Abstract
This chapter explores the factors for a successful FDI inflows into the SEECs media markets for multinational corporations. More specifically, the author extrapolates the main strategic directions for foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to SEECs media markets with specific interest in answering the question to which media industry and where to invest the foreign capital. The research data sample includes 16 SEECs: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia, Cyprus, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Kosovo, Greece, Hungary, and Moldova. In addition, this chapter surveys and reviews the literature and research on FDI in SEECs media industry and business markets.
The purpose is to present the main findings from previous research and, from this, identify missing contextual aspects/links in existing studies that should be included in future studies. Moreover, the multiple-case study analysis in the monograph is particularly useful in illuminating the likely direction of FDI research in the developing/transition economies of SEECs media markets.
In order to meet a complex and highly competitive media business demands, the author identifies and proposes an application and implementation of new business model—the FDI hybrid media business model consisting of seven key synthetic, composite, underlying, unique, and multidisciplinary factors/indicators/propositions/dimensions/variables/indices/drivers and building blocks: (1) Media market concentration (Number of daily newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations per million); (2) ICT Competitiveness—The WEF Networked Readiness Index; (3) WIPO, Cornell University, and INSEAD Global Innovation Index; (4) The WEF Global Competitiveness Index; (5) Forecasted GDP per capita (PPP) Index, 2015–2025; (6) Forecasted Market Size via UN Medium variant Forecasted population prospects (%), 2015–2025; and (7) Average annual HDI growth (%), 2000–2013.
Additionally, the most profitable SEECs markets for FDI inflows in daily newspapers industry include Turkey, Slovenia, FYR Macedonia, and Cyprus. The FDI inflows in TV media is highly recommended to Turkey, Malta, Cyprus, and Romania. FDI in radio industry is the least profitable business because of the low consumption of this media as well as high market competition in SEECs markets. Nevertheless, SEECs markets recommended for FDI inflows in radio industry include Turkey, Romania, Slovenia, and FYR Macedonia. Conversely, the least profitable SEECs markets in daily newspapers industry include Greece, Kosovo, Serbia, and Albania. FDI inflows in TV media is least recommended to Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The least profitable SEECs markets for FDI in radio industry include Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece. Overall, the most profitable SEECs media markets for FDI in daily newspapers, TV, and Radio industry include Turkey, Slovenia, Romania, and FYR Macedonia. In contrast, the least profitable SEECs media markets for FDI include Kosovo, Serbia, Greece, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.