
We use a new firm-level dataset that establishes the location, ownership, and activity of 650,000 multinational subsidiaries. Using a combination of four-digit-level information and input-output tables, we find the share of vertical FDI (subsidiaries that provide inputs to their parent firms) to be larger than commonly thought, even within developed countries. Most subsidiaries are not readily explained by the comparative advantage considerations whereby multinationals locate activities abroad to take advantage of factor cost differences. Instead, multinationals tend to own the stages of production proximate to their final production, giving rise to a class of high-skill, intra-industry vertical FDI. (JEL G11, J32)
Multinational Activity; Foreign Direct Investment; Horizontal FDI; Vertical FDI; Stages of Production, Multinational Activity, Foreign Direct Investment, Horizontal FDI, Vertical FDI, Stages of Production, jel: jel:L22, jel: jel:L23, jel: jel:R32, jel: jel:F2, jel: jel:F10, jel: jel:F23
Multinational Activity; Foreign Direct Investment; Horizontal FDI; Vertical FDI; Stages of Production, Multinational Activity, Foreign Direct Investment, Horizontal FDI, Vertical FDI, Stages of Production, jel: jel:L22, jel: jel:L23, jel: jel:R32, jel: jel:F2, jel: jel:F10, jel: jel:F23
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 227 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 1% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 1% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
