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Compete or Coordinate? Aid Fragmentation and Lead Donorship

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  • Steinwand, Martin C.

Abstract

Donor proliferation and the fragmentation of aid delivery is an important problem besetting foreign aid policy. Increased donor coordination is widely seen as a fix to this problem. This article explores theoretically and empirically the collective action problems and incentives that donors face when coordinating their actions, based on the distinction between private and public goods properties of aid. I introduce the concept of lead donorship, develop a measure that accounts for the exclusive and long-lasting ties between a lead donor and a recipient country, and show that lead donorship is in long-term decline. I test my theory combining spatial autoregressive (SAR) models, nonparametric model discrimination techniques, and data on aid delivery channels. I recover evidence of collusion in the provision of private goods aid in the presence of a lead donor, and lack of coordination and competition in the absence of a lead donor.

Suggested Citation

  • Steinwand, Martin C., 2015. "Compete or Coordinate? Aid Fragmentation and Lead Donorship," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 69(2), pages 443-472, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:69:y:2015:i:02:p:443-472_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Cécile Couharde & Fatih Karanfil & Eric Gabin Kilamaa & Luc Désiré Omgbaa, 2017. "The Importance of Oil in the Allocation of Foreign Aid: The case of the G7 donors," EconomiX Working Papers 2017-40, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    2. Asmus, Gerda & Eichenauer, Vera & Fuchs, Andreas & Parks, Bradley, 2021. "Does India use development finance to compete with China? A subnational analysis," Kiel Working Papers 2189, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    3. Yasemin Bal Gündüz & Masyita Crystallin, 2018. "Do IMF programs catalyze donor assistance to low-income countries?," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 359-393, September.
    4. Fuchs, Andreas & Richert, Katharina, 2018. "Development minister characteristics and aid giving," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 186-204.
    5. Alessandro De Matteis, 2018. "Follow the leader! The peer effect in aid supply decisions," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(6), pages 631-648, October.
    6. Mitsuaki Furukawa, 2018. "Management of the international development aid system: The Case of Tanzania," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 270-284, March.
    7. Couharde, Cécile & Karanfil, Fatih & Kilama, Eric Gabin & Omgba, Luc Désiré, 2020. "The role of oil in the allocation of foreign aid: The case of the G7 donors," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 363-383.
    8. Samuel Brazys & Johan A. Elkink & Gina Kelly, 2017. "Bad neighbors? How co-located Chinese and World Bank development projects impact local corruption in Tanzania," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 227-253, June.
    9. Nathalie Ferrière, 2022. "Filling the "decency gap"? Donors' reaction to the US policy on international family planning aid," AMSE Working Papers 2217, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France, revised Mar 2023.
    10. Öhler, Hannes, 2017. "A micro-level analysis of the effects of aid fragmentation and aid alignment," IDOS Discussion Papers 7/2017, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    11. Clarke,Daniel Jonathan & Wren-Lewis,Liam, 2016. "Solving commitment problems in disaster risk finance," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7720, The World Bank.
    12. Michael G. Findley & Helen V. Milner & Daniel L. Nielson, 2017. "The choice among aid donors: The effects of multilateral vs. bilateral aid on recipient behavioral support," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 307-334, June.
    13. Bernhard Reinsberg & Centre for Business Research, 2018. "Blockchain Technology and the Governance of Foreign Aid," Working Papers wp505, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
    14. Suzuki, Mao, 2020. "Profits before patients? Analyzing donors’ economic motives for foreign aid in the health sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    15. Iliana Olivié & Aitor Pérez, 2016. "Why don’t donor countries coordinate their aid? A case study of European donors in Morocco," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 16(1), pages 52-64, January.
    16. Humphrey, Chris & Michaelowa, Katharina, 2019. "China in Africa: Competition for traditional development finance institutions?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 15-28.
    17. Gehring, Kai & Michaelowa, Katharina & Dreher, Axel & Spörri, Franziska, 2017. "Aid Fragmentation and Effectiveness: What Do We Really Know?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 320-334.
    18. Maurizio Carbone, 2017. "Make Europe happen on the ground? Enabling and constraining factors for European Union aid coordination in Africa," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 35(4), pages 531-548, July.

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