Does FDI Impact the Economic Growth of BRICS Economies? Evidence from Bayesian VAR

Abstract

This paper examines the dynamic relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI), economic growth, and trade openness in BRICS countries. Our research aims to address a significant gap in the literature by focusing on this crucial group of emerging nations, given their substantial contribution to the global economy. Annual data for these economies from 1991 to 2020 were collected from various secondary sources. This study employed the Bayesian VAR framework to investigate the panel data. The Pedroni residual cointegration test was used to check the existence of a long-run relationship between FDI and economic growth. The results provided evidence that foreign direct investment (FDI) does exhibit a substantial correlation with economic growth in the short run. However, no long-run relationship was found in the case of BRICS economies. This research contributes to methodological innovation by introducing the Bayesian VAR framework, offering a deeper understanding of the dynamic interactions among these key variables. The incorporation of this framework yields estimates that are both stable and reliable, which is certainly a novelty of this paper. The findings of this study have implications suggesting that policymakers from these emerging economies should establish mechanisms that will monitor the short-term impacts of FDI and adjust policies accordingly to maximize economic gains. The government should tailor policies to the specific circumstances of each country for sustainable economic development.