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Private Outsourcing and Competition: Subsidized Food Distribution in Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Abhijit Banerjee
  • Rema Hanna
  • Jordan Kyle
  • Benjamin A. Olken
  • Sudarno Sumarto

Abstract

We explore the impact of allowing for outsourcing service delivery to the private sector within Indonesia's largest targeted transfer program. In a field experiment across 572 municipalities, we find that allowing for outsourcing the last mile of food delivery reduced operating costs without sacrificing quality. However, the prices citizens paid were lower only where we modified the bidding rules to encourage more bidders. Higher rents are associated with greater entry despite elites' efforts to block reform. In this context, the option to outsource and sufficient competition generated significant benefits relative to public distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Abhijit Banerjee & Rema Hanna & Jordan Kyle & Benjamin A. Olken & Sudarno Sumarto, 2019. "Private Outsourcing and Competition: Subsidized Food Distribution in Indonesia," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(1), pages 101-137.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/700734
    DOI: 10.1086/700734
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    Cited by:

    1. Juan Pablo Atal & José Ignacio Cuesta & Felipe González & Cristóbal Otero, 2024. "The Economics of the Public Option: Evidence from Local Pharmaceutical Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(3), pages 615-644, March.
    2. Deutschmann, Joshua W. & Gars, Jared & Houde, Jean-François & Lipscomb, Molly & Schechter, Laura, 2023. "Privatization of public goods: Evidence from the sanitation sector in Senegal," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Samuel Bazzi & Masyhur Hilmy & Benjamin Marx, 2020. "Religion, Education, and Development," Working Papers hal-03873758, HAL.
    4. Manuel Oechslin & Elias Steiner, 2022. "Statistical capacity and corrupt bureaucracies," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 143-174, January.
    5. Abhijit Banerjee & Rema Hanna & Benjamin A Olken & Elan Satriawan & Sudarno Sumarto, "undated". "Food vs. Food Stamps: Evidence from an At-Scale Experiment in Indonesia," Working Papers 2373, Publications Department.
    6. Katherine Meckel, 2020. "Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease? Unintended Effects of Payment Reform in a Quantity-Based Transfer Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(6), pages 1821-1865, June.
    7. Junying Lin & Zhonggen Zhang & Ziming Liu & Jens Rommel, 2020. "The impact of cooperatives’ transportation services on farm income: Evidence from tobacco farmers in Guizhou, China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 146-158, January.
    8. Matias Busso & Sebastian Galiani, 2019. "The Causal Effect of Competition on Prices and Quality: Evidence from a Field Experiment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 33-56, January.
    9. Emerick, Kyle & De Janvry, Alain & Sadoulet, Elisabeth & Dar, Manzoor & Wiseman, Eleanor, 2020. "Private Input Suppliers as Information Agents for Technology Adoption in Agriculture," CEPR Discussion Papers 15584, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Christopher Neilson & Michael Dinerstein & Sebastián Otero, 2020. "The Equilibrium Effects of Public Provision in Education Markets: Evidence from a Public School Expansion Policy," Working Papers 645, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    11. Lorenz, Aaron & Lee, Yu Na, 2023. "On Rice and Weddings: Impacts of Food Assistance on Child Marriage in Indonesia," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335954, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. Junying Lin & Songqing Jin & Hongdong Guo, 2023. "Do outsourcing services provided by agricultural cooperatives affect technical efficiency? Insights from tobacco farmers in China," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 781-804, September.

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