Foreign ownership, returns to scale and productivity: Evidence from UK manufacturing establishments

Abstract

This paper focuses on the pattern of returns to scale and productivity growth in UK manufacturing establishments in the electronics and food industries. Our results show that foreign establishments tend to have lower returns to scale than their domestic counterparts. Moreover, foreign acquisition is found to have a negative effect on RTS, especially in the food sector. Finally, establishments in the electronics sector experience a reduction in productivity post acquisition, while plants in the food sector increase productivity.returns to scale, foreign direct investment, acquisitions, productivity