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Towards a Principal-Agent Based Typology of Risks in Public-Private Partnerships

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  • André de Palma

    (ENS Cachan - École normale supérieure - Cachan, X-DEP-ECO - Département d'Économie de l'École Polytechnique - X - École polytechnique)

  • Luc Leruth

    (IMF Office in Europe - EUO)

  • Guillaume Prunier

    (X - École polytechnique)

Abstract

There is a strong economic rationale for close cooperation between the public and private sectors. This has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for the provision of public services through instruments combining public and private money such as public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s). We describe these arrangements and explore how they can be analyzed using standard tools in economics (incentives and principal-agent theory). We discuss the implications of our approach in terms of identifying risks that are often overlooked before turining to the optimal risk-sharing between the public and private partners, in particular with respect to information asymmetries in risk perceptions. This allows us to propose a typology of the risks associated with PPPs, where both internal risks (the risks associated with the contract) and external risks (those associated with the project) are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • André de Palma & Luc Leruth & Guillaume Prunier, 2009. "Towards a Principal-Agent Based Typology of Risks in Public-Private Partnerships," Working Papers hal-00419234, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00419234
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00419234
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    Cited by:

    1. Nur, Suardi & Burton, Bruce & Bergmann, Ariel, 2023. "Evidence on optimal risk allocation models for Indonesian geothermal projects under PPP contracts," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    2. Crozet, Yves, 2014. "Extension of the high speed rail network in France: Facing the curse that affects PPPs in the rail sector," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 401-409.
    3. Demirag, Istemi & Khadaroo, Iqbal & Stapleton, Pamela & Stevenson, Caral, 2011. "Risks and the financing of PPP: Perspectives from the financiers," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 294-310.
    4. Verweij, Stefan & Meerkerk, Ingmar van, 2020. "Do public-private partnerships perform better? A comparative analysis of costs for additional work and reasons for contract changes in Dutch transport infrastructure projects," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 430-438.
    5. Raymond Deneckere & André de Palma & Luc Leruth, 2016. "Risk Sharing in an Adverse Selection Model," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01393213, HAL.
    6. Shrestha, Asheem & Chan, Toong-Khuan & Aibinu, Ajibade A. & Chen, Chuan, 2017. "Efficient risk transfer in PPP wastewater treatment projects," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 132-140.
    7. Xiuqin Wang & Shufan Wang & Ying Gao, 2023. "Optimal equity structure of PPP projects when private-sector shareholders’ “investor-contractor” dual roles is considered," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(11-12), pages 910-925, December.
    8. Eva I. Hoppe & Patrick W. Schmitz, 2013. "Public-private partnerships versus traditional procurement: Innovation incentives and information gathering," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 44(1), pages 56-74, March.
    9. Arshad Ali Javed & Patrick T.I. Lam & Albert P.C. Chan, 2014. "Change negotiation in public-private partnership projects through output specifications: an experimental approach based on game theory," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 323-348, April.

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    Keywords

    infrastructure financing; public-private partnerships; principal-agent framework; risk classification; transportation infrastructure; value for money;
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