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Size-dependent tax enforcement and compliance : global evidence and aggregate implications

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  • Bachas,Pierre Jean
  • Fattal Jaef,Roberto N.
  • Jensen,Anders

Abstract

This paper studies the prevalence and consequences of size-dependent tax enforcement and compliance. The identification strategy uses the ranking of industries'average firm size in the United States as an instrument for the size ranking of the same industries in developing countries. Data on 125,000 firms in 140 countries show that tax enforcement and compliance increase with size. Size-dependence is more prevalent in low-income countries, and concentrated at the top of the size distribution. When quantified in a general equilibrium model, removing size dependent enforcement leads to gains in Total Factor Productivity of up to 0.8 percent.

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  • Bachas,Pierre Jean & Fattal Jaef,Roberto N. & Jensen,Anders, 2018. "Size-dependent tax enforcement and compliance : global evidence and aggregate implications," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8363, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:8363
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    2. Tamkoc,Mehmet Nazim, 2022. "Bribery, Plant Size and Size Dependent Distortions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10159, The World Bank.
    3. Denis Cogneau & Yannick Dupraz & Justine Knebelmann & Sandrine Mesplé-Somps, 2021. "Taxation in Africa from Colonial Times to Present Evidence from former French colonies 1900-2018," PSE Working Papers halshs-03420664, HAL.
    4. Sánchez-Ballesta, Juan Pedro & Yagüe, José, 2023. "Tax avoidance and the cost of debt for SMEs: Evidence from Spain," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2).
    5. Holz, Justin E. & List, John A. & Zentner, Alejandro & Cardoza, Marvin & Zentner, Joaquin E., 2023. "The $100 million nudge: Increasing tax compliance of firms using a natural field experiment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    6. Patricia Gil & Justin Holz & John List & Andrew Simon & Alejandro Zentner, 2023. "Toward an Understanding of Tax Amnesties: Theory and Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," Natural Field Experiments 00772, The Field Experiments Website.
    7. Lopez-Martin, Bernabe & Perez-Reyna, David, 2021. "Contracts, firm dynamics, and aggregate productivity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    8. Gustavo de Souza, 2020. "Employment and Welfare Effects of the Quota for Disabled Workers in Brazil," Working Paper Series WP 2023-11, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    9. Eberhartinger, Eva & Safaei, Reyhaneh & Sureth, Caren & Wu, Yuchen, 2021. "Are risk-based tax audit stretegies rewarded? An analysis of corporate tax avoidance," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 267, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    10. Era Dabla-Norris & Mark Gradstein & Fedor Miryugin & Florian Misch, 2019. "Productivity and Tax Evasion," CESifo Working Paper Series 8002, CESifo.
    11. Sandra Aulia & Haula Rosdiana & Inayati Inayati, 2022. "Trust, Power, and Tax Risk into the “Slippery Slope”: A Corporate Tax Compliance Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    12. Fan, Ziying & Liu, Yu, 2020. "Tax Compliance and Investment Incentives: Firm Responses to Accelerated Depreciation in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 1-17.
    13. Guo, Jang-Ting & Hung, Fu-Sheng, 2020. "Tax evasion and financial development under asymmetric information in credit markets," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    14. Joel Slemrod & Tejaswi Velayudhan, 2022. "The VAT at 100: A Retrospective Survey and Agenda for Future Research," Public Finance Review, , vol. 50(1), pages 4-32, January.
    15. Ando, Sakai, 2021. "Size-dependent policies and risky firm creation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
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    17. Muhammad Khudadad Chatta, 2020. "Do Deadline Extensions Encourage Tax Filing? Evidence from Pakistan," CSAE Working Paper Series 2020-21, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public Finance Decentralization and Poverty Reduction; Public Sector Economics; Public Sector Development; Tax Law; Law and Development; Tax Administration; Economic Adjustment and Lending; Macroeconomics and Economic Growth; Macro-Fiscal Policy; Taxation&Subsidies; Labor Markets; Common Carriers Industry; Pulp&Paper Industry; Business Cycles and Stabilization Policies; Food&Beverage Industry; Industry; Textiles; Apparel&Leather Industry; Construction Industry; General Manufacturing; Plastics&Rubber Industry; Private Sector Development; Business in Development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis

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