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Corruption, Accountability and Efficiency. An Application to Municipal Solid Waste Services

Author

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  • Graziano Abrate

    (Department of Business Management and Environment, University of Eastern Piedmont)

  • Federico Boffa

    (Department of Law and Economics, University of Macerata)

  • Fabrizio Erbetta

    (Department of Business Management and Environment, University of Eastern Piedmont)

  • Davide Vannoni

    (Department of Economics and Statistics (Dipartimento di Scienze Economico-Sociali e Matematico-Statistiche), University of Torino, Italy)

Abstract

This paper explores the link between accountability, corruption and efficiency in the context of a career concern model where politically connected local monopolies are in charge of the provision of a local public service. We find that both corruption and a low degree of accountability induce managers to reduce effort levels, thereby contributing to drive down efficiency. Our predictions are tested using data on solid waste management services provided by a large sample of Italian municipalities. The results of the estimation of a stochastic cost frontier model provide robust evidence that high corruption levels and low degrees of accountability substantially increase cost inefficiency. Finally, we show that the negative impact of corruption is weaker for municipalities ruled by left-wing parties, while the positive impact of accountability is stronger if the refuse collection service is managed by limited liability companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Graziano Abrate & Federico Boffa & Fabrizio Erbetta & Davide Vannoni, 2013. "Corruption, Accountability and Efficiency. An Application to Municipal Solid Waste Services," Working papers 022, Department of Economics and Statistics (Dipartimento di Scienze Economico-Sociali e Matematico-Statistiche), University of Torino.
    • Handle: RePEc:tur:wpapnw:022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Emmanuel Kazuva & Jiquan Zhang, 2019. "Analyzing Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Scenarios in Rapidly Urbanizing Cities in Developing Countries: The Case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-21, June.
    2. Massimo Finocchiaro Castro & Calogero Guccio & Giacomo Pignataro & Ilde Rizzo, 2018. "Is competition able to counteract the inefficiency of corruption? The case of Italian public works," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 45(1), pages 55-84, March.
    3. Massimo Finocchiaro Castro & Calogero Guccio & Ilde Rizzo, 2014. "An assessment of the waste effects of corruption on infrastructure provision," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 21(4), pages 813-843, August.
    4. Anselm Komla Abots, 2015. "Foreign Ownership of Firms and Corruption in Africa," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(3), pages 647-655.
    5. Anselm Komla Abotsi, 2016. "Power Outages and Production Efficiency of Firms in Africa," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 6(1), pages 98-104.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corruption; accountability efficiency; solid waste.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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