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Are Government Policies More Important Than Taxation in Attracting FDI

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Abstract

This paper attempts to broaden the existing empirical literature on foreign direct investment by incorporating government expenditures (both investment in infrastructure and consumption) as well as tax, classical location factors, institutional factors that may hinder business investment (such as corruption), and agglomeration effects. We investigate the determinants of FDI inflows in two unbalanced panel data sets of 47 countries from 1995-2002 and 37 countries from 1996-2002. We use fixed country and year effects and examine different infrastructure measures. The evidence indicates that lower taxes, lower corruption, and better infrastructure attract FDI. Government consumption expenditures negatively impact FDI inflows. The magnitude of the response of FDI to our investment in infrastructure is similar to that of corruption and taxes in elasticity terms.

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  • Timothy Goodspeed & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & JLi Zhang, 2006. "Are Government Policies More Important Than Taxation in Attracting FDI," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0614, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    • Handle: RePEc:ays:ispwps:paper0614
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    8. Dharmapala, Dhammika & Hines Jr., James R., 2009. "Which countries become tax havens?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(9-10), pages 1058-1068, October.
    9. Young, Kan H., 1988. "The Effects of Taxes and Rates of Return on Foreign Direct Investment in the United States," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 41(1), pages 109-21, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ted Hayduk, 2019. "Leveraging sport mega events for international entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 857-881, September.
    2. Muhammad Shahbaz & Miroslav Mateev & Salah Abosedra & Muhammad Ali Nasir & Zhilun Jiao, 2021. "Determinants of FDI in France: Role of transport infrastructure, education, financial development and energy consumption," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 1351-1374, January.
    3. Cicatiello, Lorenzo & De Simone, Elina & Ercolano, Salvatore & Gaeta, Giuseppe Lucio, 2021. "Assessing the impact of fiscal transparency on FDI inflows," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. Miroslav Mateev & Iliya Tsekov, 2014. "Are there any top FDI performers among EU-15 and CEE countries? A comparative panel data analysis," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 38(3), pages 337-374.
    5. Manuel Portugal Ferreira & Helder Costa Carreira & Dan Li & Fernando Ribeiro Serra, 2016. "The Moderating Effect of Home Country Corruption on the Host Country’s Ability to Attract FDI," Brazilian Business Review, Fucape Business School, vol. 13(4), pages 94-117, July.
    6. A. J. Khadaroo & B. Seetanah, 2010. "Transport infrastructure and foreign direct investment," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(1), pages 103-123.
    7. Godfred William Cantah & Gabriel William Brafu-Insaidoo & Emmanuel Agyapong Wiafe & Abass Adams, 2018. "FDI and Trade Policy Openness in Sub-Saharan Africa," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(1), pages 97-116, January.
    8. John Anyanwu, 2011. "Working Paper 136 - Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment Inflows to Africa, 1980-2007," Working Paper Series 327, African Development Bank.
    9. Oana Cristina POPOVICI & Adrian Cantemir CĂLIN & Diana IVANA & Sorin DAN, 2021. "FDI Determinants Revisited: Extensive Evidence," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(4), pages 103-123, December.
    10. Yapatake Kossele Thales Pacific, 2015. "Foreign Direct Investment in Anglophone and Francophone African Countries," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 5(11), pages 337-350, November.
    11. Magdalena RADULESCU & Elena Nolica DRUICA, 2011. "FDIs and investment policy in some European countries after their EU accession. Challenges during the crisis," Romanian Journal of Economics, Institute of National Economy, vol. 33(2(42)), pages 169-183, December.
    12. Oliver Morrissey, 2008. "Investment Provisions in Regional Integration Agreements for Developing Countries," Discussion Papers 08/06, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    13. Dharmapala, Dhammika & Hines Jr., James R., 2009. "Which countries become tax havens?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(9-10), pages 1058-1068, October.
    14. Yu Fu & Agus Supriyadi & Tao Wang, 2018. "China’s Outward FDI in Indonesia: Spatial Patterns and Determinants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Erhard Reschenhofer & Michael Schilde & Eva Oberecker & Ellen Payr & Hasan Tandogan & Lea Wakolbinger, 2012. "Identifying the determinants of foreign direct investment: a data-specific model selection approach," Statistical Papers, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 739-752, August.
    16. . OLABISI, Olabode E & LAU, Evan, 2018. "Causality Testing between Trade Openness, Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth: Fresh Evidence from Sub-Saharan African Countries," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 71(4), pages 437-464.
    17. repec:lic:licosd:19307 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Paulo Elicha Tembe & Kangning Xu, 2012. "Attracting Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: Determinants and Policies-A Comparative Study between Mozambique and China," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 3(4), pages 69-81, October.

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    Keywords

    FDI; government expenditures; tax level and corruption;
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