摘要：A popular way for a firm to secure a business presence
in a foreign nation is through foreign direct
investment (FDI) in production, marketing, and/or
distribution facilities. Formally defined, FDI is an
investment in which a multinational enterprise
(MNE) acquires a substantial controlling interest
in a foreign firm or in some other manner establishes
fixed assets on foreign soil. Prior to 1970,
multinational operations were often characterized
as an exclusively American institution (Erdilek
1985). However, during the 1970s the U.S. shifted
from being the largest “home” country to being
the largest “host” country. Indeed, post-1960s FDI
activities had quickly become far less centralized,
with an active exchange of capital assets moving
within the “Triad” group (United States, European
Union, Japan). Table 1 contains the share of FDI
monetary inflows to various regions around the
world. The average share of inflow into the EU
was over 32% from 1995–1998. The EU region
was the first major recipient of FDI, and the unification
of the European countries around a single
currency appears to have accelerated this expansion.
At the same time, the collapse of the Soviet
Union and the opening of Eastern Bloc countries
to the global economy represent potential business
opportunities for multinational companies, which
may use the EU as a base from which to serve the
rest of the continent.
