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The purpose of this paper is two‐fold: to discuss the key factors determining foreign direct investment (FDI) intra‐industry spillovers and to examine the presence and the extent of these spillovers in Switzerland, by testing them for the services/construction industry, where there is currently a scarcity of evidence.

The assessment of spillovers calls for a detailed analysis of these effects according to the mechanisms by which they occur (namely, the increase in competition, demonstration effects, and worker mobility), and whether the size and the extent of spillovers depend on the interaction between their mechanisms and the existing technological capacities of domestic firms.

The regression results are affirmative, in that domestic firms with high technological capacities appear to gain spillover benefits from FDI heightening competition, while mid‐ and low‐technology firms benefit a lot from demonstration effects. In addition, spillovers for high‐ and mid‐technology firms appear to be largely co‐determined by the level of their human capital. Only domestic firms that invested heavily in absorptive capacity benefit from spillovers.

The evidence on spillover effects has not yet been conclusive. Hence, this paper proposes some components for a research agenda on FDI and intra‐industry spillovers.

The study provides insights for Swiss policy makers about how to promote the beneficial spillover effects of FDI.

The process of spilling over is correctly described in a more satisfactory model and then the impact of this process is accurately identified.

This chapter examines intra-industry spillover effects from inward foreign direct investment (FDI) in Swiss manufacturing firms. It suggests that (a) the assessment of spillovers calls upon a detailed analysis of these effects according to the mechanisms by which they occur (viz. the increase of competition, demonstration effects, and worker mobility), and (b) spillovers depend on the interaction between their mechanisms and the levels of domestic absorptive capacity. Results are affirmative in that high-technology firms benefit from FDI heightening competition, while mid-technology firms benefit from demonstration effects. And low-technology firms, which are not able to benefit from foreign affiliates via demonstration effects alone, manage to reap the benefit via the recruitment of MNCs labor. In addition, only firms which largely invest in absorbing foreign technology benefit from spillovers.

This study aims to examine the complex effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on China’s agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) from 2005 to 2020. It also explores the role of absorptive capacity as a moderating factor during this period.

Employing provincial panel data from China, this research measures agricultural TFP using the Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA)-Malmquist method. The impact of FDI on agricultural productivity is further analyzed using a nondynamic panel threshold model.

The results highlight technological progress as the main driver of agricultural TFP growth in China. Agricultural FDI (AFDI) seems to impede TFP development, whereas nonagricultural FDI (NAFDI) shows a distinct positive spillover effect. The study reveals a threshold in absorptive capacity that affects both the direct and spillover impacts of FDI. Provinces with higher absorptive capacity are less negatively impacted by AFDI and more likely to benefit from FDI spillovers (FDISs).

This study provides new insights into the intricate relationship between FDI, absorptive capacity and agricultural productivity. It underscores the importance of optimizing technological progress and research and development (R&D) to enhance agricultural productivity in China.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation efficiency (IE), as well as the moderating role of absorptive capacity.

This study uses a sample of industrial enterprises from Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2016, and it tests the research questions using the method of stochastic frontier analysis.

The results of this study indicate that entrepreneurship promotes IE, and that absorptive capacity plays a positive moderating role. In addition, the effect of entrepreneurship on IE differs between the central and eastern regions and the western region.

This research provides direct policy implications by demonstrating the role of entrepreneurship and absorptive capacity in IE, thereby guiding corporate management practices and the formulation of government innovation and entrepreneurship policies.

The purpose of the study is to examine the moderating impact of absorptive capacity on the foreign direct investment (FDI)–growth link using the data for the period 1995–2019.

The authors apply the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and threshold analysis for empirical analysis.

The findings indicate that the link between FDI and economic growth is influenced indirectly by absorptive capacities, such as financial development, institutional quality, technological capability, and trade openness. However, while examining the linear FDI–growth nexus, the authors noticed that human capital and infrastructure did not affect the relationship; when the non-linearity in the link is considered, the authors noted that all absorptive capacities (including human capital and infrastructure), when interacted with FDI, have a positive effect on growth. Furthermore, FDI stimulates growth if the absorptive capacities have exceeded a certain threshold level.

From a practical standpoint, it is reasonable to conclude that improving absorptive capacities is critical in order to perceive FDI as a growth driver.

India has been able to position itself as a preferred destination for FDI (when the major economies are facing a sharp decline in FDI inflows) despite the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it still suffers from low growth. Although much of the literature admits that absorptive capacity is crucial for FDI to promote growth, no study in the case of India examines FDI–growth nexus conditioned upon absorptive capacity. Moreover, the authors have used threshold analysis for assessing the non-linearities in FDI–growth nexus contingent on absorptive capacity.

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the direct effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestic target firms’ profitability gains, in India, post-acquisition. In particular, it focuses on identifying the importance of firms’ heterogeneities on the effects, taking into account the source of FDI, the intensity of firm interaction, and the target firms’ technology-absorptive capacity. Most importantly, the paper investigates whether the estimates depend on a combined rather than single impact of these heterogeneities.

To control for the possibility of selection bias and endogeneity, this empirical analysis uses a methodology that combines propensity score matching and difference-in-differences (PSM–DID) in adopting a comprehensive data set of both foreign- and Indian-acquired firms that were purchased through mergers and acquisitions in India between 1991 and 2013.

The analysis reveals four major findings. First, overall, the post-foreign acquisition target firms’ performance gains were positive and varied by the heterogeneous technology transfer capacity of the foreign investor. Second, it is possible that target firms located in industrial clusters with more foreign agglomeration experienced larger profitability gains through more dynamic firm interactions in terms of spillovers. Third, Indian targets with higher technology-absorptive capacity benefitted in higher profitability gains from acquiring and assimilating the superior technology that is transferred from foreign investors. Finally, an optimal combination of Indian target firms with higher technology-absorptive capacity and foreign investors with higher technology transfer capacity maximizes profitability gains, post-acquisition. This synergy effect is particularly prominent in clusters where more foreign firms agglomerate.

This study captures the true direct effect of FDI by adjusting the combined causal effects of various inherent heterogeneities in the target firms’ performance, thus correcting any possible bias, which few previous studies have addressed.

This chapter examines the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting industrial development, and asks, if FDI is such an important avenue to promote development, why is there little evidence on concomitant industrial development in most developing countries?

I look at the secondary evidence on FDI and development and explore some of the causes for this ambiguity.

The complexities of global value chains and networks have begun to trivialise the simplistic principle that increased multinational enterprise (MNE) activity automatically implies a proportional increase in spillovers and linkages.

Policies towards MNEs need to be closely linked and integrated with industrial policy. MNE activity needs to be evaluated by considering the kinds of externalities that are generated; whether and how domestic actors can internalise them, and building up absorptive capacities to achieve this.

The authors propose a strategic-balance approach to local content laws in which less developed economies in sub-Sahara Africa can develop investment incentive policies for attracting multinationals and direct foreign investment but, at the same time, have a structured and operational framework for the enforcement of local content laws. The purpose of the paper is to identify the elements involved in the equation: the incentives, the potential spillovers and the criteria for evaluation.

The approach involves a review of the literature and the operational details and limitations of local content laws in sub-Sahara Africa.

The paper develops a conceptual model for a holistic understanding and management of this dilemma by policymakers and development practitioners to maximize the benefits of natural resources to less developed countries in sub-Sahara Africa towards the fight against poverty and underdevelopment.

This paper provides the opportunity to influence policy direction in relation to the adoption of investment incentive policies and programs and the enforcement of local content policy guidelines and regulations in sub-Sahara Africa.

Multinational companies (MNCs) operating in less developed and emerging economies in sub-Sahara Africa should consider how their economic and corporate social responsibility activities can help develop the capabilities of the local workforce through training and development activities; develop domestic firms’ capabilities via enterprise development programs; and develop local firm’s absorptive capacities through knowledge transfers and innovation systems to support development activities.

Policymakers in less developed and emerging economies in sub-Sahara Africa need to strike a balance in adopting investment incentives policies towards attracting foreign investments and the enforcement of local content regulations to make sure they derive the maximum benefits from their strategic resources. It is important for policymakers to understand that the mere attraction of MNCs into an economy does not explicitly guarantee domestic job creation; rather, it depends on how MNCs respond to local content policy regulations through their business strategies. Linking investment incentives with local content policy regulations at a critical point could potentially support and strengthen industrial development in sub-Sahara Africa.

This paper is among the first to examine the challenges of both attracting foreign direct investment and enforcing local content laws and regulations in sub-Sahara Africa. This paper contributes to the understanding of this dilemma and how less developed economies can manage such a crucial and important issue using our proposed strategic-balance approach. The contribution of local content laws and the design and adoption of investment incentives policies and programs to attract foreign investment to promoting sustainable domestic growth and development must depend on the balance between the enforcement of local content policy guidelines and the provision of such investment incentive packages to attracting foreign investment.

This paper aims to study the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) channels in improving local firms' productivity. Two transmission channels of knowledge spillovers are empirically investigated. The study focuses on the role of high-growth firms (HGFs) that are assumed to have a higher absorptive capacity.

A threshold regression model that considers country and sector fixed effects is applied to investigate 8525 firms across 50 sectors in 12 developing countries in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region.

The author's findings indicate that first, larger firms with external market linkages are more productive. Second, high-growth enterprises are powerful engines of job creation; however, the firms do not outperform other firms in terms of capacity in absorbing FDI spillovers and do not have higher productivity.

The findings highlight the necessity of rethinking public policy priorities to support firm growth. Policies to maximize the gains from FDI spillovers are discussed.

This is the first study to investigate the strength of FDI spillover channels across different sectors, and the channels' impact on the productivity of local enterprises in the EAP region. This study also explores the potential role of high-growth firms (HGFs) in this interaction via job creation and improving output growth rate.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between FDI and economic growth. Two models have been used to analyse the time series data on Pakistan from 1970 to 2012. This paper contributes to the existing literature by examining the different empirical methods to estimate the relationship between FDI and economic growth. The vector error correction model (VECM) results suggest that FDI depends on the economic growth but this relationship is not true vice versa. The second model showed that FDI, human capital and exports are important factors of economic growth. However, the negative relationship between interactive variables (FDI and human capital) and economic growth indicates that low level of human capital affect the economic growth of Pakistan.

Used time series data (1970-2012) for empirical analysis.

The VECM results suggest that FDI depends on the economic growth but this relationship is not true vice versa. The second model showed that FDI, human capital and exports are important factors of economic growth. However, the negative relationship between interactive variables (FDI and human capital) and economic growth indicates that low level of human capital affect the economic growth of Pakistan.

The limitations of this empirical paper are as follows: it would be better to use secondary school enrolment (per cent) to measure human capital instead adult literacy rate. Similarly, the non-availability of R & D data on Pakistan limited the scope of the paper to measure the role of absorptive capacity of domestic and its relationship with FDI. The results of this paper are specifically related to Pakistan and cannot be generalized to other countries.

This empirical study implies that Pakistan should improve its economic growth. The robust policies are required to increase the literacy rate of the country. Higher human capital will attract more FDI into the economy and may reduce the unemployment. This would increase the national output of the country and their national income level. Presently, Pakistan is going through war on terror and foreign firms are reluctant to invest. A stable and secure business environment will ultimately inject foreign direct investment into Pakistan.

This paper is first time analyse the time series data to explore the relationship between FDI and economic growth. A new approach has been used called VECM.