The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) – in partnership with the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and in cooperation with the Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy at the Georgetown University – is organizing a 2-day conference on “Quality FDI, Growth and Development: Discussing the Impact and Policy Options” in Vienna from 14 to 15 September 2016. 
 
Foreign direct investment (FDI), driven by activities of multinational enterprises, have been increasingly regarded as one of the defining characteristics of the world economy and an engine of economic growth. FDI related externalities have been attracting increased interest from emerging and developing countries because of perceived benefits in terms of the injection of capital, technology and knowledge as well as the potential generation of economic growth. Most recently, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have further highlighted the importance of such investments as crucial welfare improving mechanisms, for instance in infrastructure development, industrialization and innovation. The aim of the Conference is to contribute to a better understanding of these topics by reviewing and shedding new light on the contribution of FDI to economic growth and development in emerging and developing countries. With that objective, the conference will bring together academics, researchers and policy experts and provide a forum to discuss innovative research and policy tools.
 
We welcome submissions of full-length papers using micro and macro analyses, with strong preference given to applied empirical research. Conference proceedings may be published in form of an edited volume or special issue of a journal.
 
Confirmed speakers 
 
Laura Alfaro (Harvard Business School)
Beata Javorcik (University of Oxford)
Theodore Moran (Georgetown University)
Anthony Black (University of Cape Town)
Holger Görg (IFW Kiel)
Hillel Rapoport (Paris School of Economics, CEPII)
Frederik Sjöholm (Lund University)
 
Important dates
 
30 June 2016: paper submission deadline
15 July 2016: acceptance/rejection notification
15 August 2016: final papers due to be submitted to UNIDO
14-15 September 2016: conference
 
More information about the Conference, including the conference content and paper submission guidelines, is available at
 
https://www.ifw-kiel.de/academy/the-global-division-of-labour/p1_data/quality-fdi-growth-and-development-discussing-the-impact-and-policy-options/call-for-paper_fdi-conference.pdf
 
Participation in the event is free of charge.  
 
Best regards,
 
Adnan Seric (Conference Coordinator)
Department of Trade, Investment and Innovation
www.unido.org
 
Holger Görg
Kiel Institute for the World Economy