IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jpolmo/v44y2022i2p298-318.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tax collection efficiency in OECD countries improves via decentralization, simplification, digitalization and education

Author

Listed:
  • Martínez, Yolanda Ubago
  • Arzoz, Pedro Pascual
  • Arregui, Idoia Zabaleta

Abstract

This paper offers an assessment of tax administration performance and provides evidence of the relationship between fiscal decentralization (and tax structure) and the technical efficiency of tax collection. The initial stage of the investigation consists of a data envelopment analysis (DEA) to obtain technical efficiency estimates for a sample of 28 OECD countries over the period 2004–2017. In a second stage, we explore how technical efficiency is affected by fiscal decentralization and tax structure variables. The results show how the degree of fiscal decentralization has a positive and significant impact on the technical efficiency of tax collection. They also reveal a relevant role of tax structure choices and the ratio of indirect to direct taxes, which can significantly affect tax collection efficiency. Finally, we extract some policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Martínez, Yolanda Ubago & Arzoz, Pedro Pascual & Arregui, Idoia Zabaleta, 2022. "Tax collection efficiency in OECD countries improves via decentralization, simplification, digitalization and education," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 298-318.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jpolmo:v:44:y:2022:i:2:p:298-318
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2022.03.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161893822000126
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2022.03.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Keen, 2013. "The Anatomy of the Vat," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 66(2), pages 423-446, June.
    2. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Roberto Ezcurra, 2011. "Is fiscal decentralization harmful for economic growth? Evidence from the OECD countries," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(4), pages 619-643, July.
    3. Afonso, Antonio & St. Aubyn, Miguel, 2005. "Non-Parametric Approaches to Education and Health Efficiency in OECD Countries," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Qiao, Baoyun & Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge & Xu, Yongsheng, 2008. "The tradeoff between growth and equity in decentralization policy: China's experience," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 112-128, April.
    5. Cinzia Daraio & Léopold Simar, 2005. "Introducing Environmental Variables in Nonparametric Frontier Models: a Probabilistic Approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 93-121, September.
    6. Brennan,Geoffrey & Buchanan,James M., 2006. "The Power to Tax," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521027922.
    7. Glenn Rayp & Nicolas Van De Sijpe, 2007. "Measuring and explaining government efficiency in developing countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 360-381.
    8. Richard M. Bird, 2015. "Fiscal Decentralization and Decentralizing Tax Administration: Different Questions, Different Answers," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1509, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    9. Lessmann, Christian & Markwardt, Gunther, 2010. "One Size Fits All? Decentralization, Corruption, and the Monitoring of Bureaucrats," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 631-646, April.
    10. Capasso, Salvatore & Cicatiello, Lorenzo & De Simone, Elina & Gaeta, Giuseppe Lucio & Mourão, Paulo Reis, 2021. "Fiscal transparency and tax ethics: does better information lead to greater compliance?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 1031-1050.
    11. Antonis Adam & Manthos Delis & Pantelis Kammas, 2014. "Fiscal decentralization and public sector efficiency: evidence from OECD countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 17-49, February.
    12. W. Moesen & A. persoon, 2002. "Measuring and Explaining the Productive Efficiency of Tax Offices. a Non-Parametric Best Practice Frontier Approach," Review of Business and Economic Literature, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Review of Business and Economic Literature, vol. 0(3), pages 399-416.
    13. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    14. Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul W., 2007. "Estimation and inference in two-stage, semi-parametric models of production processes," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 31-64, January.
    15. Baltagi, Badi H. & Liu, Long, 2009. "A note on the application of EC2SLS and EC3SLS estimators in panel data models," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(20), pages 2189-2192, October.
    16. Finn Førsund & Dag Edvardsen & Sverre Kittelsen, 2015. "Productivity of tax offices in Norway," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 269-279, June.
    17. Bird, Richard M. & Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge & Torgler, Benno, 2008. "Tax Effort in Developing Countries and High Income Countries: The Impact of Corruption, Voice and Accountability," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 55-71, March.
    18. Cinzia Daraio & Léopold Simar, 2007. "Conditional nonparametric frontier models for convex and nonconvex technologies: a unifying approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 13-32, October.
    19. Badi H. Baltagi, 2021. "Simultaneous Equations with Error Components," Springer Texts in Business and Economics, in: Econometric Analysis of Panel Data, edition 6, chapter 0, pages 157-186, Springer.
    20. Charles M. Tiebout, 1956. "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditures," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(5), pages 416-416.
    21. Andreas Buehn & Christian Lessmann & Gunther Markwardt, 2013. "Decentralization and the shadow economy: Oates meets Allingham--Sandmo," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(18), pages 2567-2578, June.
    22. C A K Lovell & A P B Rouse, 2003. "Equivalent standard DEA models to provide super-efficiency scores," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 54(1), pages 101-108, January.
    23. James Alm & Denvil Duncan, 2014. "Estimating Tax Agency Efficiency," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 92-110, September.
    24. Raymond L. Raab & Richard W. Lichty, 2002. "Identifying Subareas That Comprise A Greater Metropolitan Area: The Criterion of County Relative Efficiency," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3), pages 579-594, August.
    25. Wolszczak-Derlacz, Joanna, 2017. "An evaluation and explanation of (in)efficiency in higher education institutions in Europe and the U.S. with the application of two-stage semi-parametric DEA," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9), pages 1595-1605.
    26. Ferede, Ergete & Dahlby, Bev, 2012. "The Impact of Tax Cuts on Economic Growth: Evidence From the Canadian Provinces," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 65(3), pages 563-594, September.
    27. Maria Katharaki & Marios Tsakas, 2010. "Assessing the efficiency and managing the performance of Greek tax offices," Journal of Advances in Management Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(1), pages 58-75, May.
    28. R. D. Banker & A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper, 1984. "Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(9), pages 1078-1092, September.
    29. Panizza, Ugo, 1999. "On the determinants of fiscal centralization: Theory and evidence," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 97-139, October.
    30. Carlos Pestana Barros, 2005. "Performance measurement in tax offices with a stochastic frontier model," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 32(5), pages 497-510, October.
    31. Nguyen, Trang T.T. & Prior, Diego & Van Hemmen, Stefan, 2020. "Stochastic semi-nonparametric frontier approach for tax administration efficiency measure: Evidence from a cross-country study," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 137-153.
    32. Elena Villar Rubio & Pedro Enrique Barrilao González & Juan Delgado Alaminos, 2017. "Relative efficiency within a tax administration: The effects of result improvement," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 9(1), pages 135-149, February.
    33. Belmonte-Martin, Irene & Ortiz, Lidia & Polo, Cristina, 2021. "Local tax management in Spain: A study of the conditional efficiency of provincial tax agencies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    34. Shwu-Huei Huang & Ming-Miin Yu & Ming-Shenq Hwang & Yu-Shan Wei & Ming-Huei Chen, 2017. "Efficiency of Tax Collection and Tax Management in Taiwan's Local Tax Offices," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 620-648, October.
    35. Keen, Michael & Lockwood, Ben, 2006. "Is the VAT a Money Machine?," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 59(4), pages 905-928, December.
    36. repec:taf:applec:45:y:2013:i:18:p:2567-2578 is not listed on IDEAS
    37. Balestra, Pietro & Varadharajan-Krishnakumar, Jayalakshmi, 1987. "Full Information Estimations of a System of Simultaneous Equations with Error Component Structure," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 223-246, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nicholas Bamegne Nambie & Philomena Dadzie & Dorcas Oye Haywood-Dadzie, 2023. "Measuring the Effect of Income Inequality, Financial Inclusion, Investment, and Unemployment, on Economic Growth in Africa: A Moderating Role of Digital Financial Technology," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 111-124, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nguyen, Trang T.T. & Prior, Diego & Van Hemmen, Stefan, 2020. "Stochastic semi-nonparametric frontier approach for tax administration efficiency measure: Evidence from a cross-country study," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 137-153.
    2. Belmonte-Martin, Irene & Ortiz, Lidia & Polo, Cristina, 2021. "Local tax management in Spain: A study of the conditional efficiency of provincial tax agencies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. José Manuel Cordero & Carlos Díaz Caro & Francisco Pedraja Chaparro & Cristina Polo Fernández, 2020. "Tributos cedidos y eficiencia en la gestión tributaria de las Comunidades Autónomas," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 232(1), pages 75-112, March.
    4. Elena Villar Rubio & Pedro Enrique Barrilao González & Juan Delgado Alaminos, 2017. "Relative efficiency within a tax administration: The effects of result improvement," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 9(1), pages 135-149, February.
    5. Avellón Naranjo, Blanca & Prieto Jano, María José, 2017. "Los factores determinantes de la eficiencia en la gestión de las Administraciones Tributarias Autonómicas españolas/The Determinants of Efficiency in the Tax Management of the Spanish Regional Tax Adm," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 35, pages 749-776, Agosto.
    6. Onesmo Kaiya Mackenzie, 2021. "Efficiency of tax revenue administration in Africa," Working Papers 02/2021, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    7. Huang, Shwu-Huei & Yu, Ming-Miin & Huang, Ya-Ling, 2022. "Evaluation of the efficiency of the local tax administration in Taiwan: Application of a dynamic network data envelopment analysis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Finn Førsund & Dag Edvardsen & Sverre Kittelsen, 2015. "Productivity of tax offices in Norway," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 269-279, June.
    9. Maria EL KHDARI & Babacar SARR, 2018. "Decentralization, spending efficiency and pro-poor outcomes in Morocco," Working Papers 201805, CERDI.
    10. Gil, Guilherme Dôco Roberti & Costa, Marcelo Azevedo & Lopes, Ana Lúcia Miranda & Mayrink, Vinícius Diniz, 2017. "Spatial statistical methods applied to the 2015 Brazilian energy distribution benchmarking model: Accounting for unobserved determinants of inefficiencies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 373-383.
    11. López-Herrera, Carmen & Cordero, José M. & Pedraja-Chaparro, Francisco & Polo, Cristina, 2023. "Fiscal rules and their influence on public sector efficiency," MPRA Paper 119018, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Day‐Yang Liu & Hsin‐Hsin Yao & Wen‐Min Lu & Cheng‐Hsien Lin, 2020. "Impulse response function analysis of the impacts of land value‐added tax policy on government performance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 1020-1032, September.
    13. Antonis Adam & Manthos Delis & Pantelis Kammas, 2014. "Fiscal decentralization and public sector efficiency: evidence from OECD countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 17-49, February.
    14. Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 2015. "Statistical Approaches for Non-parametric Frontier Models: A Guided Tour," International Statistical Review, International Statistical Institute, vol. 83(1), pages 77-110, April.
    15. Cordero Ferrera, Jose Manuel & Alonso Morán, Edurne & Nuño Solís, Roberto & Orueta, Juan F. & Souto Arce, Regina, 2013. "Efficiency assessment of primary care providers: A conditional nonparametric approach," MPRA Paper 51926, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2011. "A conditional full frontier modelling for analyzing environmental efficiency and economic growth," MPRA Paper 32839, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Agnese Sacchi, 2017. "The Impact Of Fiscal Decentralization: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1095-1129, September.
    18. Núñez, F. & Arcos-Vargas, A. & Villa, G., 2020. "Efficiency benchmarking and remuneration of Spanish electricity distribution companies," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    19. Canavire-Bacarreza, Gustavo & Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge & Yedgenov, Bauyrzhan, 2020. "Identifying and disentangling the impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    20. Halkos, George & Tzeremes, Nickolaos, 2011. "A conditional full frontier approach for investigating the Averch-Johnson effect," MPRA Paper 35491, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Efficiency; Tax collection; Decentralization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jpolmo:v:44:y:2022:i:2:p:298-318. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505735 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.