The persistence of distance? The impact of technology on MNE motivations for foreign investment

Why do firms go abroad when technology makes it possible to do business at a distance? We argue that the cost of distance differentially affects investment motivations across industries. We find support for this hypothesis in a study of U.S. inward and outward FDI. Knowledge seeking and efficiency seeking are the two most important explanations for international activity in information-intensive industries, reinforcing the value of intangible...