如何吸引外人直接投資（Foreign Direct Investment，以下簡稱FDI）一直是世界各國持續且既定的重點施政目標，因外資對解決資本缺乏及外匯短缺問題、技術及產品引進、創造貿易與就業機會、提振國內業者的投資意願與信心、促進經濟發展、加速金融與賦稅改革等方面均有顯著貢獻。 有鑑於此，本研究首次採用UNCTAD發展的外人直接投資績效指數（Inward FDI Performance Index,以下簡稱INDi），取代傳統以FDI做為衡量一國吸引外資能力的替代變數，另參考文獻歸納出吸引外資因素，輔以最小平方迴歸 (Original Least Square，OLS)、迴歸變異測量、殘差項序列自我相關及殘差項變異數不齊一存在的檢定與修正等步驟，對世界四十五國（另依開發程度區分為已開發國家及開發中國家）1999年至2001年之五大類（總體經濟環境、廠商成本、政府政策、勞動條件、基礎建設）共計11項變數進行實證分析，而獲致以下結論： （一）各模型具顯著解釋能力的變數各不同，故在選擇吸引FDI參考指標 時，應依研究對象類型的不同，選取適當變數分析以減少偏誤。 （二）各模型均不具顯著解釋能力的變數，有被投資國平均稅前所得稅率及勞動力品質，故此二變數是否適宜做為參考指標，仍有待商榷。 （三）各模型解釋變數實證結果對INDt的影響方向與原假設相同者，有被投資國開放程度、就業量、生活成本指數、政治安定度、勞動生產力、勞動力品質及交通網密度。 （四）各模型解釋變數實證結果對INDt的影響方向與原假設相反者，僅獎勵投資政策乙項。會產生此結論可能是因對抽樣國的獎勵外資政策程度評比標準無法一致且客觀所致。故吾人在參考該項變數時，對資料是否具一致性與客觀性應詳予注意。 （五）各模型均將工資率從解釋變數中剔除，此為本研究較為可惜與意外之處。 （六）在全球模型中顯著之變數是已開發國家與開發中國家各變數間互動折衷結果，如生活成本指數及獎勵投資政策。 （七）由前期外人直接投資績效指數（INDt-1）對各模型的影響，顯示出外資在決定「當期」投資區位時，會參考「過去」INDt，而不僅限於納入「當期」該國（區域）的經濟變數考量。 綜上所述，政府在規劃吸引外資政策及投資者在選擇最佳投資地點時，應依被投資國的開發程度，並參考INDt-1，來選取適當的指標以為決策參考。 而建議後續研究者可採追蹤資料的固定效果或隨機效果方式來處理跨區及時間序列資料問題，另可嘗試選取其他參考指標，並克服樣本資料之不足、不適當與有欠客觀的情況，善加利用外人直接投資績效指數為分析工具，則定能對吸引外資進入的決定因素作更精確的描述並符合世界現況。

The global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Africa have increased steadily in recent years but the research on what determines the location of these investments is scarce. Research focusing on FDI flows from small and open economies such as Sweden is even more uncommon. From the locational factors found in the OLI paradigm we developed a model that was tested on a dataset of 25 African countries over the period of 2007 to 2010. The model proved inadequate in explaining the African inward FDI flows from Sweden. However, it well explains the aggregated inward FDI flows from firms around the world to Africa. Our results implies that the locational determinants derived from the OLI paradigm are inadequate in explaining Swedish FDI flows to Africa and maybe even in explaining flows from a small and open economy to developing countries. The answer to the question of what locational determinants are important for Swedish companies investing in African countries should perhaps be sought for elsewhere.

Promoting economic diversity is important for states reliant on natural resources as the major source of economic development. Many of these states suffer from the Dutch disease leading to negative effects, which hinders economic diversification. One of the ways to reduce dependency on national resources is to encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows, which aids diversification by the transfer of technology, the creation of new employment opportunities, and the adoption of modern management practices. The Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) countries recognised the necessity and benefits of FDI as an aid to economic diversification; it seems, however, that Kuwait is lagging behind in this endeavour. The government of Kuwait has engaged in a series of policy measures to induce Multinational Companies (MNCs) to invest in Kuwait, but the results, thus far, have been disappointing. The formal and informal institutions interact in a variety of ways. However, ineffective formal rules can create different outcomes; particularly, in the presence of strong informal institutions. In such a case, formal rules and procedures are not enforced systematically, that is, enabling actors who are involved in the policy process to ignore or violate them, which subsequently results in a failure to attract inward FDI to a host country. Thus, this study investigates the reasons behind this failure by examining the role of formal and informal institutions on FDI policy and on decisions on whether to grant FDI licences by means of using a New Institutional Economics (NIE) approach. The conceptual framework is used as a guide for an inquiry into the subject of study by constructing a category of intellectual scaffolding, which would provide a coherent structure (Schlager, 2007). The conceptual framework in this study systematically organises the investigation into how a MNC examines a potential investment location by dividing the host country assessments into four distinct 'stages'. When systematically conducted, the respective approach is grounded in the existing literature, which provides theories regarding the behaviour of MNCs in relation to their decision-making processes for considering locations for their FDI projects. The research questions derived from the conceptual framework are answered using a mixed methods research approach that uses three sets of data survey, semi-structured interviews, and secondary data. Firstly, the findings show that almost that all MNCs in the Gulf region have a limited awareness regarding investment opportunities in Kuwait, FDI laws and regulations. Secondly, the findings reveal a number of attractive and unattractive locations, and institutional factors of Kuwait. Finally, it is discovered that the high rejection rate of FDI applications is linked to unsuccessful policy implementation, which is a result of interaction of both formal and informal institutions in Kuwait. Subsequently, the results are utilised to make a number of recommendations for government policy makers, administrators, and for MNCs regarding how to improve FDI inflows into Kuwait. The results are also used to contribute towards the international business literature concerning the institution based view of FDI, and for government policy connected to attracting FDI.

Promoting economic diversity is important for states reliant on natural resources as the major source of economic development. Many of these states suffer from the Dutch disease leading to negative effects, which hinders economic diversification. One of the ways to reduce dependency on national resources is to encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows, which aids diversification by the transfer of technology, the creation of new employment opportunities, and the adoption of modern management practices. The Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) countries recognised the necessity and benefits of FDI as an aid to economic diversification; it seems, however, that Kuwait is lagging behind in this endeavour. The government of Kuwait has engaged in a series of policy measures to induce Multinational Companies (MNCs) to invest in Kuwait, but the results, thus far, have been disappointing. The formal and informal institutions interact in a variety of ways. However, ineffective formal rules can create different outcomes; particularly, in the presence of strong informal institutions. In such a case, formal rules and procedures are not enforced systematically, that is, enabling actors who are involved in the policy process to ignore or violate them, which subsequently results in a failure to attract inward FDI to a host country. Thus, this study investigates the reasons behind this failure by examining the role of formal and informal institutions on FDI policy and on decisions on whether to grant FDI licences by means of using a New Institutional Economics (NIE) approach. The conceptual framework is used as a guide for an inquiry into the subject of study by constructing a category of intellectual scaffolding, which would provide a coherent structure (Schlager, 2007). The conceptual framework in this study systematically organises the investigation into how a MNC examines a potential investment location by dividing the host country assessments into four distinct ¿stages¿. When systematically conducted, the respective approach is grounded in the existing literature, which provides theories regarding the behaviour of MNCs in relation to their decision-making processes for considering locations for their FDI projects. The research questions derived from the conceptual framework are answered using a mixed methods research approach that uses three sets of data survey, semi-structured interviews, and secondary data. Firstly, the findings show that almost that all MNCs in the Gulf region have a limited awareness regarding investment opportunities in Kuwait, FDI laws and regulations. Secondly, the findings reveal a number of attractive and unattractive locations, and institutional factors of Kuwait. Finally, it is discovered that the high rejection rate of FDI applications is linked to unsuccessful policy implementation, which is a result of interaction of both formal and informal institutions in Kuwait. Subsequently, the results are utilised to make a number of recommendations for government policy makers, administrators, and for MNCs regarding how to improve FDI inflows into Kuwait. The results are also used to contribute towards the international business literature concerning the institution based view of FDI, and for government policy connected to attracting FDI. / Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)