Salamanca, Gto., February 7, 2018.- The analysis of the impact of the foreign direct investment in the work condition of Guanajuato and Jalisco, granted Dr. María Mercedes León Sánchez, a professor at the University of Guanajuato (UG) together with M. Cristhian Jesús Hernández of the Colegio de la Frontera Norte (Colef), the third place of the "Eliseo Mendoza 2017" Award for the economic analysis to the regional development; the event was organized by the University of Guadalajara (UdeG).

In her work titled "La inversión extranjera y especialización industrial. Efectos regionales en las condiciones laborales. Los casos de Guanajuato y Jalisco", the authors analyzed the impact of the foreign investment in the work conditions and the specialization of the industries in both states.

The professor-researcher of the Department of Art and Business of Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, explained that "from the commercial opening, there was a great inflow of direct foreign investment to Guanajuato in the automotive industry and in Jalisco in the electronic and software industry, however, the study says that the direct foreign investment creates employment, but hasn't improved the work conditions nor the wages."

Besides, this investment flow is selective for certain industries, but other traditional branches such as the shoe industry, textile, or in Jalisco, the pharmaceutical or rubber industries have a large employment and their work conditions are equal or better than those from the foreign investments. Several authors have mentioned that if the direct foreign investment is not directed properly, it could be counterproductive for the number of employments, she said.

The researcher delved that they made an econometric analysis of the manufacturing sector of the industrial branches in the automotive sector, considering the information of the census from 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014, with a panel study, variable in diverse specialization models and employment.

Of 32 works of 16 states of the country that fulfilled the conditions of the prize, the judging jury considered that the work presented by her and the student of applied economy, was of national relevance. Even researchers from the College of Mexico (Colmex) gave them the guideline to continue with this study, but not by States, but by regions or metropolitan areas.

The award was organized by the University of Guadalajara (UdeG) through the University Center of Economic Sciences Administrative, the Division of Economy and Society and the Neolpharma group to promote quality and excellence in research in the Economic aspects of the regional development of Mexico.
The judging panel was composed of academics from seven institutions such as Cide, UdeG, Colmex, Cide, COLEF, CUADEC, the Autonomous University of Nuevo León and the National Autonomous University of Mexico.