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Multinational firms, monopolistic competition and foreign investment uncertainty

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  • Chawla, Arunish

Abstract

This is a model of multinational firms, which introduces option value of foreign direct investment, into a framework of Dixit-Stiglitz type monopolistic competition. Starting from a pure trading equilibrium and solving for the optimal investment rule gives a scale-up factor which implies existence of a wedge between markup revenues and foreign investment costs. Greater volatility and risk aversion increase this scale-up over foreign investment costs implying a delay in the exercise of FDI option, while growing market size and national income facilitate early exercise. The model is extended to include a Poisson jump process, which has policy implications for FDI reforms and explains ‘wait and watch’ behaviour of multinational firms better than a pure comparative advantage-trade cost framework does. While investment under uncertainty literature is based on the theory of call options, I solve ‘FDI option’ as a put option, thereby also enriching the theory of real options.

Suggested Citation

  • Chawla, Arunish, 2008. "Multinational firms, monopolistic competition and foreign investment uncertainty," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19592, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:19592
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/19592/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multinational firm; monopolistic competition; foreign investment uncertainty; FDI option;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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