The impact of official development aid flows on business internationalisation

Abstract

This article analysis how official development aid (ODA) flows impact the international growth opportunities and processes of private firms in donor and recipient countries. It explores the differentiated impact of bilateral and multilateral aid flows, as well as flows coming from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and non‐DAC donors. The study relies on a systematic literature review of the empirical articles published between 2005 and 2021 in internationally recognised academic journals. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the topic and identifies conclusive findings, existing gaps, avenues for future research and policy implications. Overall, the literature shows a positive impact of ODA flows on the international growth opportunities for firms in donor countries, whether derived from their direct engagement in aid‐financed projects or from non‐direct effects like the reputational capital and positive image accrued by donor countries in recipient ones. Conversely, empirical evidence relative to the impact on firms in recipient nations is mixed and points to the existence of factors that condition the impact of ODA flows, among them, the institutional strength in recipient countries and the formulas through which ODA flows are channelled.