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Shrinking the shadow economy: Experimental insights into the role of financial development

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  • Goudarzi, Mostafa
  • Mittone, Luigi

Abstract

In this experiment-based study, we examined how development in the financial sector influences people’s propensity to participate in the shadow economy. We used a within-subject and between-subject design to examine the impact of various shadow economy structures, with a focus on the credit supply as a common proxy for financial development. Our research shows that people are more likely to operate in the formal economy when the level of financial development is higher, even if it associated with higher tax rate. We also found that the structure of the shadow economy affects people’s propensity toward it only when financial development is sufficiently advanced to create certainty in receiving credit.

Suggested Citation

  • Goudarzi, Mostafa & Mittone, Luigi, 2023. "Shrinking the shadow economy: Experimental insights into the role of financial development," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:107:y:2023:i:c:s2214804323001064
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2023.102080
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    Cited by:

    1. Bui Dan Thanh & Nguyen Van Diep & Nguyen Huynh Mai Tram, 2024. "Impacts of financial development and green trade on the shadow economy: An insight of eagle countries using Bayesian approaches," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(5), pages 1-19, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial development; Shadow economy; Experimental economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior

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