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Institutions and public investment: an empirical analysis

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  • Francesco Grigoli
  • Zachary Mills

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of institutional quality on the levels, volatility and quality of public investment. Our findings suggest an inverse relationship between public investment levels and institutional quality, supporting the idea that governments use public investment as a vehicle for rent seeking. We also find that lower quality of governance increases the volatility of public investment. Finally, we provide some tentative evidence of a positive relationship between institutional quality and the quality of infrastructure. Policymakers who aim to reduce infrastructure needs through capital spending should take measures to strengthen institutional capacity to manage public investments. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Grigoli & Zachary Mills, 2014. "Institutions and public investment: an empirical analysis," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 131-153, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ecogov:v:15:y:2014:i:2:p:131-153
    DOI: 10.1007/s10101-013-0137-y
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    Cited by:

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    2. Andreas P. Kyriacou & Leonel Muinelo-Gallo & Oriol Roca-Sagalés, 2018. "The efficiency of transport infrastructure investment and the role of institutions: an empirical analysis," Working Papers. Collection B: Regional and sectoral economics 1802, Universidade de Vigo, GEN - Governance and Economics research Network.
    3. Antonio Rojas Canela & Juan Carlos Moreno-Brid, 2022. "A New Index for Public Investment Management," Remef - Revista Mexicana de Economía y Finanzas Nueva Época REMEF (The Mexican Journal of Economics and Finance), Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas, IMEF, vol. 17(1), pages 1-15, Enero - M.
    4. Su, Thanh Dinh & Nguyen, Canh Phuc, 2021. "Twin balances, public governance and private investment: Quantile estimation for OECD countries," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 85-93.
    5. Honoré S. Houngbedji & Nassibou Bassongui, 2021. "Investissement Public et Investissement Privé en Afrique Subsaharienne: Rôle de la Qualité Institutionnelle," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(3), pages 466-478, September.
    6. Godwin Olasehinde-Williams & Oktay Özkan, 2022. "Is interest rate uncertainty a predictor of investment volatility? evidence from the wild bootstrap likelihood ratio approach," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 46(3), pages 507-521, July.
    7. Asma Arif & Umaima Arif, 2023. "Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, May.
    8. Mostafa Amir, Sabbih, 2017. "An Assessment of the Efficacy of Delivering the Annual Development Program in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 84668, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Mindaugas Butkus & Alma Mačiulytė-Šniukienė & Kristina Matuzevičiūtė, 2020. "Mediating Effects of Cohesion Policy and Institutional Quality on Convergence between EU Regions: An Examination Based on a Conditional Beta-Convergence Model with a 3-Way Multiplicative Term," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-37, April.
    10. Kyriacou, Andreas P. & Muinelo-Gallo, Leonel & Roca-Sagalés, Oriol, 2019. "The efficiency of transport infrastructure investment and the role of government quality: An empirical analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 93-102.
    11. Francisco Díez-Martín & Alicia Blanco-González & Giorgia Miotto, 2022. "The impact of state legitimacy on entrepreneurial activity," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 935-955, June.
    12. Chien-Chiang Lee & Godwin O Olasehinde-Williams & Ifedolapo Olabisi Olanipekun, 2022. "GDP volatility implication of tourism volatility in South Africa: A time-varying approach," Tourism Economics, , vol. 28(2), pages 435-450, March.
    13. Su, Chi-Wei & Sun, Tiezhu & Ahmad, Shabbir & Mirza, Nawazish, 2021. "Does institutional quality and remittances inflow crowd-in private investment to avoid Dutch Disease? A case for emerging seven (E7) economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    14. Alimi, R. Santos, 2018. "Growth effect of government expenditures in West African countries: A nonlinear framework," MPRA Paper 99108, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2019.
    15. Gabriel Natividad, 2022. "Decentralizing investment: Evidence from municipal organization after close elections," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 734-761, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public investment; Institutions; Governance; E22; H54;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures

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