ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly highlights the global and regional foreign direct investment (FDI) trends during the past three or so decades when its economic influence became an issue of interest in the social, economic and political environment. It also analyses the reasons responsible for the respective FDI booms and bursts, and provides explanations for the FDI inflow/outflow disparity between the developed and the developing countries. The developed countries are the most important focal point for activities of transnational corporations (TNCs) for obvious reasons. FDI has been a central part of capital inflows for many Asian countries during the recent years. FDI flows into Africa were rather static prior to 1980, except in 1974 and 1979 when heavy investments were made in oil producing countries during and following the oil crises. Typical of developing countries at the time, about three or so decades ago the Latin American and the Caribbean countries had negative attitudes towards FDI.
