The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Gross Domestic Product Growth in Lithuania

The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to determine what type of causative relationship between FDI and GDP exists in Lithuania. The analysis includes assessment of the overall economic situation in the country, analysis of historical statistical data on FDI, overview of existing studies and regression analysis. The regression is performed in order to reveal the impact of various economic factors on GDP growth. The model in question includes such economic indicators as corruption perceptions level index, harmonized consumer price index, net export, foreign investments via liabilities and FDI. Firstly, Granger causality test is performed in order to see whether FDI Granger causes GDP. Then, after making corrections for sequences to be stationary, a regression is performed using ordinary least squares method. The results of the analysis show that there is no statistically significant impact of FDI on economic growth in Lithuania. Nevertheless, foreign investments of other type had a great influence on economic performance in the past several years. However, due to their nature economic growth could not be sustained. The reasons for FDI having no influence over the economic growth in Lithuania are seen in the fact of scarcity of the investments, country’s inability to attract foreign investors, corruption existence, and unstable taxing system. Recommendations are provided on the matter.