TFP spillover effects via trade and FDI channels

Sa？etak As a consequence of globalisation, economic growth and productivity have become more sensitive to developments beyond national frontiers. This paper explores trade (import and export) and foreign direct investment (FDI) as channels of international total factor productivity (TFP) spillovers. FDI and trade are potentially important sources of productivity growth; however, empirical literature is inconclusive as to the nature and extent of spillovers and does not simultaneously cover all three channels. Our main goal is to examine the transmission of TFP spillover effects jointly through trade and FDI channels in 41 countries (members of the EU and OECD) during the period 1995–2014. We use dynamic panel estimation strategies. The main findings are: 1) Each of the spillover channels of TFP is significant for TFP when studied separately; 2) Joint examination of all channels allows for concluding that the export channel is the dominant one