Foreign direct investment in the software industry in Latin America

Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2008 assessed FDI in offshore business services (offshoring) in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Offshoring refers to the provision of services from a location outside the country where the customer is located, through the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs). Offshore business services cover a broad range of activities, including contact centres, business processes, information technology (IT) services, and knowledge-intensive, analytical services. FDI in offshore business services is regarded as a high-quality investment because it can contribute to the economic, technological and social development of countries even if it does not entail substantial investment outlays. Specifically, such investment brings workers into the global labour market, creating new sources of income, jobs and exports. This is to the benefit of economies that are largely dependent on natural resources or low-value-added manufactured goods (ECLAC, 2009).

Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth