Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment

The shadow economy poses a significant threat to government revenue and the effectiveness of economic policies. This paper investigates the causes of the shadow economy and its influence on foreign direct investment (FDI). Our study employs the currency demand approach, a component of the indirect m...

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Main Authors: Unggul Heriqbaldi, Salwaa Fauziyyah Jatmiko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Airlangga, Departemen Ilmu Ekonomi Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis 2024-06-01
Series:JIET (Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Terapan)
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Online Access:https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JIET/article/view/57402
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author Unggul Heriqbaldi
Salwaa Fauziyyah Jatmiko
author_facet Unggul Heriqbaldi
Salwaa Fauziyyah Jatmiko
author_sort Unggul Heriqbaldi
collection DOAJ
description The shadow economy poses a significant threat to government revenue and the effectiveness of economic policies. This paper investigates the causes of the shadow economy and its influence on foreign direct investment (FDI). Our study employs the currency demand approach, a component of the indirect method, to identify the determinants of the shadow economy in a dataset covering 105 countries from 2001 to 2017. These countries are categorized into four income groups: high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income. Parameter estimation is conducted using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model, with robustness tests incorporating reference estimates from Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Fixed Effects Model (FEM). Our findings indicate that a higher GDP and lower interest rates are associated with reduced shadow economy activity. Elevated market interest rates increase the cost of funds in the informal sector, discouraging engagement in shadow economic activities due to reduced profitability. Furthermore, higher tax revenues correlate with intensified regulatory enforcement, increasing the risks associated with shadow economy involvement. A larger workforce and lower unemployment rates similarly diminish shadow economy activity. In the context of foreign direct investment (FDI), the shadow economy positively affects FDI flows when formal institutions, including legal frameworks, property rights protection, and regulatory systems, are either weak or overly burdensome. In such scenarios, economic actors may opt for informal channels like the shadow economy, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to the formal sector, a crucial consideration for foreign investors.
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publisher Universitas Airlangga, Departemen Ilmu Ekonomi Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis
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spelling doaj-art-1d18897fbb5f47b9b9b4a36f85f41b4a2025-08-20T02:49:55ZengUniversitas Airlangga, Departemen Ilmu Ekonomi Fakultas Ekonomi dan BisnisJIET (Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Terapan)2541-14702528-18792024-06-0191375010.20473/jiet.v9i1.5740255567Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct InvestmentUnggul Heriqbaldi0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0221-6230Salwaa Fauziyyah Jatmiko1Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, IndonesiaFaculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, IndonesiaThe shadow economy poses a significant threat to government revenue and the effectiveness of economic policies. This paper investigates the causes of the shadow economy and its influence on foreign direct investment (FDI). Our study employs the currency demand approach, a component of the indirect method, to identify the determinants of the shadow economy in a dataset covering 105 countries from 2001 to 2017. These countries are categorized into four income groups: high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income. Parameter estimation is conducted using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model, with robustness tests incorporating reference estimates from Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Fixed Effects Model (FEM). Our findings indicate that a higher GDP and lower interest rates are associated with reduced shadow economy activity. Elevated market interest rates increase the cost of funds in the informal sector, discouraging engagement in shadow economic activities due to reduced profitability. Furthermore, higher tax revenues correlate with intensified regulatory enforcement, increasing the risks associated with shadow economy involvement. A larger workforce and lower unemployment rates similarly diminish shadow economy activity. In the context of foreign direct investment (FDI), the shadow economy positively affects FDI flows when formal institutions, including legal frameworks, property rights protection, and regulatory systems, are either weak or overly burdensome. In such scenarios, economic actors may opt for informal channels like the shadow economy, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to the formal sector, a crucial consideration for foreign investors.https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JIET/article/view/57402shadow economyforeign direct investmentgmm
spellingShingle Unggul Heriqbaldi
Salwaa Fauziyyah Jatmiko
Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
JIET (Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Terapan)
shadow economy
foreign direct investment
gmm
title Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
title_full Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
title_fullStr Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
title_full_unstemmed Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
title_short Shadow Economy: Determinants and Its Impact on Foreign Direct Investment
title_sort shadow economy determinants and its impact on foreign direct investment
topic shadow economy
foreign direct investment
gmm
url https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JIET/article/view/57402
work_keys_str_mv AT unggulheriqbaldi shadoweconomydeterminantsanditsimpactonforeigndirectinvestment
AT salwaafauziyyahjatmiko shadoweconomydeterminantsanditsimpactonforeigndirectinvestment