Virtually all governments are keen to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). It can generate new jobs, bring in new technologies and, more generally, promote growth and employment. The resulting net increase in domestic income is shared with government through taxation of wages and profits of foreign-owned companies, and possibly other taxes on business (e.g. property tax). FDI may also posit...

We study two governments, each considering whether or not to compete to attract a foreign monopoly Þrm into its own domestic market. The competition, should it occur, would involve offering incentives to the Þrm. The incentives, which are costly for the governments to provide, lower the Þrm’s marginal cost of production. Faced with the offers from each country, the Þrm must choose one of four o...