Maiti & Sugata Marjit, 2011. "Subcontracting, R&D And Labour Productivity: A Theoretical Explanation," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1-24, September.
    14. Prodyumna Goutam & Italo A. Gutierrez & Krishna B. Kumar & Shanthi Nataraj, 2017. "Does Informal Employment Respond to Growth Opportunities? Trade-Based Evidence from Bangladesh," Working Papers 1198, RAND Corporation.
    15. Kasturi Sadhu & Saumya Chakrabarti, 2021. "Neo-Dualism: Accumulation, Distress, and Proliferation of a Fissured Informality," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 53(4), pages 694-724, December.
    16. Kose, M. Ayhan & Elgin, Ceyhun & Ohnsorge, Franziska & Yu, Shu, 2021. "Understanding Informality," CEPR Discussion Papers 16497, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. P R Agénor, 2006. "Corruption Clubs: Endogenous Thresholds in Corruption and Development," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 68, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    18. Duman, Anil, 2024. "The Diversity of Informal Employment: a survey of drivers, outcomes, and policies," OSF Preprints yg3t7, Center for Open Science.
    19. Dibyendu S. Maiti & Arup Mitra, 2010. "Skills, Informality and Development," Working Papers id:3115, eSocialSciences.
    20. Traoré, Jean Abel & Ouedraogo, Idrissa Mohamed, 2015. "Public policies promoting the informal economy: effects on incomes, employment and growth in Burkina Faso," MPRA Paper 74760, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Informal sector; formal sector; foreign direct investment; Sri Lanka;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market

    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:soueco:v:24:y:2023:i:1:p:7-19. 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: http://www.ips.lk/ .

    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.