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The sticky cost phenomenon at the local government level: empirical evidence from Greece

Author

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  • Sandra Cohen
  • Sotirios Karatzimas
  • Vassilios-Christos Naoum

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the asymmetric cost behaviour in Greek local governments. More precisely, it investigates whether municipality costs show stickiness or anti-stickiness behaviour after increases or decreases in the stream of their revenues. Design/methodology/approach - The Andersonet al.’s (2003) approach is adapted to the public sector environment by using types of expenses and revenues typical to the local government setting. The data sample consists of 1,852 observations of Greek municipalities for the period 2002-2008. Findings - The empirical evidence suggests that local government managers adjust resources related to administrative services faster when revenues decrease than when they rise (anti-stickiness cost behaviour). On the contrary, they adjust costs of service provision which are associated with core activities asymmetrically; more quickly for upward than for downward activity changes (cost stickiness behaviour). Research limitations/implications - While prior studies examine the sticky cost phenomenon in the private sector, this study explores this phenomenon in the public sector through a data sample of municipalities. Local governments constitute an appealing and unique setting for the examination of asymmetric cost behaviour due to the existence of a strong political influence, which appears to affect rational economic decision making, and their non-profit character, which prevents them from acting in a business-like manner. Practical implications - Understanding how cost stickiness works inside local understanding how cost stickiness works inside local governments, could lead to an understanding of its implications in periods of cutback measures. Decreases in municipalities’ subsidies and grants as a result of cutbacks in central government expenditures should not be expected to automatically result in symmetric savings in expenditures as corresponding increases in expenditures when revenues used to grow. At the same time, it might be difficult to achieve balanced budgets in municipalities when there is a considerable decrease in revenues, without having to make considerable adjustments to the input values, the output and the mix of services offered by them. Originality/value - This study contributes to the accounting literature by expanding the understanding of how deliberate decisions influence the asymmetric cost behaviour in local governments, to different cost categories (administrative expenses and cost of service provision) and different revenue categories (grants, tax revenues and revenues from sales of goods and services).

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Cohen & Sotirios Karatzimas & Vassilios-Christos Naoum, 2017. "The sticky cost phenomenon at the local government level: empirical evidence from Greece," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(4), pages 445-463, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:jaarpp:jaar-03-2015-0019
    DOI: 10.1108/JAAR-03-2015-0019
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dionisio Buendía-Carrillo & Juan Lara-Rubio & Andrés Navarro-Galera & María Elena Gómez-Miranda, 2020. "The impact of population size on the risk of local government default," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(5), pages 1264-1286, October.
    2. Naoum, Vasilios-Christos & Ntounis, Dimitrios & Papanastasopoulos, Georgios & Vlismas, Orestes, 2023. "Asymmetric cost behavior: Theory, meta-analysis, and implications," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    3. Laszlo Vasa & Szilard Hegedus & Csaba Lentner, 2021. "Debt Dynamics Among European Municipalities and Their Organizations: Comparative Analysis with Focus on Hungary," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 622-645.
    4. Komang Ayu Krisnadewi & Noorlailie Soewarno, 2021. "Optimism and profit-based incentives in cost stickiness: an experimental study," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 7-31, March.
    5. Cristiana Cattaneo & Gaia Bassani, 2020. "Sticky costs: le determinanti e le sfide per manager e accademici," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2020(Suppl. 1), pages 103-126.
    6. Ibrahim, Awad Elsayed Awad & Ali, Hesham & Aboelkheir, Heba, 2022. "Cost stickiness: A systematic literature review of 27 years of research and a future research agenda," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    7. Riha Dedi Priantana & Abdul Rohman & Fuad, 2020. "Attainment Discrepancy Level, Firm Resources Slack, and Sticky Cost," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 11(2), pages 97-110, April.
    8. Shohei Nagasawa, 2018. "Asymmetric cost behavior in local public enterprises: exploring the public interest and striving for efficiency," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 225-273, December.
    9. Hakan Özkaya, 2021. "Sticky cost behavior: evidence from small and medium sized enterprises in Turkey," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(2), pages 349-369, June.

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