Development Finance


Book Description

This book provides an in-depth overview of the most salient aspects of development finance. It critically reviews the current state of relevant literature on this topic and assesses both the challenges and the opportunities presented by the various forms of finance for development. Chapters from expert contributors examine a range of topics from the link between finance and growth and finance and misallocation, the relationship between financial illiteracy and lack of legal titles on access to finance, to the role of governments in the financial system and the role of overseas development assistance, remittances, microfinance, foreign direct investment (FDI) and stock exchanges on development. This book offers a good point of reference for postgraduate and PhD students and will appeal to researchers in this field.




Location of International Business Activities


Book Description

In recent years an extensive range of new research has been revisiting the topic of the location of international business activities, from a variety of different perspectives and background interests. This work has been inspired in part by two apparently quite different but actually related contemporary trends: on the one hand, an emergence or revitalization of clusters of activities co-located in or around selected global city regions or fast growing metropolitan areas; and on the other hand, an increased global dispersion of activities conducted within the value chains managed or coordinated by many large multinational enterprises and their business partners. The former trend has given rise to discussions of how the elite of the cultural-cognitive economy of the 21st century (in Allen Scott's terminology) or the creative class (Richard Florida's term) are now being drawn or brought back to major urban centers; while the latter trend is associated with debates over outsourcing, and the economic and social consequences of shifts in the ownership and location of distinct nodes of value chains once production systems become more fragmented and the component parts of such systems become more geographically dispersed. An increased interest in the subject of international business location has been shown by scholars in Strategic Management, in Economic Geography, and in Regional Science, as well as in our own interdisciplinary field of International Business Studies. However, as is often the case in academic research communities, these bodies of scholarship have tended to develop at something of a distance from one another, each conversing internally more than they have with one another. Location of International Business Activities aims to promote a greater conversation between those interested in the topic of Location from various different backgrounds or starting points. The articles are taken from a special issue on the theme of the Multinational in Geographic Space which was published by The Journal of International Business Studies in 2013.




Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy


Book Description

For many years to come this volume. . .is surely going to be the ultimate reference work on international business. . . thanks to Dunning and Lundan, have at their disposal, a wealth of relevant data, as well as theoretical and empirical analyses, which will enable them to assess the capabilities, contributions and challenges posed by the multinational enterprises to the global economy. Seev Hirsch, International Business Review Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy has become a classic in international business. . . Yet , the book s second edition is even better than the first, in part because of Professor Dunning s wise decision to choose Dr Lundan as his co-author and to draw upon her deep knowledge of various strands of research on business government relations and the societal effects of firm behaviour. . . In addition to being a remarkably useful reference book, Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy is the first book any IB doctoral student should read to understand the significance and richness of IB scholarship as it has developed over the past 50 years. Alain Verbeke, Journal of International Business Studies The second edition of Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy provides unparalleled coverage not only of the literature relevant to IB research but also of the evolution of IB in the world economy. Dunning and Lundan offer powerful insights into the societal effects of MNEs and the role of business government relations in the IB context. Journal of International Business Studies This wonderful book offers the definitive synthesis of the modern literature on the economic aspects of international business. It is encyclopedic yet full of incisive insights. It is a creative masterpiece which unbundles the DNA of the multinational enterprise and shows how it is the cornerstone of the field of international business. Alan M. Rugman, University of Reading, UK The rise of the multinational enterprise, and the consequent globalisation of the world economy, was arguably the single most important phenomenon of the second half of the twentieth century. This magisterial book, written by two leading authorities, examines this phenomenon in depth. It explains how foreign investment by multinationals diffused advanced technologies and novel management methods, driving productivity growth in Europe, Asia and North America; however, economic inequalities were reinforced as rich countries attracted more foreign investment than poor ones. This new edition of a classic work is not only an authoritative guide to contemporary multinational business, but a major historical resource for the future. Mark Casson, University of Reading, UK This thoroughly updated and revised edition of a widely acclaimed, classic text will be required reading for academics, policymakers and advanced students of international business worldwide. Employing a distinctive and unified framework, this book draws together research across a range of academic fields to offer a synthesis of the determinants of MNE activity, and its effects on the economic and social well-being of developed and developing countries. Unique to the new edition is its focus on the institutional underpinnings of the resources and capabilities of MNEs, and the role of MNE activity in transmitting and facilitating institutional change. Since the initial publication of this book more than a decade ago, the economic, managerial and social implications of globalisation and technological advancement have become even more varied and prominent. Accompanying these developments, there has been a rise in scholarly interest in interdisciplinary research addressing the important challenges of an ever-changing physical and human environment. Drawing on articles and books from international business and economics, as well as economic geography, political economy and strategic management, a systematic overview of the developments in scholarly thinking is prese




Multinational Firms in the World Economy


Book Description

Depending on one's point of view, multinational enterprises are either the heroes or the villains of the globalized economy. Governments compete fiercely for foreign direct investment by such companies, but complain when firms go global and move their activities elsewhere. Multinationals are seen by some as threats to national identities and wealth and are accused of riding roughshod over national laws and of exploiting cheap labor. However, the debate on these companies and foreign direct investment is rarely grounded on sound economic arguments. This book brings clarity to the debate. With the contribution of other leading experts, Giorgio Barba Navaretti and Anthony Venables assess the determinants of multinationals' actions, investigating why their activity has expanded so rapidly, and why some countries have seen more such activity than others. They analyze their effects on countries that are recipients of inward investments, and on those countries that see multinational firms moving jobs abroad. The arguments are made using modern advances in economic analysis, a case study, and by drawing on the extensive empirical literature that assesses the determinants and consequences of activity by multinationals. The treatment is rigorous, yet accessible to all readers with a background in economics, whether students or professionals. Drawing out policy implications, the authors conclude that multinational enterprises are generally a force for the promotion of prosperity in the world economy.




Foreign Direct Investment in the World Economy


Book Description

The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in international capital flows is examined. Theories of the determinants of FDI are surveyed, and the economic consequences of FDI for both host (recipient) and home (investor) nations are examined in light of empirical studies. Policy issues surrounding possible negotiation of a “multilateral agreement on investment” are discussed.




Multinational Enterprise


Book Description




A Theory of Multinational Enterprise


Book Description

Studies the expansion of firms across national boundaries




Global Investment Competitiveness Report 2017/2018


Book Description

The Global Investment Competitiveness report presents new insights and evidence on drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries, and FDI’s role in development. The report’s survey of 750 executives of multinational corporations finds that a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment is a key driver of investment decisions in developing countries, along with political stability, security, and macroeconomic conditions. The report’s topic-specific chapters explore the potential of FDI to create new growth opportunities for local firms, assess the power of tax holidays and other fiscal incentives to attract FDI, analyze characteristics of FDI originating in developing countries, and examine the experience of foreign investors in countries affected by conflict and fragility. Three key features of this Global Investment Competitiveness report distinguish it from other publications on FDI. First, its insights are based on a combination of first-hand perspectives of investors, extensive analysis of available data and evidence, and international good practices in investment policy design and implementation. Secondly, rather than exploring broad FDI trends, the report provides detailed and unique analysis of FDI depending on its motivation, sector, geographic origin and destination, and phase of investment. Thirdly, the report offers practical and actionable recommendations to policymakers in developing countries wishing to reform their business climates for increased investment competitiveness. As such, the report is meant to complement other knowledge products of the World Bank Group focused even more explicitly on country-level data, detailed reform diagnostics, and presentation of best practices. We are confident this report will bring value and fresh perspectives to a variety of audiences. To governments and policymakers, including investment promotion professionals, the report offers direct insights into the role of government policies and actions in investors’ decision-making. To foreign investors and site location consultants, the report provides information on FDI trends and drivers across sectors and geographies. For academic audiences, the new datasets on investment incentives and FDI motivations enables opportunities for additional research and analysis. Lastly, for development assistance providers and other stakeholders, the report highlights key approaches for maximizing FDI’s benefits for development.