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Inter-municipal cooperation, economies of scale and cost efficiency: an application of stochastic frontier analysis to Dutch municipal tax departments

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  • Thomas Niaounakis
  • Jos Blank

Abstract

Inter-municipal cooperation is increasingly popular in European countries. Saving cost is a key motivation. This paper analyses the relation between inter-municipal cooperation and cost efficiency among Dutch municipal tax departments between 2005 and 2012. Motivated by the notion that cost savings are ascribed to scale economies, the relation between cooperation and cost is modelled explicitly through scale. The size of the cooperation is incorporated as a determinant of cost efficiency. The results indicate that inter-municipal cooperation can contribute to reducing cost and that the relation can be explained by scale. Municipalities or cooperations sized around 10,000 inhabitants are estimated up to 30% inefficient. At 60,000 inhabitants, the benefits of scaling are largely exhausted. Other than through scale, municipalities that cooperate are not estimated to operate significantly more or less efficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Niaounakis & Jos Blank, 2017. "Inter-municipal cooperation, economies of scale and cost efficiency: an application of stochastic frontier analysis to Dutch municipal tax departments," Local Government Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(4), pages 533-554, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:533-554
    DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1322958
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jos L. T. Blank & Thomas K. Niaounakis, 2019. "Managing Size of Public Schools and School Boards: A Multi-Level Cost Approach Applied to Dutch Primary Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-11, November.
    2. Mintz, Mordekhay & Portnov, Boris A., 2023. "Social and environmental factors affecting the amount of property taxes collected by local authorities in Israel," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Stefano Manestra & Giovanna Messina & Anna Peta, 2018. "Is there strength in unity? Some preliminary evidence on inter-municipal cooperation in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 452, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Juan Luis Gómez-Reino & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2021. "Evidence on Economies of Scale in Local Public Service Provision: A Meta-Analysis," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper2116, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    5. Hiroki Baba & Yasushi Asami, 2020. "Estimating the minimal efficient scale and the effect of intermunicipal cooperation on service provision areas for waste treatment in Japan," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 139-158, February.
    6. Hannah Kosow & Sandra Wassermann & Stephan Bartke & Paul Goede & Detlef Grimski & Ines Imbert & Till Jenssen & Oliver Laukel & Matthias Proske & Jochen Protzer & Kim Philip Schumacher & Stefan Siedent, 2022. "Addressing Goal Conflicts: New Policy Mixes for Commercial Land Use Management," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-26, May.
    7. Germà Bel & Thomas Elston, 2022. ""When the Time is Right: Testing for Dynamic Effects in Collaborative Performance"," IREA Working Papers 202212, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jul 2022.
    8. Ki Eun Kang & Kyungha Lee, 2023. "Collaboration and Public Participation for Municipal Growth in Land Economic Development Projects," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 37(2), pages 170-182, May.
    9. Francesca Bartolacci & Rosanna Salvia & Giovanni Quaranta & Luca Salvati, 2022. "Seeking the Optimal Dimension of Local Administrative Units: A Reflection on Urban Concentration and Changes in Municipal Size," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Jos L. T. Blank & Thomas K. Niaounakis, 2021. "Economies of Scale and Sustainability in Local Government: A Complex Issue," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-10, November.
    11. de la Higuera-Molina, Emilio José & Campos-Alba, Cristina María & López-Pérez, Germán & Zafra-Gómez, José Luis, 2023. "Efficiency of water service management alternatives in Spain considering environmental factors," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    12. Germà Bel & Marianna Sebo, 2018. "“Does inter-municipal cooperation really reduce delivery costs? An empirical evaluation of the role of scale economies, transaction costs, and governance arrangements”," IREA Working Papers 201816, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jul 2018.
    13. Jos L. T. Blank, 2021. "Sustainable Provision of School Buildings in The Netherlands: An Empirical Productivity Analysis of Local Government School Building Operations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-11, August.
    14. Germà Bel & Thomas Elston, 2023. ""Disentangling the separate and combined effects of privatization and cooperation on local government service delivery"," IREA Working Papers 202311, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Oct 2023.
    15. Jose-Luis Zafra-Gómez & Germán López-Pérez & Marta Garrido-Montañés & Elisabeth Zafra-Gómez, 2023. "Cost Efficiency in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): Different Alternatives in Service Delivery for Small and Medium Sized Spanish Local Governments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, April.

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