This thesis consists of four essays, covering four different topics. The first essay investigates the relationship between inter-firm labor mobility and regional productivity growth. Previous studies have shown that density is positively correlated with growth. I claim that it is not density in itself, but rather the attributes associated with it that drives economic growth. One such attribute is the increased possibility for labor mobility and knowledge diffusion that follows when firms and individuals locate in close proximity to each other. This hypothesis is tested using density as an instrument for labor mobility. The result shows that labor mobility increases regional growth rates. The second essay examines the relationship between agglomeration economies and relative wage costs in influencing location of multinational corporations. An inflow of firms to certain regions and industries is likely to increase demand for labor. If mobility of labor is low increased costs can be expected to deter additional inflows of firms, albeit agglomeration economies may compensate for higher wages. The empirical analysis finds that FDI has become increasingly sensitive to differences in wage costs across industrialized countries, but also that agglomeration economies related to knowledge externalities positively influences higher costs. The third essay looks at the impact of FDI on home country investments. Previous research has been inconclusive as regards the effects on domestic investments. In this article, we show that this inconclusiveness can be explained at a disaggregated level as a function of the way industries are organized. We argue that a complementary relationship can be expected to prevail in vertically integrated industries, whereas a substitutionary relationship can be expected in horizontally organized production. The empirical analysis confirms a significant difference between the two categories of industry as regards the impact of outward FDI on domestic investment. The fourth, and final, essay of this thesis analyses how increased R&D expenditures and market size influence the distribution of comparative advantage. Previous studies report ambiguous results and also refer to periods when markets were much more segmented and production factors less mobile. The empirical analysis comprises 19 OECD-countries and spans the period 1981 to 1999. It is shown how an increase in R&D-expenditures by one percentage point implies a three-percentage point increase in high-technology exports, whereas market size fails to attain significance. In addition, institutional factors influence the dynamics of comparative advantage.

本文探討外人直接投資對於俄羅斯貧窮問題之影響。透過質性研究說明俄羅斯外人直接投資趨勢與貧窮分布，並輔以量化研究解釋兩者間的關係；在變數選取部分，除主要之各地區外人直接投資流量、絕對貧窮率外，本文還納入人力資本、國內投資、公部門角色、貿易開放程度與總體經濟環境等變數進行研究。樣本資料根據俄羅斯國家統計局，選擇資料完整的71個聯邦主體作為研究對象，分析期間為2000至2008年，共639個觀察值。 　　實證結果發現，外人直接投資與貧窮率之間，並未存在顯著的負向關係；然而，若不考慮各聯邦主體間變異存在與否，甚至得出外人直接投資將惡化貧窮情形的結果；在其餘變數的部分，發現除了政府支出的結論與預期相反、人力資本不顯著外，其餘變數均符合預期，顯示貿易越為開放、總體經濟穩定且經濟成長的地區，貧窮問題較為和緩，在國內投資部分，雖未達統計顯著標準，但結果也傾向國內投資的提升有助於降低貧窮率。此外，若將外人直接投資視為依變數，再結合原先以貧窮為依變數之實證結果，可發現貿易開放程度為唯一同時對吸引外人直接投資與降低貧窮率皆達統計顯著水準的變數，即開放貿易助於提升外人直接投資與降低貧窮水準。

This report describes the aim, scope, underlying literature and results of the research project "The Nexus between the Financial and the Real Sector". We studied the contribution of the financial sector as a whole and its individual segments (bank credits, the issuance of bonds and shares) to real economic growth in EU Member and Candidate Countries, the United States and Japan. We supplement existing approaches with the inclusion of the bond market and of foreign direct investment in the banking sector, wherein for the first time, we provide empirical evidence for slightly positive effects thereof. Methodically, we extend previous research by the production-function approach and document the importance of the market microstructure. We recommend to include liberalisation and integration effects, the bond and insurance sector, and effects of foreign bank entry and investment into future research on the Finance-Growth-Nexus. (author's abstract) / Series: EI Working Papers / Europainstitut

Comments and Discussions : Hitoshi HIRAKAWA

<p>This paper investigates the impact of Economic Freedom on FDI inflows to developing countries and the Middle East in particular. Four forms of Economic Freedom were tested as variables determining FDI inflow. These four variables were Freedom from Corruption, Government Size, Trade Freedom and Investment Freedom. Cross-sectional data for twelve Middle Eastern countries and forty-three other developing countries were gathered for 1995 and 2006. It was revealed that only Trade Freedom and Invest-ment Freedom were significant in both Middle East and other regions. Apart from one case, the general positive sign of the significant variables confirms our hypothesis re-garding the positive effects of these Economic Freedoms on FDI inflows. Based on these findings it can be recommended to improve the investment environment and re-duce the barriers to trade in order to attract more FDI.</p>

台灣經濟屬於淺碟型經濟，且受限於缺乏自然資源，所以資本的形成相當的不容易。為求經濟的發展，資本的形成，尤其是固定投資的累積相當的重要。而資本形成的數種財源中，以僑外直接投資對國際收支與通貨膨脹的壓力影響較小，並能引進新生產技術及經營管理知識，從而促進產業的持續成長與企業管理現代化理想的實現。台灣之所以能成為經濟上的亞洲四小龍之一，這當中經濟成長的背後資金來源，僑外商的直接投資是不可或缺的。近年來，台灣的名目利率不斷下跌，甚至實質利率為負的情況下，投資動能卻仍顯不足。為瞭解構成廠商投資意願的決定因素，故以對投資具相當敏感度的僑外商為研究的主要對象，所以本文的主要目的即是探討僑外直接投資台灣的決定因素。 本研究使用1995年至2004年間的時間數列月資料，以普通最小平方迴歸模型，估計僑外資、僑資、外資、製造業及服務業等五種模型的直接投資決定因素。結果顯示在僑外資及外資的模型中，其顯著變數有工資、利率、世界競爭力及政黨輪替。僑資模型的顯著因素有犯罪率及政黨輪替。製造業模型的顯著變數有工資、匯率及利率。而服務業模型則有工資、利率及研究發展經費為顯著變項。另各模型時間變數方面，僑外資、外資及服務業等模型的第6年虛擬變數具顯著效果。在月虛擬變數上，投資正相關的月份僑外資為6、7月及10至12月；僑資為7、8兩月；外資於5月後各月；製造業則為3月及5月後各月；服務業則為7、11及12月。又僑資及服務業兩模型中，4月均為負相關。至於經濟成長率、每人國內生產毛額及政黨比率等不顯著變項，表示均非僑外商投資所關注的因素。 / Taiwan’s saucer-shallow economic scale and scarce natural resources make capital formation very difficult. Nevertheless, capital formation, especially accumulation of fixed investment, is essential to economic development. Among various sources of capital formation, foreign direct investment imposes least pressure on the balance of payments and inflation, introduces innovative technology and management skills, and hence contributes most significantly to sustainable industrial development and the realization of business management ideals. Taiwan ranks among the four newly-industrialized Asian tigers. Among the funding sources that have promoted Taiwan’s economic growth over the years, direct investment from overseas Chinese and foreigners plays an indispensable part. In recent years, however, even though nominal interest rates have continuously fallen, at times even to the level of negative real interest rates, investment momentum still appeared weakened. Based on this observation, this study tries to understand what drives decisions to invest in Taiwan by focusing on overseas Chinese and foreign investors who are highly investment sensitive. The main purpose of the study is to discuss the determinants of overseas Chinese and foreign direct investment in Taiwan. This study applies the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression model to analyze the monthly time-series data during the period of 1995-2004. Determinants of direct investment are examined in five groups, i.e. overseas Chinese & foreign investment, overseas Chinese investment, foreign investment, the manufacturing sector, and the services sector. The result shows that wages, interest rates, world competitiveness, and the rotation of ruling parties are the most important factors for overseas Chinese & foreign investment, and foreign investment. Overseas Chinese investment is significantly affected by the crime rate and the rotation of ruling parties. For the manufacturing sector, wages, exchange rates and interest rates are important variables. Wages, interest rates and R&D spending significantly affect investment in the services sector. In terms of the time variables in each group, the sixth year dummy variable has a significant effect on overseas Chinese & foreign investment, foreign investment, and the services sector. With regard to monthly dummy variables, positively correlated to investment are June, July, and October to December for overseas Chinese & foreign investment; July and August for overseas Chinese investment; May to December for foreign investment; March, and May to December for the manufacturing sector; and July, November, and December for the services sector. In addition, April shows a negative correlation for both overseas Chinese investment and the services sector. Variables with insignificant effects, including economic growth rates, per capita GDP, and the congressional seats of political parties, are not among the concerns of overseas Chinese and foreign investors.

本文主要探討影響外資企業進入中國大陸外資企業獲利變動之因素，分析企業在大陸投資經營環境改變（1993年與1996年間），企業的獲利變動是否會受影響，進一步比較在不同外資來源與不同投資型態下，座落不同地區別與投資不同產業別其獲利變動及其決定因素有何不同 結果顯示，投資環境變遷對外商投資有影響，首先，大陸投資環境逐年改善，有利外商企業進行投資，但是仍須注意大陸內部的不穩定因素，如政治社會問題，不能只單純考慮經濟投資環境。且大陸外資政策逐漸進入調整階段，朝向與產業發展相結合的方向調整，廠商投資更應注意政策發展；其次，在影響外商企業獲利變動之決定因素方面，實證結果顯示，企業在設廠時的投資規模如果較大，顯然與賺取的利潤變動有正向相關之關係；另一方面，員工人數增加，獲利亦會增加。 就企業營運方面而言，根據實證結果顯示資金當地取得比例與企業的獲利變動呈現負相關，外商企業自大陸貸款取得資金比重愈高，其獲利反而愈不利，另外對外資企業之機器進口比例提高，對獲利變動有正面影響，亦即企業進口更多機器設備，對獲利是有幫助。另外筆者發現，員工報酬等級的變動，對獲利變動呈現明顯正相關。就企業成立時間長短對獲利變動影響而言，筆者研究發現，在大陸的外資企業，愈後進者愈能充分表現在搭便車效果，對企業獲利明顯有利。 / The goals of the thesis are researching the following： (i) Impact of investment environment and foreign investment policy changes in mainland China in recent years on foreign firms in mainland China； (ii) Determinant of Profitability change to foreign enterprises in Mainland China； (iii) Analysis determinant of different country firms, different industry firms, different entry modes and different locations of foreign firms in mainland China。 The project concludes the following： 1. The effort of liberalization and internationalization of Mainland China in recent years attracts the inflow of multinationals into Mainland China; with the entry into WTO the inflow will be further encouraged. 2. Foreign investment profitability affected by policies and environment of Mainland China, firms should be more cautious in evaluating their investments in Mainland China. 3. The scales and workers become larger and more, profits of firm will increase 4. More local finance loan rate decrease profits of firms, because cost of loan increase after 1993 5. Obtainment and keeping ability workers show well profits of firms and more efficient equipments do it, too. 6. Early entry firm will not get more profit than latter entry firms; profitability depends on competence of firms.

Η εργασία αυτή επιχειρεί να επισημάνει και να ερμηνεύσει τις κυρίαρχες τάσεις που παρατηρούνται στις Α.Ξ.Ε. (Άμεσες Ξένες Επενδύσεις) που πραγματοποιούνται από χώρες-μέλη των BRICS στην Αφρική αξιοποιώντας τα υπάρχοντα θεωρητικά υποδείγματα. / This paper attempts to identify and interpret the dominant trends in FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments) made ​​by member countries of BRICS in Africa, utilizing existing theoretical models.

This paper investigates the impact of Economic Freedom on FDI inflows to developing countries and the Middle East in particular. Four forms of Economic Freedom were tested as variables determining FDI inflow. These four variables were Freedom from Corruption, Government Size, Trade Freedom and Investment Freedom. Cross-sectional data for twelve Middle Eastern countries and forty-three other developing countries were gathered for 1995 and 2006. It was revealed that only Trade Freedom and Invest-ment Freedom were significant in both Middle East and other regions. Apart from one case, the general positive sign of the significant variables confirms our hypothesis re-garding the positive effects of these Economic Freedoms on FDI inflows. Based on these findings it can be recommended to improve the investment environment and re-duce the barriers to trade in order to attract more FDI.

Foreign Direct investment (FDI) has been recognized as a vital source of development for African countries, which are mainly capital importing countries. This has led to a quest for effective regulation of the activities of foreign investors in a country while considering the profit making goals of the investors as well. As there is a need to strike a balance between the need to regulate entry and activities of investors and reaping the immense benefits of FDI such as growth and development. The regulation of FDI thus becomes important. However, there is no universal multilateral agreement on Investment (MAI) that binds most states oft the world. What we have is attempts at regional levels to regulate Investment uniformly. This quest has led to debates with many developing countries (Africa Inclusive) resisting attempts to formulate a MAI. This paper will start with an introduction of the importance of FDI as well as the various attempts that have been made to regulate FID on a multilateral level. Then the paper will go on to examine two Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) Botswana-China BIT on Promotion and Protection of Investments 2000,Czech-Tunisia BIT for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investment 1997, and two Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) - Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 1990 and the investment provisions of the U.S &ndash;Morocco Free Trade Agreement 2004, to identify those trends that are common to these agreements that have been entered into by African countries. It will examine these provisions in line with the rights and obligations they create for the investors as well as the host countries. / Magister Legum - LLM