Measuring Multinational Production with Foreign Direct Investment Statistics: Recent Trends, Challenges, and Developments

Author/Editor:

Bruno Casella ; Maria Borga ; Konstantin Wacker

Publication Date:

June 2, 2023

Electronic Access:

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Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary:

In a complex global production landscape, the quest for measures of economic activity by multinational enterprises (MNEs) has become more pressing. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) statistics, which capture financing aspects of MNEs, have often been used as a proxy for multinational production given their wide availability and cross-country comparability, but concerns that multinational production occurs in different countries than where financial positions are recorded call this practice into question. This paper revisits the main objections to the use of FDI as a proxy for multinational production, explores counterarguments, and provides guidance on the use of FDI statistics to measure multinational production.

Series:

Working Paper No. 2023/113

Subject:

Frequency:

regular

English

Publication Date:

June 2, 2023

ISBN/ISSN:

9798400243530/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA2023113

Format:

Paper

Pages:

32

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