OS INVESTIMENTOS ESTRANGEIROS DIRETOS PORTUGUESES E ALEMÃES NO CEARÁ, BRASIL

Abstract

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) results from the movement of capital through the establishment of a branch, merger or acquisition of a company, with the presence of controlling power by the foreign partner. FDI can be established for different purposes, such as the development and consolidation of the company in the target market or even the access to cheaper raw materials and labor. The study of this theme in Ceará, Brazil, is justified to shed light on this aspect in the context of the local economy, since, in recent decades, the volume of FDI inflows in Ceará has grown sharply, reaching more than R$21 billion in 2017. The objective of the present study is to elucidate about the inflow of FDI in Ceará, focusing on investments from Portugal and Germany, two countries that are among the largest investors in the state. Data from 864 Portuguese and German investments received in Ceará from 1984 to 2017 were analyzed. It was found that FDI from both countries showed rapid growth in the early 2000s, stabilizing since then. Through case studies with eight German and Portuguese companies operating in Ceará, alignments between activities in the country of origin and in Ceará territory were verified, based on the Nordic School of International Business. It was found that the arrival of foreign companies increased precisely as state policies favorable to attracting investment were being amplified.