n African Journal of Business and Economic Research - Learning and foreign direct investment in Africa : a research agenda

Abstract

Although Africa currently receives a limited amount of foreign investment flows compared to most other developing countries, the impact of these investments on economic growth can be greatly enhanced through the optimisation of the knowledge generated by the investors in the African economies. This paper presents a variety of modes of learning that can be used in transferring knowledge between developed country firms and their collaborative partners in Africa. It also highlights the characteristics of knowledge providers and knowledge receivers that would facilitate the transfer process. It has been observed that limited empirical investigations have been conducted in African countries to determine the manner in which the knowledge transfer process is currently organised. This paper calls for more research in the area and suggests five main propositions that can guide future research in the area.