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The Economic Effect of Corruption in Italy: A Regional Panel Analysis

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  • Lisciandra, Maurizio
  • Millemaci, Emanuele

Abstract

This paper provides a within-country analysis of the impact of corruption on economic growth using a panel of Italian regions from 1968 to 2011 through a robust measure of corruption. This measure is averaged over 5-year periods to reduce short-run fluctuations and to reduce probable delayed effects, which are typical for latent phenomena such as corruption. The results show a significant negative impact of corruption on long-term growth in all specifications, both on average and for each Italian region. As a consequence, a zero-level of corruption is growth maximizing. This effect is non-linear such that the negative impact of corruption on growth becomes less intense as corruption increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisciandra, Maurizio & Millemaci, Emanuele, 2015. "The Economic Effect of Corruption in Italy: A Regional Panel Analysis," MPRA Paper 62173, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:62173
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    2. Giuseppe Attanasi & Alessandro Bucciol & Simona Cicognani & Natalia Montinari, 2017. "The Italian North-South Divide in Perceived Dishonesty: A Matter of Trust?," Working Papers of BETA 2017-32, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    3. Alessandro Cascavilla & Rocco Caferra & Andrea Morone, 2023. "The green and the dark side of distance learning: from environmental quality to socioeconomic inequality," Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics (SABE), vol. 7(2), pages 33-38, December.
    4. Tamara Fioroni & Andrea Mario Lavezzi & Giovanni Trovato, 2023. "Organized Crime, Corruption and Economic Growth," Discussion Papers 2023/298, Dipartimento di Economia e Management (DEM), University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
    5. Calcagnini, Giorgio & Marin, Giovanni & Perugini, Francesco, 2021. "Labour flexibility, internal migration and productivity in Italian regions," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 308-320.
    6. Óscar Afonso & Ana Rita Longras, 2022. "Corruption, institutional quality, and offshoring: How do they affect comparative advantage, inter‐country wage inequality, and economic growth?," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 987-1020, November.
    7. Afonso, Oscar & Bandeira, Ana Maria & Lima, Pedro G., 2022. "Growth and welfare effects of corruption penalties," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    8. Lili Pan & Lin Wang & Qianqian Feng, 2022. "Effects of Host-Country Corruption on China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investments: Expert Knowledge Versus Public Awareness," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, December.
    9. Fabio Monteduro & Ilenia Cecchetti & Ylenia Lai & Veronica Allegrini, 2021. "Does stakeholder engagement affect corruption risk management?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(3), pages 759-785, September.
    10. Emanuele Millemaci & Alessandra Patti, 2022. "Nemo Propheta in Patria: Empirical Evidence from Italy," Working Papers 2022.10, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    11. Millemaci, Emanuele & Patti, Alessandra, 2022. "Nemo Propheta in Patria: Empirical Evidence from Italy," FEEM Working Papers 319966, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corruption; economic growth; cross-regional analysis; dynamic panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • K4 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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