Are there dynamic externalities from direct foreign investment? Evidence for Morocco

Many developing countris now actively solicit foreign investment, offering income tax holidays, import duty exemptions, and subsidies to foreign firms. One reason for subsidizing these firms is the positive externalities as foreign technology is transferred from foreign to domestic firms. This paper employs a unique firm-level dataset to test for such dynamic externalities in the Moroccan manufacturing sector. We find no evidence of positive externalities, although the dispersion of productivity is smaller in sectors with more foreign firms. Using detailed information on quotas and tariffs, we also reject the hypothesis that the lack of such dynamic externalities occurs because foreign investors are attracted to protected domestic sectors.