Foreign Direct Investment, Competition and Perception in Zambia

Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject Economics - International Economic Relations, University of Lusaka (University of Lusaka), course: Economics and Finance, language: English, abstract: This paper analyses the effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Zambia. It focuses on two main areas of FDI: First, it looks at the competition effect of Foreign Direct Investment FDI to domestic businesses in the host country, Zambia and the second part looks at how residents perceive Foreign Direct Investment FDI in Zambia. In order to understand the competition effect of FDI in Zambia, the research study carried a survey on local business houses to get an understanding of how FDI with respect to foreign businesses has created competition to local businesses to their detriment. In addition, the research study conducted interviews with various people in Zambia to collect data and get their perception on FDI with respect to foreign businesses in Zambia. This research found that people's perceptions over FDI are more negative than positive. This research study also found that Foreign Direct Investment FDI has both positives and negatives externalities in Zambia. Under positive externalities, FDI has helped create employment to local people, facilitated the transfer of technology and innovation as FDI spillovers. However, under negative externalities, this research found that FDI had brought more competition to local businesses in the host country, throwing many out of business. In addition, some businesses found it difficult to compete due to unfairness created by state interventions. Therefore, FDI in Zambia was found to have more negatives than positives externalities.