Promotional efforts to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) have become the important point of competition among developed and developing countries. This competition is also maintained when countries are adopting economic integration at another level. While some countries lowering standards to attract FDI in a "race to the bottom," others praise FDI for raising standards and welfare in recipient countries.
There are several trends, which are reinforcing traditional impulses for foreign direct investment that is access to natural resources, markets, and low-cost labor. With the rise of globalization technological progress allows for the separation of production into more discrete phases across national barriers. Expansion in Information and communication technologies, Improvement in logistics necessarily allow production to be close to markets while taking advantage of the specific characteristic of individual production locations.
Countries have adopted their respective policies for attracting more investment. Some countries rely on targeted financial concessions like tax concessions, cash grants and specific subsidies. Some countries focus on improving the infrastructure and skill parameter and creating a base meet the demands and expectations of foreign investors. Others try to improve the general business climate of a country by changing the administrative barriers and red tapism. Many governments have created state agencies to help investors through this administrative paperwork. Finally most of the countries have entered into international governing arrangements to increase their attractiveness for more investment.