Foreign Direct Invectments in Developing countries
- 2. FDI : INTRODUCTION FDI is an important part of massive private investment which is driving economic growth across around the world .Over the past decades, foreign direct investment ( FDI ) has been sought by most , if not all developing countries as a means of complementing the level of domestic investments, as well as securing economy-wide efficiency gains through the transfer of technology, management knowledge, access to foreign markets, increasing employment opportunities and improving standards f living .To this end , the policy makers in many developing countries have considered various incentives and policies to attract DFI and to ensure that its consistency with the domestic economic development objectives . Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is seen as the fundamental part for an open and successful international economic system and a major mechanism for development. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment made by a company or individual in one country in business interests in another country, in the form of either establishing business operations or acquiring business assets in the other country, such as ownership or controlling interest in a foreign company.
- 3. The role of FDI in development and Growth
- 4. Potential positive spill over effects on the host economy Developing counties, emerging economies and countries in transition, due to advantages related to FDI have liberalized their FDI regime and followed best policies to attract investment. It has been recognized that the maximizing benefits of FDI for the host country can be significant, including technology spill overs, human capital formation support, enhancement of competitive business environment, contribution to international trade integration and improvement of enterprise development. Moreover, further than economic benefits FDI can help the improvement of environment and social condition in the host country by relocating ‘cleaner’ technology and guiding to more socially responsible corporate policies. All of these benefits contribute to higher economic growth, which is the main instrument for alleviating poverty in those economies.
- 5. Resource – Transfer Effects Foreign direct investment can make a positive contribution to a host economy by supplying capital, technology and management resources that would otherwise not be available. Such resource transfer can stimulate the economic growth of the host economy (Hill, 2000). 1.Capital Multinational enterprises (MNEs) invest in long-term projects, taking risks and repatriating profits only when the projects yield returns. The free flow of capital across nations is likely to be favoured by many economists since it allows capital to seek out the highest rate of return. Many MNEs, by virtue of their large size and financial strength, have access to financial resources not available to host country firms. These funds may be available from internal company sources, or, because of their reputation, large MNEs may find it easier to borrow money from capital markets than host-county firms would (Hill, 2000). FDI can contribute to economic growth not only by providing foreign capital but also by crowding in additional domestic investment; so it increases the total growth effect of FDI.
- 6. Technology crucial role played by the technological progress in the economic growth is now widely accepted (Romer, 1994). Technology can stimulate economic development and industrialization. It can take two forms, both of which are valuable. Technology can be incorporated in a production process (e.g., the technology for discovering, extracting and refining oil) or it can be incorporated in a product (e.g., personal computers) (Hill, 2000).Technologies that are transferred to developing countries in connection with foreign direct investment tend to be more modern, and environmentally ‘cleaner’, than what is locally available. Balance of Payments Effects :There are three potential balance of payments consequences of FDI. First, when an MNE establishes a foreign subsidiary, the capital account of the host country benefits from the initial capital inflow. However, this is a one-time only effect. Second, if the FDI is a substitute for imports of goods or services, it can improve the current account of the host country’s balance of payment. Much of the FDI by Japanese automobile companies in the US and UK, can be seen as substitute for imports from Japan. A third potential benefit to the host country’s balance of payment arises when the MNE uses a foreign subsidiary to export goods and services to other countries. The evidence based on empirical research on the balance of payments effect of FDI, indicate that there is a difference between developed developing countries, especially with respect to investment in the manufacturing industries. Dunning (1961, 1969) while assessing the impact of the US FDI in Britain, he estimated a positive effect of around 15 of the total capital invested. The indirect effects, on the other hand arising from the changes in the income of residents, or changes in consumption patterns were not considered.
- 7. Continue…….. International Trade :The impact of FDI on host country international trade will differ, depending on its motive whether it is efficiency-seeking, market-seeking, resource-seeking or strategic asset seeking. FDI can have a great contribution to economic growth in developing countries by supporting export growth of the countries. Output resulting from efficiency-seeking FDI is typically intended for export, and therefore the impact of such FDI is likely be an increase in exports from the host country. If local firms provide inputs to affiliates producing goods for the local content of value added exports would be much greater. In cases where intermediate goods are imported from outside the host economy, efficiency-seeking FDI will increase export as well as imports. Enterprise development : FDI has the potential significantly to spur enterprise development in host countries. The direct impact on the targeted enterprise includes the achievement of synergies within the acquiring MNE, efforts to raise efficiency and reduce costs in the targeted enterprise, and the development of new activities. In addition, efficiency gains may occur in unrelated enterprises through demonstration effects and other spill-overs making to those that lead to technology and human capital spill-overs. Available evidence points to a significant in economic efficiency in enterprises acquired by MNEs, albeit to degrees that vary by country and sector. The strongest evidence of improvement is found in industries with economies of scale. Here, the submersion of an individual enterprise into a larger corporate entity generally gives rise to important efficiency gains. Human capital enhancement : The major impact of FDI on human capital in developing countries appears to be indirect, occurring not principally through the efforts of MNEs, but rather from government policies seeking to FDI via enhanced human capital. Once individuals are employed by MNE subsidiaries, their human capital may be enhanced further through training and on-the-job learning. Those subsidiaries may also have a positive influence human capital enhancement in other enterprises with which they develop links, including suppliers. Such enhancement can have further effects as that labour moves to other firms and as some employees become entrepreneurs. Thus, the issue of human capital development is intimately related with other, broader development issues.
- 8. Effect on Competition :Foreign entry may reduce the concentration of firms in a market, and thereby increase competition. This is likely to lead to lower prices, and perhaps a wider choice of goods. Tougher competition may also force firms to reduce organizational inefficiencies.According to an OECD report (OECD 2002, p.16) the presence of foreign enterprises may greatly assist economic development by spurring domestic competition and thereby leading eventually to higher productivity, lower prices and more efficient resource allocation. Increased competition tends to capital investments by firms in plant, equipment and R&D as they struggle to gain an edge over their rivals. FDI’s impact on competition in domestic markets may be particular important in the case of services, such as telecommunication, retailing and many financial services, where exporting is often not an option because the service to be produced where it is delivered.Julius (1990, p. 97) for example, writes that: “As with trade, increased international flows of FDI should be encouraged because they bring both global and national benefits. They stimulate growth through more efficient production and they lower prices through greater competition”. And according to an OECD study, “Like trade, foreign direct investment acts as a powerful spur to competition and innovation, encouraging domestic firms to reduce costs and their competitiveness” (OECD, 1998, p. 47).
- 9. Management :By transferring knowledge, FDI will increase the existing stock of knowledge in the host country through labour training, transfer of skills, and the transfer of new managerial and organizational practice. Foreign management skills acquired through FDI may also produce benefits for the host countries. Beneficial spin-off effect arise when local personnel who are trained occupy managerial, financial and technical posts in the subsidiary of a foreign MNE leave the firm help to establish local firms. Similar benefits may arise if the superior management skills of a foreign MNE stimulate local suppliers, distributors and competitors to improve their own management skills. Workers gain new skills through explicit and implicit training. In particular, training in foreign firms may be of a higher quality given that only the most productive firms trade. Workers take these skills with them when they re-enter the domestic labour market. Training received by foreign companies sometimes may be considered under the general heading of ‘organization and management’, that the host country will benefit from the ‘managerial superiority’ of MNCs.Lall and Streeten (1977) emphasize three kinds of managerial benefits: Managerial efficiency in operations arising from better training and higher standards; Entrepreneurial capability in seeking out investment opportunities; Externalities arising from training received by employees (such as technical, executive, accounting so on) (Dunning, 1993)
- 10. Cost of FDI to Host Country’s Economy However, the economic impact of FDI is difficult to measure with accuracy. Benefits of FDI do not increase automatically and equally across counties, sectors and local communities. These benefits vary from one country to another and are difficult to be separated and measured Adverse Effects on Employment : Sceptics about FDI note that not all the ‘new jobs’ created by FDI represent net additions in employment. In the case of FDI by Japanese auto companies in the US, some argue that the jobs created by this investment have been more than offset by the jobs lost in US owned auto companies, which have lost market share to their Japanese competitors. As a consequence of such substitution effects, the net number of new jobs created by FDI may not be as great as initially claimed by an MNE (Hill, 2000).In the case of Republic of Macedonia the high unemployment represents the biggest economic problem and it has a direct effect on low economic growth and the small number of newly opened work places. The restructuring process of the enterprises in the course of transition resulted in increased unemployment in the short run. Adverse Effects on Competition FDI can boost competition, host governments sometimes worry that the subsidiaries of foreign MNEs may have greater economic power than local competitors. If it is a part of large international organization, the foreign MNEs may be able to draw on funds generated elsewhere to subsidize its costs in the host market, which could drive local companies out of business and allow the firm to monopolize the market. This concern tends to be greater in countries that have few large firm of their own (i.e. less developed countries) or minor concern in most advanced industrialized nations.
- 11. Continue….. Adverse Effects on Balance of Payments There are two main areas of concern with regard to the adverse effects of FDI on a host country’s balance of payments. First, set against the initial capital inflow that comes with FDI must be the subsequent outflow of earnings from the foreign subsidiary to its parent company. Such outflows show up as a debit on the capital account. Some governments have responded to such outflows by restricting the amount of earnings that can be repatriated to a foreign subsidiary’s home country. A second concern arises when a foreign subsidiary imports a substantial of inputs from abroad, which results in a debit on the current account of the host balance of payment. In the case of Nissan’s investment in UK, Nissan responded to concerns about local content by pledging to increase the proportion of local content to percent, and subsequently raising it to over 80 percent (Hill, 2000). The net benefits from FDI do not accrue automatically, and their importance differs according to host country and condition.
- 12. Non-Economic Drawbacks – Environmental Impact and Sweatshops Another major concern regarding FDI is its environmental impact. Local enforcement of environmental protection legislation that is negligent or weak in relation to foreign firms has led to disastrous consequences in many parts of the world. However, in the global competition among developing country governments to attract FDI, there is often a race the bottom, which leads countries to offer more relaxed regulations in order to attract foreign investment. The working conditions of workers in firms sponsored by FDI have been a concern. The presence of sweatshops in some countries, which subject labourers, who are sometimes child labourers, to dangerous, sub-human working conditions, often violation of local workplace regulations, is a serious issue. The race to the bottom phenomenon is also present here, as governments minimize the enforcement of regulations in order to attract FDI. Although multinationals pay their workers more than their competitors, many people have complained that multinationals abuse their workers sweatshop conditions, and have demanded that products from these sweatshops be banned from U.S. markets (Brown, Deardorff and Stern, 2004).
- 13. Conclusions To reap the maximum benefits from foreign corporate presence a healthy enabling environment for business is paramount, which encourages domestic as well as foreign investment, provides incentives for innovation and improvements of skills and contributes to a competitive corporate climate. The net benefits from FDI do not accrue automatically, and their importance differs according to host country and condition. The factors that hold back the full benefits of FDI in some developing countries include the level of general education and health, the technological level of host-country enterprises, insufficient openness to trade, weak competition and inadequate regulatory frameworks. On the other hand, a level of technological, educational and infrastructure achievement in a developing country does, other things being equal, equip it better to benefit from a foreign presence in its markets.