Foreign direct investment

Over the past decade, foreign direct investment (FDI) around the world has nearly tripled, and with this surge have come dramatic shifts in FDI flows. The United States, traditionally a major investor abroad, has become the foremost host of FDI from other countries such as England, Japan, and Germany. In Foreign Direct Investment, distinguished economists look at changes in FDI, including historical trends, specific country experiences, developments in the semiconductor industry, and variations in international mergers and acquisitions. The first three chapters examine theoretical accounts of FDI patterns, the growth of multinational enterprises, and the influence of exchange rates and trade barriers on FDI. Chapter 1 suggests that multinational enterprises (MNEs) might be growing because of increasing integration of world markets, growing similarity of national markets, improved communications technology, and developing symmetry in international technological capabilities. Chapter 2 considers the influence of exchange rates and trade barriers on FDI, proposing that when exchange rates fluctuate widely, MNEs have an advantage over domestic firms because of their ability to shift ma