ABSTRACT

Several analyses have explored and confirmed the beneficial role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the restructuring of new EU Member States’ (NMS) economies (e.g. Holland et al., 2000; Hunya, 2000; Konings, 2001; Meyer, 1998; OECD, 2002; Rojec, 2000; Damijan and Rojec, 2004). However, the actual impact of FDI varies across the NMS because of differences both in the size and in the sectoral composition of FDI. Although Slovenia has attracted a very small share of FDI relative to some other NMS, the empirical evidence reveals that in both absolute and in relative terms FDI has been a relevant mechanism for increasing innovation activity in the economy. Table 14.1 shows that the fraction of innovative firms among all firms is much higher with foreign subsidiaries than with domestic firms. R&D expenditures and innovation activity of Slovenian firms by type of ownership, 1996–2002 (%) https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">

N

R&D/sales (innovative firms)

R&D/sales (non-innovative firms)

Fraction of innovative firms

All firms

1996

1,454

1.5

0.026

21.7

1998

1,777

1.6

0.003

23.0

2000

2,518

6.0

0.021

21.2

2002

2,564

6.5

0.015

20.6

Domestic

1996

1,148

1.4

0.027

18.6

1998

1,371

1.5

0.003

19.5

2000

1,923

7.1

0.023

17.5

2002

1,935

6.4

0.004

17.3

Foreign

1996

306

1.8

0.023

33.3

1998

406

1.9

0.003

34.7

2000

595

4.1

0.012

32.9

2002

629

6.6

0.055

30.5

Sources: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia; own calculations.