Rethinking Investment Incentives

Rethinking Investment Incentives
Author: Ana Teresa Tavares-Lehmann
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2016-07-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0231541643

Governments often use direct subsidies or tax credits to encourage investment and promote economic growth and other development objectives. Properly designed and implemented, these incentives can advance a wide range of policy objectives (increasing employment, promoting sustainability, and reducing inequality). Yet since design and implementation are complicated, incentives have been associated with rent-seeking and wasteful public spending. This collection illustrates the different types and uses of these initiatives worldwide and examines the institutional steps that extend their value. By combining economic analysis with development impacts, regulatory issues, and policy options, these essays show not only how to increase the mobility of capital so that cities, states, nations, and regions can better attract, direct, and retain investments but also how to craft policy and compromise to ensure incentives endure.

Investment Incentives

Investment Incentives
Author: Kenneth P. Thomas
Publisher:
Total Pages: 70
Release: 2007-01-01
Genre: Capital investments
ISBN: 9781894784092

World Development Report 2019

World Development Report 2019
Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2018-10-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464813566

Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.

A State by State Guide to Investment Incentives and Capital Formation in the United States

A State by State Guide to Investment Incentives and Capital Formation in the United States
Author: Walter H. Diamond
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
Total Pages: 6
Release: 2006-01-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9041124489

In todays world of globalization, the United States generally is considered by foreign investors around the world to be the safest and most profitable location to invest their funds and from where to operate a headquarters or manufacturing site. After more than a decade of prosperity and a strong currency coupled with the traditional political stability, the United States has emerged as a net importer of capital for the first time in post World War II history. Increasing profit margins for multinationals, relatively low interest rates, incredible stock exchange prices and volume, a reduced level of inflation and record consumer spending resulting from sophisticated demands of the baby boomer age, as well as an accelerated rate of immigrant arrivals, all have inspired new private investment from abroad, now surpassing the USD 5 trillion mark in direct and indirect investment. Surveys consistently show that foreign businesspersons, like their American counterparts, seek locations from which to manufacture, assemble, or service their products where the tax or investment incentives are most attractive. This fact is reflected in the operations of the Fortune 500 in the United States where 80% of privately invested assets are located in the five states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, and California, all of which are leaders in providing trade and investment concessions to businesses. Investment incentives consist of a variety of inducements ranging from tax credits and cash grants and tax exemptions or reductions to accelerated depreciation, loan subsidies and property tax, sales tax and customs duty exclusions or reductions, as well as foreign trade and enterprise zone availability. Unlike the array of incentives offered by foreign countries, the charts reflect that most of the States rely on property tax concessions, loan subsidy financing, development project rewards, low or no sales taxes and foreign trade zone availability. As in the case of Part I relating to State Investment Incentives, Part II of the US State-by-State Guide to Investment Incentives and Capital Formation covering the steps required to organize an entity in the United States, reflects great similarity in incorporation in contrast to enterprises wishing to operate abroad. The authors of this Guide present the reader with a clear picture of all the differing rules and regulations between the states that govern investors. It is clear, concise, user-friendly, and invaluable.

Making It Big

Making It Big
Author: Andrea Ciani
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2020-10-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464815585

Economic and social progress requires a diverse ecosystem of firms that play complementary roles. Making It Big: Why Developing Countries Need More Large Firms constitutes one of the most up-to-date assessments of how large firms are created in low- and middle-income countries and their role in development. It argues that large firms advance a range of development objectives in ways that other firms do not: large firms are more likely to innovate, export, and offer training and are more likely to adopt international standards of quality, among other contributions. Their particularities are closely associated with productivity advantages and translate into improved outcomes not only for their owners but also for their workers and for smaller enterprises in their value chains. The challenge for economic development, however, is that production does not reach economic scale in low- and middle-income countries. Why are large firms scarcer in developing countries? Drawing on a rare set of data from public and private sources, as well as proprietary data from the International Finance Corporation and case studies, this book shows that large firms are often born large—or with the attributes of largeness. In other words, what is distinct about them is often in place from day one of their operations. To fill the “missing top†? of the firm-size distribution with additional large firms, governments should support the creation of such firms by opening markets to greater competition. In low-income countries, this objective can be achieved through simple policy reorientation, such as breaking oligopolies, removing unnecessary restrictions to international trade and investment, and establishing strong rules to prevent the abuse of market power. Governments should also strive to ensure that private actors have the skills, technology, intelligence, infrastructure, and finance they need to create large ventures. Additionally, they should actively work to spread the benefits from production at scale across the largest possible number of market participants. This book seeks to bring frontier thinking and evidence on the role and origins of large firms to a wide range of readers, including academics, development practitioners and policy makers.

Global Investment Competitiveness Report 2017/2018

Global Investment Competitiveness Report 2017/2018
Author: World Bank Group
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2017-10-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464811857

The Global Investment Competitiveness report presents new insights and evidence on drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries, and FDI’s role in development. The report’s survey of 750 executives of multinational corporations finds that a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment is a key driver of investment decisions in developing countries, along with political stability, security, and macroeconomic conditions. The report’s topic-specific chapters explore the potential of FDI to create new growth opportunities for local firms, assess the power of tax holidays and other fiscal incentives to attract FDI, analyze characteristics of FDI originating in developing countries, and examine the experience of foreign investors in countries affected by conflict and fragility. Three key features of this Global Investment Competitiveness report distinguish it from other publications on FDI. First, its insights are based on a combination of first-hand perspectives of investors, extensive analysis of available data and evidence, and international good practices in investment policy design and implementation. Secondly, rather than exploring broad FDI trends, the report provides detailed and unique analysis of FDI depending on its motivation, sector, geographic origin and destination, and phase of investment. Thirdly, the report offers practical and actionable recommendations to policymakers in developing countries wishing to reform their business climates for increased investment competitiveness. As such, the report is meant to complement other knowledge products of the World Bank Group focused even more explicitly on country-level data, detailed reform diagnostics, and presentation of best practices. We are confident this report will bring value and fresh perspectives to a variety of audiences. To governments and policymakers, including investment promotion professionals, the report offers direct insights into the role of government policies and actions in investors’ decision-making. To foreign investors and site location consultants, the report provides information on FDI trends and drivers across sectors and geographies. For academic audiences, the new datasets on investment incentives and FDI motivations enables opportunities for additional research and analysis. Lastly, for development assistance providers and other stakeholders, the report highlights key approaches for maximizing FDI’s benefits for development.

Global Waves of Debt

Global Waves of Debt
Author: M. Ayhan Kose
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2021-03-03
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464815453

The global economy has experienced four waves of rapid debt accumulation over the past 50 years. The first three debt waves ended with financial crises in many emerging market and developing economies. During the current wave, which started in 2010, the increase in debt in these economies has already been larger, faster, and broader-based than in the previous three waves. Current low interest rates mitigate some of the risks associated with high debt. However, emerging market and developing economies are also confronted by weak growth prospects, mounting vulnerabilities, and elevated global risks. A menu of policy options is available to reduce the likelihood that the current debt wave will end in crisis and, if crises do take place, will alleviate their impact.

Investment Incentives and the Global Competition for Capital

Investment Incentives and the Global Competition for Capital
Author: K. Thomas
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2010-11-24
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0230302394

This is a global study of government subsidies to attract investment. The book shows how corporations use site selection as rent extraction, with developing countries investing more than developed ones. It demonstrates that incentive use is rarely a good policy, especially for countries without adequate education and infrastructure.

How Venture Capital Works

How Venture Capital Works
Author: Phillip Ryan
Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc
Total Pages: 82
Release: 2012-07-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1448867959

Explanations to the inner workings of one of the least understood, but arguably most important, areas of business finance is offered to readers in this engaging volume: venture capital. Venture capitalists provide necessary investment to seed (or startup) companies, but the startup is only the beginning, there is much more to be explored. These savvy investors help guide young entrepreneurs, who likely have little experience, to turn their businesses into the Googles, Facebooks, and Groupons of the world. This book explains the often-complex methods venture capitalists use to value companies and to get the most return on their investments, or ROI. This book is a must-have for any reader interested in the business world.

The Elusive Quest for Growth

The Elusive Quest for Growth
Author: William R. Easterly
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 441
Release: 2002-08-02
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0262260654

Why economists' attempts to help poorer countries improve their economic well-being have failed. Since the end of World War II, economists have tried to figure out how poor countries in the tropics could attain standards of living approaching those of countries in Europe and North America. Attempted remedies have included providing foreign aid, investing in machines, fostering education, controlling population growth, and making aid loans as well as forgiving those loans on condition of reforms. None of these solutions has delivered as promised. The problem is not the failure of economics, William Easterly argues, but the failure to apply economic principles to practical policy work. In this book Easterly shows how these solutions all violate the basic principle of economics, that people—private individuals and businesses, government officials, even aid donors—respond to incentives. Easterly first discusses the importance of growth. He then analyzes the development solutions that have failed. Finally, he suggests alternative approaches to the problem. Written in an accessible, at times irreverent, style, Easterly's book combines modern growth theory with anecdotes from his fieldwork for the World Bank.