Foreign Direct Investment and Growth: Does the Sector Matter? *

Abstract

Although it may seem natural to argue that foreign direct investment (FDI) can convey great advantages to host countries, this paper shows that the benefits of FDI vary greatly across sectors by examining the effect of foreign direct investment on growth in the primary, manufacturing, and services sectors. An empirical analysis using cross-country data for the period 1981-1999 suggests that total FDI exerts an ambiguous effect on growth. Foreign direct investments in the primary sector, however, tend to have a negative effect on growth, while investment in manufacturing a positive one. Evidence from the service sector is ambiguous.