FDI, Forward Linkages and Services Inputs

Bernard Hoekman, Daniel Prosi, Marco Sanfilippo and Rohit Ticku

No 21298, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: This paper provides evidence of spillover effects from foreign direct investment (FDI) through forward linkages, a relatively neglected channel to enhance national competitiveness that is likely to become more important as countries seek to bolster domestic competitiveness and resilience to geo-economic shocks. Using granular information on the universe of firm-to-firm transactions and inward FDI in Rwanda, we find substantial and persistent effects on value-added, employment, and productivity of domestic firms after beginning to source from foreign-owned enterprises. These effects are more pervasive than those associated with selling to foreign-owned firms – the backward linkages emphasised in the literature. Suggestive evidence reveals that foreign-owned firms provide higher-quality intermediate inputs than domestic suppliers, particularly in specialized business and professional services that are difficult to import, and that these inputs complement rather than crowd out domestically sourced inputs.

Date: 2026-03
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