Market Size as a Determinant of the Foreign Direct Investment Inflows in the Western Balkans Countries

Numerous empirical studies confirm that market size is one of the key determinants of foreign direct investment inflows, particularly market-oriented projects of foreign direct investment. Basically, the dominant view is that a larger market of the host country attracts a greater quantum of foreign direct investment. This paper examines the influence of market size, as well as the impact of market growth, trade openness, and population size on the foreign direct investment inflows into the six countries of the Western Balkans region in the period 2007-2015. Multiple regression analysis was applied in examining the impact of these variables on foreign direct investment inflows. The obtained results show that market size, market growth and population size had a significant positive impact, while trade openness had a negative impact on foreign direct investment inflows in the observed countries. Thus, the main findings of this research confirm that market size is an important determinant of the foreign direct investment inflows in the Western Balkans countries.