What drives cross-border mergers and acquisitions and greenfield foreign direct investment capital flows? Reconsideration in the case of the selected former yugoslav countries

Abstract

Bearing in mind the different nature and the impact of various types of foreign direct investments (FDI) on the one hand, and the specific macroeconomic environment in the post-socialist countries on the other hand, in this paper we reexamine the selected macroeconomic factors that affect the two types of FDI inflows (cross-border mergers and acquisitions and greenfield FDI) in four countries of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The study employs the balanced panel data framework and covers twelve-year period (2006–2017). Having performed the Hausman test, we use the random effect model and provide evidence that: (1) the key FDI macroeconomic determinants in stable business conditions, examined in numerous research studies, can have a different impact on FDI in times characterized by unstability and financial crisis, (2) some determinants of FDI inflows have different importance and direction in the case of cross-border M&A and greenfield FDI. Our findings are relevant for policymakers who should reconsider the key factors that fuel the FDI inflows towards their developing economies.