Foreign direct investment in industrial research in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries—results from a survey of multinational firms

Abstract

This paper examines motives, location characteristics, inter-temporal characteristics and modes of entry for foreign direct investment (FDI) in research and development (R&D). The paper is based on a detailed empirical survey of laboratory sites established by 32 large multinational companies domiciled in 5 countries. Findings indicate that FDI in R&D has risen considerably over the last 40 years and that firms invest in R&D sites abroad in order to augment their knowledge base or in order to exploit it. The former motive leads to establishment of facilities primarily close to universities while the latter type leads to establishment of facilities close to existing manufacturing facilities and markets. The paper also finds that greenfield investments are the dominant mode of entry and that firms establish multiple R&D sites in their home countries before investing in such sites abroad.