Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2024, Business Administration

This dissertation examines the impact of inadequate water and electricity supply on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in The Gambia. The research highlights how the scarcity and unreliability of these essential utilities significantly deter foreign investment, particularly in key economic sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. In-depth interviews with government officials and foreign direct investors were conducted qualitatively to assess the direct impacts of such utility shortages on businesses' functionality and investment decisions. These findings show that not only does unreliable utility increase operational costs, but it is also positively related to perceived risk and instability by potential investors. It also points to the critical linkage between sustainable infrastructure development and economic growth, necessitating renewable energy solutions that assure utility reliability improvements and further attract environmentally sensitive investors. Additionally, the study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting gaps in previous research, particularly the importance of infrastructure reliability as a critical driver of FDI, alongside traditional factors like political stability and market size. The report further informs policymakers with practical recommendations, including holistic regulatory reforms in technology upgrades and regional cooperation that build better utility infrastructure for the country. Therefore, The Gambia needs to make up for such deficiencies with more amiable environments for FDI if the country is to achieve long-term economic growth and development. This study points out that addressing utility infrastructure challenges is crucial for attracting foreign investment and imperative for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth in The Gambia.

Committee: Charles Fenner (Committee Chair); Wendell Seaborne (Committee Member); Rachel Tate (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2023, Management

With a new wave of policy reforms taking place in Sub-Saharan Africa to render the investment environment more favorable and lure investors, whether investors are responding to the changes and investing in the different sectors of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rather than predominantly in natural resources is uncertain. The investment environment is critical to investors while making decisions on FDI in SSA. While most developing countries depend heavily on FDI as a source of financing, FDI in the critical sectors providing greater value-added and enhancing productivity remain negligible in SSA. The findings from a mixed-methods study suggest that despite the endeavor of SSA to improve the investment environment, FDI in certain sectors is not responding properly to the specific changes in policy reforms concerning investment security, a conducive environment, or economic integration, although an increase in overall FDI is recorded during later periods of higher reforms (2005–2018) than during earlier periods of lower reforms (1998–2004). This dissertation consists of three studies integrated as a mixed-methods study. In Study 1, we conducted a qualitative analysis of 25 MNEs and governmental and non-governmental agencies to investigate how foreign investors are navigating SSA as a host for FDI, considering the current changes in the investment environment of SSA. This assessment provides an understanding of the shift in the inflow of FDI. The findings suggest that the tendencies of potential investors in Sub-Saharan African countries are drawn to make investment decisions based on various factors such as investment security, a conducive environment, and the role of economic integration in strengthening the investment environment in SSA. In Study 2, we set out to investigate the role of economic integration and its effects on investment security and a conducive environment in attracting the inflow of FDI. The analysis consisted of examining secondary data on tot (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bo Carlsson (Committee Member); Kalle Lyytinen (Committee Chair); Philip Cola (Committee Member); Yunmei Wang (Committee Member) Subjects: Economics; Management; Public Policy

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2020, Management

This dissertation examines a multiplicity of factors that influence at the microeconomic level the level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The main objective of the dissertation is to empirically explore and validate the effect of a select set of individual-level perceptual factors on FDI decisions. Given the paucity of research on the topic in comparison to macroeconomic studies of investment inflows between regions and countries, we conduct the study as a mixed-method study. The study consists of three interconnected empirical studies. The first seeks to identify the presence of factors that shape an individual's decisions on FDI inflows. The two following ones seek to validate the effects of these factors on the individual decision maker's propensity to invest in a specific country. The first study belongs to a qualitative strand and answers the following research question: What are the investor's critical perceptual factors and experiences that influence their FDI decisions? The study participants consisted of 30 foreign investors, the government's Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and the Nigerian investors in the diaspora. The paper finds that on the supply side, several key FDI perception factors influence decision-making. On the demand side, there are four attractors and four repellents that influence potential investors' decisions. In the quantitative strand of the study, we offer the following questions: (1) To what extent do investment decision perception impact foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows? And (2) To what extent do the investors from Europe and North America and investors from Asia and Africa (the West and the East) influence what factors matter in foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions? The samples consist of 269 individuals from the private sector, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora that participated in the survey. I use structural equation modeling to find that Return on Investment (ROI), Security/Personal Safety, and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kalle Lyytinen Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Bo Carlsson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Philip A. Cola Ph.D. (Committee Member); Yunmei Wang Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

Doctor of Business Administration, Cleveland State University, 2015, Monte Ahuja College of Business

Since the turn of the century, globalization has been the topic of much controversy. Some academics, joined by the World Trade Organization, strongly support the positive economic impacts of globalization, but the increased employment and increased standard of living often cited as evidence, is not universally accepted. The economic, social and political impacts of globalization have been argued extensively in the media, however, little is in fact known about the antecedents of the economic side of globalization. This dissertation creates a framework from which to study economic globalization and to analyze the antecedent effects of select macro-economic factors: corruption, human capital, economic freedom, and entrepreneurial activity. The methodology and tests incorporated into this work provide a foundation upon which economic globalization can be better understood and better managed by policy-makers.

Committee: Rajshekhar Javalgi Ph.D (Committee Chair); Elad Granot Ph.D (Committee Member); Robert Scherer Ph.D (Committee Member); Jieun Park Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Economics; Ethics; International Relations

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Aero/Astro Engineering

Fault detection and isolation plays a critical role in aircraft engines and the performance of their control systems. A great amount of research on model-based fault detection and isolation of aircraft engines has been studied since the 1970s. Model-based fault detection and isolation methods rely on the accuracy of the model. Model uncertainty, disturbances and noise, etc., all have a great impact on the fault detection and isolation design results. A challenge in the fault detection applications is the design of a scheme which can distinguish between model uncertainties, disturbances and the occurrence of faults. Most of the current approaches use a constant detection threshold. Currently, there are no useful guidelines for constant optimal threshold selection. In the absence of faults, a predetermined constant threshold would lead to more false alarms and missed detections under modeling uncertainties. Hence a technique to accommodate uncertainties and disturbances in the model, help in reducing false alarms and missed detections is essential for the enhancement of aircraft engine operations. In this work, a dynamic threshold algorithm is developed for aircraft engine fault detection and isolation that accommodates parametric uncertainties and disturbances. The algorithm takes the parametric uncertainties into consideration and proposes a dynamic threshold that makes use of the bounds on the parametric uncertainties which can thus distinguish an actual fault from the model uncertainties. First we design Kalman filters or unknown input observers based on the linearized engine model about a given nominal operating point, but the filters or observers use the measurements from the nonlinear engine model which includes uncertainty description. Using the robustness analysis of parametric uncertain systems, we generate upper-bound and lower-bound time response trajectories of the dynamic threshold. The extent of parametric uncertainties is assumed to be such that the pe (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rama Yedavalli PhD (Advisor); Jen-Ping Chen PhD (Committee Member); Mo-how Herman Shen PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Business Administration

With its fast growing pace, foreign direct investment is having tremendous impact on host country economies. Knowledge spillover from inward foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of the important ways that host country firms are likely to benefit from the presence of foreign direct investment. Knowledge spillover here refers to the knowledge that is not fully internalized by the subsidiaries of multinational enterprises while they conduct business in the host country.This study aims to explore how knowledge spillover from inflow foreign direct investment affects host country firms, and more specifically, how network ties with foreign firms affect host country firms' exploratory innovation activities. I particularly focus on firms' exploratory innovations since they have important implications for their long term performance and growth. Exploratory innovations are also more difficult to achieve. Hypotheses are developed by bringing different theoretical perspectives together, including FDI theory, innovation management, and network theory. Using survey data from China I investigate whether domestic Chinese private enterprises' exploratory innovations are affected by their network ties with foreign investment enterprises. Empirical findings suggest that the number of foreign firm ties help host country firms engage in exploratory innovations. Other findings show that the strength and nature of ties are relevant for knowledge spillover. They indicate that strong ties and technology cooperation ties have a stronger positive effect on host country firms' exploratory innovation in contrast to weak ties and non-technology related ties. It is also found that government related ties have a positive moderating effect on foreign firm ties' effect on domestic firms' exploratory innovation.

Committee: Mona Makhija PhD (Committee Chair); David Greenberger PhD (Committee Member); Stephen Hills PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Business Administration

In this dissertation, we show that the geographic and ownership configurations of foreign direct investment have different theoretical implications for growth and switching options under different types of host country uncertainty. The literature has not taken this into account, which may explain the mixed and inconclusive results of prior studies on the real options value of international investments. Using a panel data of Korean foreign direct investment during the period 1991-2004, a period encompassing varying conditions of uncertainty in host countries, we find that firms with switching options (gained through highly dispersed operations and higher level of ownership across countries) were associated with higher value than those without such options in periods of higher uncertainty of exchange rates within international network. We also find that firms with growth options (gained through concentrated presence of subsidiaries and lower level of ownership within international network) were associated with higher value than firms without such options in conditions of host economic uncertainty. Additionally, we found the evidence to be consistent with the argument that cultural distance imposed significant additional costs that reduced the value of breadth to the firm. In this case as well, higher ownership helped to mitigate these adverse effects of cultural distance. Finally, we examined the firm's decision to add to its portfolio of investments in order to assess whether or not the firm made ongoing decisions on the basis of its flexibility needs. We found evidence that firms facing exchange rate uncertainty enhanced the breadth of their FDI portfolio, consistent with the desire to gain switching options. On the other hand, firms facing host market uncertainty tended to enhance the depth of their FDI portfolio, consistent with the desire to gain growth options.

Committee: Mona Makhija (Committee Chair); Jay Barney (Committee Member); Benjamin Campbell (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2004, International Studies - Southeast Asia Studies

This paper analyzes the causality between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. In particular, by looking at the Newly Industrialized Economies (NIEs) in Asia, this paper tests the causal link between FDI inflows and GDP growth by using the Granger causality test and vector autoregressive representation (VAR) approach. The analysis of variance decomposition and the impulse response function provides insights into how a shock in one variable has an impact on the other variable. By providing reassessment of the relationship between FDI inflows and economic growth in Asian NIEs, this paper presents important implications for economic growth policy.

Committee: Chulho Jung (Advisor) Subjects: Economics, General

BA, Oberlin College, 1996, Economics

An empirical analysis is used to determine whether the factors that normally explain FDI flows to developing countries are also suitable to explain FDI flows to the developing countries of Eastern Europe for the years 1988-1992. It was found that a typical set of explanatory variables which explain FDI flows to non Eastern Europe developing countries very well, is not a useful set of determinants for FDI flows to Eastern Europe. Conclusions are drawn concerning the extent to which these results reflect the current state of political and economic transition taking place in Eastern Europe.

Committee: James Zinser (Advisor) Subjects: Economic Theory; Economics; Finance

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2006, Political Science

This paper investigates the factors that lead a foreign automaker to invest in a particular state. It examines variables that gauge a state's manufacturing development, labor union activity, and economic environment. The analysis is done in two parts. First, a classification tree analysis is conducted on data representing greenfield auto assembly investments. It includes observations of states that did receive investment and states that did not receive investment in order to identify the principal differences. The second analysis is a case study of Honda in Ohio. The key factors that attracted Honda to Ohio are identified and described. This paper concludes that the attribution to Southern states' low union activity rate as one of the most important reasons for attracting investment is overstated. Furthermore, the industrial development and the presence of American automakers, what many have described as a weakness in Midwestern states, may actually become an attractive feature in the near future.

Committee: John Rothgeb (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2003, Political Science

The present dissertation examines the bargaining relationship between host country governments (HCGs) for foreign direct investment (FDI) by multinational corporations (MNCs) and managers of those internationally active enterprises in the context of transitional economies. Specifically, the study focuses on the Czech government on one side of the negotiating table and the German Volkswagen AG as well as U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch as two of the MNCs that have been bargaining for investment in the country since the collapse of communism on the other. From 1990, Czechoslovakia started to accept bidding for most of its enterprises. It succeeded in privatizing – among other strategies – by having foreign MNCs invest in national companies. The car maker Skoda automobilova was the first major sale in December 1990. However, Anheuser-Busch was not able to purchase Czech brewer Budijovicky Budvar during nearly four years of negotiations that followed its bid in 1991. This observation leads to the question for the reasons of the Czech government's reluctance to sell one of its breweries, given the previous sale of its economic flagship Skoda automobilova. The study suggests answers from three perspectives: First, the expectations of the Czech government as recipient of FDI were focused on. Next, the situation was approached from the points of view of Volkswagen and Anheuser-Busch as two foreign MNCs interested in investing in Czechoslovakia/the Czech Republic. Finally, the study looked at the bargaining process itself, to see whether the two partners could carry out their intentions and how they were able to achieve their objectives. Understanding the politics of bargaining between the HCG and the MNC will enable both actors to better evaluate their relative bargaining position and predict a possible outcome. It also allows them to shape the negotiations in a favorable manner, if they know the motivations of their opponents and it will help either side to achieve its goals. B (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: John Rothgeb (Advisor) Subjects: Political Science, General