Foreign direct investment is no silver bullet for growth, new research shows

Study finds global investment only delivers benefits when conditions align, challenging the idea that FDI is beneficial

University of East London

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Foreign direct investment (FDI) has long been seen as a reliable engine of economic growth, bringing jobs, productivity gains and new technologies into host economies. But new research suggests the reality is far more complex, and far less predictable.

The study, by academics from the University of East London, finds that FDI does not consistently deliver these benefits and cannot be relied on as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, whether it succeeds or fails depends on a combination of factors: why firms invest, the conditions in the host country, and the nature of the industry involved.

Growth depends on alignment

Drawing on more than 60 years of academic research, the study shows that the outcomes of foreign investment vary widely. In some cases, FDI supports growth and innovation. In others, it can crowd out local firms, increase inequality or lead to economic dependency.

The findings challenge decades of economic thinking that have treated FDI as broadly beneficial. They suggest that simply attracting more foreign investment is not enough, and that the quality and context of that investment matter far more than the volume.

Do existing theories fail to explain today’s reality?

The research also highlights a deeper problem in how FDI is understood. Many existing theories, largely developed around advanced economies investing overseas, may not fully capture the complexity of today’s global investment landscape, and could fall short in explaining some aspects of current realities.

They struggle in particular to account for the growing role of companies from emerging economies, which increasingly invest overseas not just to exploit advantages, but to acquire new capabilities and compete globally.

A shift away from one-size-fits-all thinking

“What this research makes clear is that foreign direct investment has been oversimplified,” said Professor Kirk Chang of Royal Docks School of Business and Law. “It has been treated as a kind of economic silver bullet, but our research has shown it does not reliably drive growth on its own. FDI only works when investor motives, local conditions and industry context are aligned. Without that alignment, the results are uncertain and often disappointing.”

Dr Susan Akinwalere, co-author of the study and Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, said, “For policymakers and business leaders, there is an important message. You cannot assume foreign investment will deliver benefits just because it arrives. What matters is how well it fits the country, the sector and the purpose of the investment.”

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Journal

Journal of Industry Competition and Trade

DOI

10.1007/s10842-026-00463-2 

Method of Research

Literature review

Article Title

What Can Make ‘Foreign Direct Investment’ Work? Investors' Motivation, Country Context and Industry Context All Play Their Roles

Article Publication Date

18-Mar-2026

 

Barcelona Metropolitan Area loses over 70% of agricultural land in recent decades

ICTA-UAB researchers warn that peri-urban agriculture is key to urban resilience and call for an urgent shift in planning policies

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

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Peri-urban agriculture in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), Spain, is in a critical situation after decades of decline. A new study conducted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) highlights the dramatic reduction of peri-urban farming in the region, with losses of up to 70% of agricultural land, largely driven by urban expansion, real estate speculation, and the low profitability of the agricultural sector. Currently, only 8.5% of the metropolitan region is devoted to agriculture, equivalent to around 16 square meters per inhabitant.

The research, which combines spatial land-use analysis between 2003 and 2015 with interviews and participatory workshops, indicates that this decline cannot be attributed to a single cause but rather to the interaction of social, ecological, and technological factors. The greatest loss of farmland occurred in the years leading up to the 2008 crisis, coinciding with the real estate boom, while in the past decade the pace of transformation has stabilized, though not reversed.

The study identifies urban development pressure as one of the main drivers of this process. The increase in land value in peri-urban areas has encouraged its conversion into residential, industrial, or infrastructure uses, often at the expense of fertile agricultural land. This is compounded by the low profitability of farming, shaped by competition from international markets, fragmented landholdings, and difficulties in accessing land and water, as well as protection regimes for other ecosystems such as forests. This situation has also contributed to the lack of generational renewal, a key factor in the continuity of farming operations.

Beyond food production, researchers warn that the loss of peri-urban agriculture has direct implications for urban resilience. As researcher Johannes Langemeyer notes: “Historically, the separation of agricultural production from the urban environment is a relatively new and exceptional phenomenon. In times of crisis, for example economic crises or wars, this separation increases food risk in cities.” The proximity of these agricultural areas helps reduce dependence on global supply chains, lowers emissions associated with food transport, and contributes to climate regulation, biodiversity, and landscape quality. However, these benefits remain undervalued in territorial planning.

The analysis also highlights growing tensions between agricultural activity and environmental conservation policies. In the peri-urban upland areas of the AMB, such as the Serra de Collserola, located between Barcelona and the Vallès county; the Serralada Marina, in the northern part of the metropolitan area between the Barcelonès and Maresme counties; or the Serra de l'Ordal, in the southwestern AMB region of Baix Llobregat, agricultural abandonment has encouraged forest expansion, transforming the landscape and making the recovery of agricultural uses more difficult. In the flat areas, especially in the Llobregat delta, urbanization and certain environmental protection measures create conflicts with the agricultural sector, exacerbated by issues such as the proliferation of wildlife or restrictions on land use.

At the same time, technological factors such as the loss of irrigation infrastructure, limited access to water, and the fragmentation of land by transport infrastructure hinder the viability of professional agriculture. These conditions have also encouraged the emergence of informal forms of agriculture, generating new tensions in peri-urban land use.

Despite this scenario, the study points out that there are still opportunities to halt and even reverse the trend. Researchers stress the need to recognize peri-urban agriculture as a strategic element for the future of cities and advocate for its real integration into urban planning policies. Initiatives such as the Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat demonstrate that active protection of agricultural land can help sustain farming activity in highly pressured metropolitan environments.

In this context, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area stands at a crucial juncture. Halting the loss of agricultural land and restoring its productive, environmental, and social functions has become an urgent priority for advancing toward a more sustainable, resilient, and balanced urban model.

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Journal

Ecology and Society

DOI

10.5751/ES-16730-310135 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Where have all the farmers gone? Spatial–temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona

Article Publication Date

24-Mar-2026

 

New survey on strike at JBS Meatpacking Facility shows most Americans prioritize workers’ rights over beef production

Younger Americans favor transition of slaughterhouses to facilities to produce plant-based protein; most Americans believe migrant meatpackers should not be subjected to immigration enforcement

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

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WASHINGTON—A new survey by Morning Consult and the nonprofit Physicians Committee finds that in response to the workers’ strike at one of the country’s largest slaughterhouses, a JBS facility in Colorado, a large percentage, 71%, of Americans say workers have the right to strike as opposed to staying on the job to continue beef  production. In a separate survey question, younger Americans favor the transition of slaughterhouses to produce plant-based protein. The Physicians Committee is a nonprofit health advocacy organization with 17,000 physician members nationwide.

According to the new survey, most Americans, 61%, believe that migrant meatpacking workers who are currently striking for safer working conditions should not be targeted for immigration enforcement activities.

Economically, it makes sense for the large meat companies, like JBS, to focus on the plant-based products they are already producing because, according to the Wall Street Journal, meat companies are losing money producing beef. The Wall Street Journal notes, “JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, reported a $617 million adjusted operating loss for its beef business over the past year. A year earlier, the loss was $37 million.”

Detailed Survey Results:

Survey Question: PCRM1 - Meatpacking workers at a JBS slaughterhouse in Greeley, Colorado recently went on strike, citing concerns about pay and workplace safety. Do you think meatpacking workers should have the right to strike over pay and working conditions or do you think meatpacking workers should always stay on the job to continue meat production?

Meatpacking workers should have the right to strike over pay and working conditions 71%

Meatpacking workers should always stay on the job to continue meat production 11%

Not Sure 19%

The new survey finds that Americans are divided with 36% supporting and 38% opposing the transition of some slaughterhouses into facilities to manufacture plant-based foods or cell-cultivated meat. Support for converting slaughterhouses into cleaner, safer plant-based protein producers was strongest among the youngest respondents—members of Generation Z, 49%, and Millennials, 46%.

Survey Question: PCRM2 - Some have suggested that meatpacking companies like JBS should transition some of their slaughterhouses to facilities that manufacture plant-based or cell-cultivated meat products as an alternative to traditional meat processing. Do you support or oppose this idea?

Many slaughterhouse workers are migrants, including undocumented workers. Given the visibility of migrant workers on the picket line in Greeley, Colorado, there’s a concern that immigration agents might conduct a sweep of the community. But the new survey found that 61% of Americans believe that would be unfair to the striking workers.

Survey Question: PRCM3 - When workers participate in a labor strike, do you think they should face legal consequences — such as immigration enforcement action — for their participation?

Yes 19%

No 61%

Not Sure 20%

“Meatpacking is a dangerous occupation, and the results of this survey show that Americans feel compassion for employees who are striking to obtain safer working conditions,” says Xavier Toledo, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian on the staff of Physicians Committee. “This also raises broader questions about how food is produced. Workers would have a cleaner and safer work environment in facilities that produce plant-based or cell-cultivated 'meat' products. JBS and other major meat companies already offer lines of plant-based protein products, showing that slaughterhouses could be used to manufacture these products instead of processing animals.”

Journalists who would like a copy of the complete survey report please contact Jeanne McVey, jeannem@pcrm.org

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in education and research.

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Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

 

Cooking efficiently for better nutrition

University of Seville

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Researchers at the University of Seville’s Food Colour and Quality Laboratory have studied the effects of different cooking methods used for tomatoes and carrots (in the oven, microwave or air fryer, amongst others) on the amount of carotenoids that are potentially available for absorption by the body following the digestion of these foods. According to the study, the bioavailability index varies significantly depending on how these foods are cooked. Carotenoids are compounds of great importance due to their positive health effects.

In the case of carrots, the bioavailability of total carotenoids increased ninefold when cooked in the oven. For tomatoes, the highest bioavailability values were obtained by cooking them in either an air fryer (190 °C for 10 minutes) or a conventional oven (180 °C for 20 minutes). There was no significant differences between the two methods. Although the increase in bioavailability was more modest (a 1.5-fold increase), it was also significant compared to raw tomatoes.

The researchers also highlight that the increases in the bioavailability of the vitamin A precursor carotenoids in tomatoes (α-carotene and β-carotene) ranged from 26 to 38 times and 46 to 71 times, respectively, compared with those in raw carrots. Cooking is, therefore, a sometimes-overlooked strategy for combating vitamin A deficiency, one of the world’s most serious nutritional problems.

Energy efficiency

The main innovation of these studies lay in identifying the cooking methods that led to the greatest increase in bioavailability per unit of electricity consumption. In the case of carrots, microwave cooking was found to be the most efficient technique, with a 96% reduction in electricity consumption compared to cooking in a conventional oven. In the case of tomatoes, cooking in an air fryer led to the highest bioavailability values, whilst also allowing an 80% reduction in energy consumption.

The results have recently been published in the journals Food & Function (2024) and Food Chemistry (2026) and provide experimental evidence to define the concept of ‘sustainable cooking’ from a nutritional and energy perspective. According to the researchers, if the concept were adopted and applied in millions of households and establishments on a daily basis, it could contribute significantly to a more sustainable food system.

Impact on public health and nutricosmetics

Carotenoids are compounds of great importance for promoting health. Some, such as α- and β-carotene, are precursors of vitamin A, an essential nutrient involved in a multitude of processes. Furthermore, both carrots and tomatoes are good sources of the colourless carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene. These have been attracting considerable interest due to their biological activities. They accumulate in the skin, where they can provide protection by absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

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Journal

Food Chemistry

DOI

10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.148311 

Article Title

Thermal processing of tomatoes by air frying and baking: effects on coloured and colourless carotenoid bioaccessibility

 

Some ticks can survive from 1 to 3 weeks on home flooring

Findings in 2 species reinforce need for protective measures

Ohio State University

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s fairly common for members of the public to ask bug experts if ticks that hitchhike into a house on people or dogs can actually survive indoors for any length of time.

A new study provides the first scientific evidence that the answer is yes, showing that two species of ticks can live at least one week, and up to about three weeks, on hard-surface and carpeted floors.

The Ohio State University study focused on lone star and Gulf Coast ticks, both of which are capable of transmitting pathogens that can make people and animals sick. Survival rates of each species were assessed in five types of common home flooring: tile, wood, vinyl, and short-pile and shag-like carpet.

Overall, Gulf Coast ticks survived for significantly longer periods of time than lone star ticks, but in an unexpected finding, lone star ticks lived longer overall in long-pile carpet.

“Ticks can pose a risk even in the places you least expect, such as your house,” said first author Afsoon Sabet, a PhD student in entomology at Ohio State.

The findings underscore the necessity of taking protective measures to prevent tick bites, the researchers say. These include using tick prevention products for people and pets and, once inside, thoroughly checking an animal for ticks with a brush or a lint roller and immediately bagging clothes or putting them in the dryer.

“The ultimate goal from a public health perspective is to reinforce that ticks brought into the home on pets or people could be a risk, and hopefully having some data around that will compel people to say, ‘OK, doing tick checks is really important,’” said co-senior author Risa Pesapane, associate professor of veterinary preventive medicine at Ohio State.  

“That way you’re not releasing ticks into your home environment where you’re relaxed and comfortable, and most definitely not thinking about tick prevention.”

The research was published online March 13 in the Journal of Vector Ecology.

Total reported tick-borne disease cases in the United States increased by 40% from 2019 to 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ticks in the study, Gulf Coast (Amblyomma maculatum) and lone star (Amblyomma americanum) ticks, are commonly found in the eastern U.S. and feed on a variety of birds and mammals. Gulf Coast ticks can transmit several spotted fever diseases, and lone star ticks can transmit ehrlichiosis. In addition, a compound in lone star tick saliva can induce alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-threatening allergy to a molecule in red meat and other mammal products.

For the study, Sabet tested the survival time of 90 ticks per species placed in three rounds of experiments on each of the five floor types. Ticks were individually covered with a cup so they couldn’t escape, but they could move around. Two rounds of the experiments compared survival to control ticks kept in a growth chamber to confirm experimental tick deaths were related to the flooring conditions.

In nature, ticks feed once per life cycle. Ticks in the experiments were adults that had not yet fed.

“Generally, what we’re talking about here is hitchhiking ticks that have come in on clothes or pets that have not yet bitten and are actively looking for a host,” said Pesapane, who also has a faculty appointment in Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. “They would’ve been looking for a host to feed from in someone’s home.”

Sabet monitored the ticks daily, with a few exceptions, completing over 4,600 individual observations.

The average overall survival time of Gulf Coast ticks was about 18 days, and for lone star ticks, 11 days. The longest survival time for Gulf Coast ticks was an average of 25 days on vinyl and the shortest, 10 days on long-pile carpet. Average survival time of lone star ticks was the longest, almost 15 days, on long-pile carpet and shortest on tile – about seven days.

The cause of death was presumed to be desiccation, or loss of moisture. Meanwhile, some of the control ticks kept at ideal temperatures and humidity levels in the lab survived for more than a year.

“The tick life cycle is usually at least two years, typically. And the longevity of that tick is based on its ability to maintain moisture,” Pesapane said. “And certainly, the conditions in a home are desiccating conditions, but this shows that ticks are not going to die immediately.

“Pinpointing exactly how long a tick might survive in a home is really difficult because people’s homes are going to vary in their environmental conditions. But for the first time, this study puts some guardrails on that estimate, and it shows us that ticks can survive for at least a week.”

Samuel Ward, assistant professor of entomology at Ohio State, was an additional co-senior author of the study. This work was supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Contact: Risa Pesapane, Pesapane.1@osu.edu

Written by Emily Caldwell, Caldwell.151@osu.edu; 614-292-8152

 

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Journal

Journal of Vector Ecology

DOI

10.52707/1081-1710-50.1-12 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Effect of floor type on survival of Amblyomma maculatum and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae)

Article Publication Date

13-Mar-2026

 

Globally, higher education linked to ‘WEIRD’ cultural values, York University-led study finds

Researchers say findings point to the need to recruit beyond universities when doing cross-cultural investigations

York University

A new study published in Nature Communications  finds that world-wide, people with higher levels of education are more culturally similar to those in Canada, the U.S. U.K. and other Anglo, industrialized countries and countries in Western Europe.

Lead author and York University Faculty of Health Assistant Professor Cindel White says the study shows that solely recruiting from university students and educated people when doing cross-cultural comparisons will not fully capture the cultural variability we see in the world.

 

“Education doesn’t just teach skills or facts, to a certain extent it also shapes how people think about the world, so the findings make sense,” says White, in the Department of Psychology. “While Western countries continue to be over-represented in research in general, our study suggests that even where participants are recruited from non-Western countries, cultural bias may continue to persist.”

 

Analyzing data from nearly 270,000 people across 95 countries captured in the World Values Survey, the study shows that higher education is strongly associated with cultural values typical of so-called “WEIRD” societies (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). For example, Russians with lower education levels were very culturally distant from American values, but Russians with a university degree were much more culturally similar to the U.S.

 

Contrary to modernization theories, when analyzing income and social status, the researchers did not find the same association.

 

White paired up with London School of Economics and New York University Professor Michael Muthukrishna for the study. They found that in 70 per cent of the countries they looked at, highly-educated people were significantly closer to the United States than people with low education in those countries. However, the researchers say the pattern reflects a broader alignment with Western cultural norms, including individualism and an emphasis on personal freedom, analytical thinking, lower conformity to social norms, and a greater generalized trust, not just American values specifically.

 

Muthukrishna explained, “Schooling is one of the most powerful systems of cultural transmission ever invented. Education doesn’t just change what you know, but how you think and what you value. What our results reveal is that school systems around the world still carry the fingerprints of their Western origins. That means if you’re a researcher recruiting university students in Nairobi or São Paulo and comparing them to university students in New York, Toronto or London, you may be dramatically underestimating how different those cultures actually are.”

 

White emphasizes that the findings in no way suggest that highly-educated people in non-Western countries are culturally the same as those in the West.

“We're not saying that being highly educated makes everyone the same, there's still a lot of diversity within highly educated groups around the world. It's just that the diversity has shifted in the direction of being more Western,” says White, who recently also published a paper with a University of California researcher looking at American end-of-the-world beliefs. “We are saying that you do need to look at education, in addition to things like nationality, ethnicity and religion, when considering why someone thinks the way they do.”

 

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York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. York's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Emina Gamulin, York University Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-026-70404-4 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Higher education predicts global cultural similarity to WEIRD countries

Article Publication Date

26-Mar-2026