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Read my lips: The role of information transmission in multilateral reform design

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  • Marchesi, Silvia
  • Sabani, Laura
  • Dreher, Axel

Abstract

We focus on the role that the transmission of information between a multilateral (e.g., the IMF) and a country has for optimal (conditional) reform design. The main result is that the informational advantage of the country must be strictly greater than the advantage of the multilateral in order to increase a country's discretion in the choice of the policies to be implemented (country ownership). To the contrary, an increase in the conflict of interests between the multilateral and the country may lead the multilateral to leave more freedom in designing reforms, which is at odds to what is commonly argued. Our empirical results provide support to the idea that the IMF follows an optimal allocation rule of control rights over policies, leaving the recipient countries more freedom whenever their local knowledge appears to be crucial for designing more adequate reforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Marchesi, Silvia & Sabani, Laura & Dreher, Axel, 2009. "Read my lips: The role of information transmission in multilateral reform design," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 86, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:cegedp:86
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    Cited by:

    1. Luigi Marattin & Simone Meraglia & Raoul Minetti, 2022. "Sovereign bail‐outs and fiscal rules in a banking union," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 124(4), pages 1024-1055, October.
    2. Sylvia Marchesi, 2010. "From Economic Crisis to Reform. IMF Programs in Latin America and Eastern Europe," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 86(273), pages 304-307, June.
    3. Morana, Claudio, 2013. "Oil price dynamics, macro-finance interactions and the role of financial speculation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 206-226.
    4. Axel Dreher & Kai Gehring & Christos Kotsogiannis & Silvia Marchesi, 2018. "Information transmission within federal fiscal architectures: theory and evidence," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 70(1), pages 243-265.
    5. Bomprezzi, Pietro & Marchesi, Silvia, 2023. "A firm level approach on the effects of IMF programs," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    6. Molly Bauer & Cesi Cruz & Benjamin Graham, 2012. "Democracies only: When do IMF agreements serve as a seal of approval?," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 33-58, March.
    7. Axel Dreher & Sarah Langlotz & Silvia Marchesi, 2017. "Information Transmission And Ownership Consolidation In Aid Programs," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(4), pages 1671-1688, October.
    8. Bommer, Christian & Dreher, Axel & Perez-Alvarez, Marcello, 2022. "Home bias in humanitarian aid: The role of regional favoritism in the allocation of international disaster relief," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    9. Hodler, Roland & Dreher, Axel, 2013. "Development (paradigm) failures," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 63-74.
    10. Silvia Marchesi & Tania Masi & Saumik Paul, 2021. "Project Aid and Firm Performance," Working Papers 479, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Sep 2021.
    11. Marchesi, Silvia & Missale, Alessandro, 2013. "Did High Debts Distort Loan and Grant Allocation to IDA Countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 44-62.
    12. Silvia Marchesi & Laura Sabani, 2013. "Does it take two to tango? Improving cooperation between the IMF and the World Bank: theory and empirical evidence," Working Papers - Economics wp2013_20.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    13. Laura Sabani, 2019. "The IMF and the World Bank: The Role of Competition and Domain Dissent in Communication and Decision Making," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 48(1), February.
    14. Marchesi, Silvia, 2018. "Communication and performance in Bank–Fund joint participation," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 263-276.
    15. Silvia Marchesi & Tania Masi, 2019. "Allocation of Implementing Power: Evidence from World Bank Projects," Development Working Papers 447, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano.
    16. Silvia Marchesi & Tania Masi, 2021. "Delegation of implementation in project aid," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 655-687, July.
    17. Silvia Marchesi & Laura Sabani, 2013. "Does it take two to tango? How to improve cooperation between the IMF and the World Bank," Working Papers 232, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2013.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    IMF conditionality; delegation; communication; ownership; panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • N2 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions

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