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Absorptive Capacities and the Impact of FDI on Economic Growth

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  • Beatrice Farkas

Abstract

This paper analyzes the necessary local conditions required for the existence of positive spillovers from multinationals' entry and it consists of a unified study of absorptive capacities. We start from the idea that FDI speeds up the diffusion of technologies across countries. Yet, the question that arises is: to what extent are these advanced technologies absorbed and successfully internalized by the receiving countries such that they materialize in welfare gains? The impact of FDI depends on the country specific absorptive capacity. We first interact FDI individually with different growth determinants and we find that the contribution of FDI to economic growth is positive and significant depending on the level of human capital and the development of financial markets, but its presence in developing countries must complement rather than substitute a set of other growth determinants. Then we test the robustness of the linear interaction terms relative to each other and we analyze the set of conditions that are most beneficial for FDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatrice Farkas, 2012. "Absorptive Capacities and the Impact of FDI on Economic Growth," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1202, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1202
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    2. KARGI, Bilal, 2014. "Portfolio in Turkish Economy, and A Long Termed Relation Between Foreign Direct Investments and The Growth, and The Structural Breakage Analysis (1980-2012)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 70-81.
    3. Levoshko, Tamila, 2016. "Wie beeinflussen die politische Lage und FDI das Wirtschaftswachstum? Empirische Evidenz für die Ukraine und Polen," Working Papers 0615, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    4. Kinza Yousfani & Farhana Khowaja & Ahmed Ali Yousfani, 2019. "The Commitment of Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment on the Monetary Development of Pakistan," International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 5(4), pages 7-12, May.
    5. Muhammad Azam & Syed Ali Raza, 2016. "Do Workers’ Remittances Boost Human Capital Development?," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 55(2), pages 123-149.
    6. Jeunghan Lee & Keuntae Cho, 2023. "Effects of Science, Technology, and Innovation Official Development Assistance on Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-13, August.
    7. Coletta Frenzel Baudisch, 2018. "Sectoral FDI and the Real Exchange Rate: The Role of Financial Development," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201828, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    FDI; economic growth; absorptive capacity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies

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