Mr Robert Whyte, Lead Specialist, Investment Promotion with the Investment Climate Department of the World Bank Group, Washington DC recently spent three days at the Strathclyde Business School, undertaking teaching and knowledge exchange activities. Mr Whyte was making his second formal visit to the Marketing Department of Strathclyde Business School, which appointed him Senior Honorary Research Fellow in 2010.
During his visit, Mr Whyte delivered a well-received seminar entitled “Information Asymmetries and Policy Responses for FDI Attraction in Emerging Economies: Global Investment Promotion Best Practices”. The presentation, attended by staff and postgraduate students from across the business school, was jointly hosted by the Marketing Department and the SBS’s Marketing team. Mr Whyte’s talk covered the effect of information asymmetries and political risks on FDI flows, specifically the relative attractiveness of particular countries and regions to foreign direct investors. He went on to discuss possible policy responses that may be adopted by developing economies, including the fragile and conflict-affected ones that tend to be in most need of investment climate improvements, and are a particular focus of the World Bank Group’s attention.
Mr Whyte further reflected on the efficacy of fiscal incentives on investment attraction, including the extent to which these may compensate for shortcomings in investment climate. His ruminations on the latter question formed the backdrop of a set of insightful conclusions and policy recommendations on Global Investment Promotion Best Practices. Mr Whyte’s presentation attracted several interesting questions and comments from the highly engaged audience.
Also during his three-day visit, Mr Whyte delivered guest lectures on the best practice for Screening and Selection International Markets to Master’s in International Marketing students of the Marketing Department. His lectures availed the privileged students of the opportunity to learn first-hand from Mr Whyte’s vast experiential knowledge of evaluating, advising and facilitating improvements in investment climates around the world.
Overall, Mr Whyte’s visit was an excellent success and another important step towards strengthening his engagement with the Marketing Department and the Strathclyde Business School. Professor Kevin Ibeh, Head of Marketing Department, who arranged Mr Whyte’s visit, thanked him immensely for his generous collaboration and reiterated the Department’s interest in deepening and enhancing the association.