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Attracting Foreign Direct Investments in Europe: are Italian Regions Doomed?

Author

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  • Roberto Basile

    (Isae (Rome) and University of Macerata)

  • Luigi Benfratello

    (University of Turin and Ceris-CNR(Turin))

  • Davide Castellani

    (University of Urbino and Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano)

Abstract

During the nineties, Europe became a major recipient of FDIs but Italian regions have been largely excluded from this process. Was it due to their characteristics, or were Italian regions ‘doomed’ by a negative country effect? In this paper we address this issue by estimating the determinants of multinational firms’ location choices in 52 EU regions. We find that Italian regions indeed attracted significantly less than their observable potential, and that this could be explained by the inefficiency of the bureaucratic apparatus and of the legal system. The effect of taxes is instead strongly sensitive to the inclusion of agglomeration variables and is asymmetric across regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Basile & Luigi Benfratello & Davide Castellani, 2005. "Attracting Foreign Direct Investments in Europe: are Italian Regions Doomed?," Development Working Papers 200, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    • Handle: RePEc:csl:devewp:200
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    Cited by:

    1. Davide Castellani & Valentina Meliciani & Loredana Mirra, 2016. "The Determinants of Inward Foreign Direct Investment in Business Services across European Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(4), pages 671-691, April.
    2. Daniele, Vittorio, 2007. "Criminalità e investimenti esteri. Un’analisi per le province italiane [The effect of organized crime on Foreign Investments. An Empirical Analysis for the Italian Provinces]," MPRA Paper 6417, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Laura Resmini, 2014. "Patterns of FDI in Southern European Periphery: a Tale of Missing FDI?," ERSA conference papers ersa14p543, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Vittorio, Daniele & Ugo, Marani, 2008. "Organized Crime and Foreign Direct Investment: the Italian Case," MPRA Paper 7217, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Dario Musolino & Ilaria Mariotti, 2020. "Mental maps of entrepreneurs and location factors: an empirical investigation on Italy," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 64(3), pages 501-521, June.
    6. Laura Casi & Laura Resmini, 2014. "Spatial complexity and interactions in the FDI attractiveness of regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93, pages 51-78, November.
    7. Massimiliano Agovino & Antonio Garofalo & Katia Marchesano, 2018. "Do institutions affect the matching process of disabled people? The Italian case," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 921-943, March.
    8. Laura Resmini & Laura Casi, 2013. "Spatial complexity and interactions in regions' FDI attractiveness," ERSA conference papers ersa13p1063, European Regional Science Association.
    9. Roberto Basile & Luigi Benfratello & Davide Castellani, 2012. "Geoadditive models for regional count data: an application to industrial location," ERSA conference papers ersa12p83, European Regional Science Association.
    10. Comi, Simona & Grasseni, Mara & Resmini, Laura, 2021. "Can judicial efficiency improve territorial attractiveness to FDI? The Italian experience," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    11. Renato Redondi & Mariasole Bannò & Marco Mutinelli, 2011. "Air Connectivity and Foreign Direct Investments The economic effects of the introduction of new routes," ERSA conference papers ersa11p249, European Regional Science Association.
    12. Rubini, Lauretta & Pollio, Chiara & Spigarelli, Francesca & Lv, Ping, 2021. "Regional social context and FDI. An empirical investigation on Chinese acquisitions in Europe," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 402-415.
    13. repec:tur:wpaper:10 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Mariachiara Barzotto & Giancarlo Corò & Ilaria Mariotti & Marco Mutinelli, 2016. "The impact of Inward FDI on host country labour markets. A counterfactual analysis on Italian manufacturing companies," Working Papers 1612, c.MET-05 - Centro Interuniversitario di Economia Applicata alle Politiche per L'industria, lo Sviluppo locale e l'Internazionalizzazione.
    15. FERRAGINA, Anna Maria, 2013. "The Impact of FDI on Firm Survival and Employment: A Comparative Analysis for Turkey and Italy," CELPE Discussion Papers 127, CELPE - CEnter for Labor and Political Economics, University of Salerno, Italy.
    16. Marie-Line Duboz & Nathalie Kroichvili & Julie Le Gallo, 2019. "What matters most for FDI attraction in services: country or region performance? An empirical analysis of EU for 1997–2012," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 63(3), pages 601-638, December.
    17. Giorgia Giovannetti & Enrico Marvasi & Marco Sanfilippo, 2013. "Supply Chains and the Internalization of SMEs: Evidence from Italy," Working Papers - Economics wp2013_30.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    18. Mariachiara Barzotto & Giancarlo Corò & Ilaria Mariotti & Marco Mutinelli, 2019. "Ownership and workforce composition: a counterfactual analysis of foreign multinationals and Italian uni-national firms," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 46(4), pages 581-607, December.
    19. Davide Castellani & Giulio Giangaspero & Antonello Zanfei, 2013. "Heterogeneity and distance. Some propositions on how differences across regions, firms and functions affect the role of distance in FDI location decisions," Working Papers 1308, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2013.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    multinational firms; location choices; Italy; institutions and policies; negative binomial regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • C35 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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