Investment rankings and their impact on the country’s investment image

Abstract

The paper claims that direct foreign investments play an essential role in every country’s economy, since they ensure its efficient functioning and further growth. Since investment rankings are used as a primary indicator, because they help investors quantify the investment image, possible risks and investment reliability, it is concluded that the amount of direct investments depends on the country’s investment image. The scope of research includes the country’s investment image and major investment rankings that shape the image. The aim of the study is to establish a list of international investment rankings, which prospective investors may analyze when making investment decisions. To obtain this objective, the following methods are used: theoretical generalization, comparison, abstraction, analysis and synthesis. The article presents an analysis of various views of national and foreign scholars on interpretation of investment image. Based on summarizing the existing opinions, a consolidated definition for investment image is proposed. A list of major investment rankings that shape the country’s investment image is established, and ways of calculating their particular characteristics are presented. It is concluded that in order to attract foreign investments to the required extent, each country should take measures to improve its investment image and its position in major international investment rankings.