Explain the concept of FDI
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Answer:
Foreign direct investment has been a controversial issue in international economics. In this lesson, you'll learn about it, including some of its advantages and disadvantages. A short quiz follows the lesson.
Definition of Foreign Direct Investment
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in a business by an investor from another country for which the foreign investor has control over the company purchased. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines control as owning 10% or more of the business. Businesses that make foreign direct investments are often called multinational corporations (MNCs) or multinational enterprises (MNEs). An MNE may make a direct investment by creating a new foreign enterprise, which is called a greenfield investment, or by the acquisition of a foreign firm, either called an acquisition or brownfield investment.
Advantages of FDI
In the context of foreign direct investment, advantages and disadvantages are often a matter of perspective. An FDI may provide some great advantages for the MNE but not for the foreign country where the investment is made. On the other hand, sometimes the deal can work out better for the foreign country depending upon how the investment pans out. Ideally, there should be numerous advantages for both the MNE and the foreign country, which is often a developing country. We'll examine the advantages and disadvantages from both perspectives, starting with the advantages for multinational enterprises (MNEs).
Access to markets: FDI can be an effective way for you to enter into a foreign market. Some countries may extremely limit foreign company access to their domestic markets. Acquiring or starting a business in the market is a means for you to gain access.
Access to resources: FDI is also an effective way for you to acquire important natural resources, such as precious metals and fossil fuels. Oil companies, for example, often make tremendous FDIs to develop oil fields.
Reduces cost of production: FDI is a means for you to reduce your cost of production if the labor market is cheaper and the regulations are less restrictive in the target foreign market. For example, it's a well-known fact that the shoe and clothing industries have been able to drastically reduce their costs of production by moving operations to developing countries.
FDI also offers some advantages for foreign countries. For starters, FDI offers a source of external capital and increased revenue. It can be a tremendous source of external capital for a developing country, which can lead to economic development.
For example, if a large factory is constructed in a small developing country, the country will typically have to utilize at least some local labor, equipment, and materials to construct it. This will result in new jobs and foreign money being pumped into the economy. Once the factory is constructed, the factory will have to hire local employees and will probably utilize at least some local materials and services. This will create further jobs and maybe even some new businesses. These new jobs mean that locals have more money to spend, thereby creating even more jobs.
Answer:
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in a business by an investor from another country for which the foreign investor has control over the company purchased. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines control as owning 10% or more of the business.
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