明星八卦

We are offering a self-funded PhD position in Strategy Entrepreneurship and International Business with the 明星八卦 Business School. The project focuses on investigating the impact of emerging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about the project or would like to arrange an informal discussion, please reach out to Dr Jun Hou at jun.hou@brunel.ac.uk.

The project

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has long been a critical driver of economic growth, employment, and structural transformation in developing countries.

Recent years have witnessed a shift in the origins of FDI, with an increasing share coming from emerging economies such as China, India, and other rising global players.

Unlike traditional FDI from Western countries, investment from these emerging economies often carries unique characteristics in terms of objectives, investment strategies, and impacts on host economies.

This project seeks to conduct a firm-level analysis combined with in-depth case studies to explore the multifaceted impacts of emerging FDI on Sub-Saharan African economies.

The research will focus on investments originating from China and India, with an emphasis on their economic, employment, and social impacts and their development contributions.

The student will be required to undertake a comprehensive review of existing literature on the impact of FDI, with particular attention to emerging economies' investments.

This will include studying the theoretical and empirical work on FDI's role in fostering economic growth, enhancing employment opportunities, and generating social benefits or challenges.

The research will primarily employ a quantitative approach using econometric modelling to assess the direct and spillover effects of emerging FDI on firm performance, labour productivity, and sectoral growth in selected African economies.

The student will also conduct case studies to explore the context-specific impacts that may not be fully captured in quantitative data. The project will offer the student the opportunity to collaborate with external stakeholders, including government agencies, international development organisations, and industry leaders.

Eligibility

To undertake this project successfully, the ideal candidate should have an academic background in business, economics, or management, preferably with solid quantitative skills.

Prior experience with econometric modelling and familiarity with data analysis software (e.g., Stata or R) will be advantageous.

Strong analytical and communication skills are also essential for engaging with external stakeholders.

明星八卦 offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: /research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. 明星八卦 alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.