Tax Cost: Does It Deter Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?

Abstract

Yes, it does. My study investigates the question, ‘does tax cost deter FDI?’ by employing a rich dataset of bilateral FDI between the OECD developed countries and developing countries. The argument posed in the study is – ‘tax cost deters FDI as it straightway reduces the profitability of multinational firms’. The contribution of the study to the empirical literature of international economics is noteworthy. It adds to the literature by estimating the partial effect of tax cost on FDI while drawing on the gravity framework as its analytical approach. By utilizing the empirical exercise, the study draws the inference that the tax cost indeed substantially deters FDI. Furthermore, the study explores – ‘how does parent’s tax system – the worldwide tax system and the territorial tax system affect the sensitivity of FDI to tax cost?’ The study affirms that FDI reacts differently depending on the parents’ tax system. The study also examines the effect of host-country differences on the responsiveness of FDI to tax cost. Additionally, the study also empirically validates the ‘regionalists’ argument’.