IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/mil/wpdepa/2014-05.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Yes, no, maybe: the ambiguous relationships between State-owned enterprises and States

Author

Listed:
  • Carole RENTSCH
  • Matthias FINGER

Abstract

In the process of liberalization and, with the introduction of sector-specific regulators, the position of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) of the network industries has changed not only within national economies, but also vis-à-vis their respective States. Reacting to this new environment, many SOEs started to pursue ambiguous non-market strategies, simultaneously seeking autonomy and State protection. In response to these strategies, States, in their various roles, particularly as both owners and regulators of SOEs, became especially interested in the control of strategically important SOEs. In this paper, we observe ambiguous relationships of SOEs with the French, German and Swiss State. We show that the positions of States vis-à-vis their enterprises is also ambiguous and the behavior, thus, may not always be effective, due mainly to role conflicts.

Suggested Citation

  • Carole RENTSCH & Matthias FINGER, 2014. "Yes, no, maybe: the ambiguous relationships between State-owned enterprises and States," Departmental Working Papers 2014-05, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    • Handle: RePEc:mil:wpdepa:2014-05
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://wp.demm.unimi.it/files/wp/2014/DEMM-2014_05wp.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jean‐Philippe Bonardi, 2004. "Global and political strategies in deregulated industries: the asymmetric behaviors of former monopolies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 101-120, February.
    2. Judith Clifton & Daniel Díaz-Fuentes, 2011. "The European Union, Southern Multinationals and the Question of the ‘Strategic Industries’," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Louis Brennan (ed.), The Emergence of Southern Multinationals, chapter 12, pages 226-241, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Przemyslaw Kowalski & Max Büge & Monika Sztajerowska & Matias Egeland, 2013. "State-Owned Enterprises: Trade Effects and Policy Implications," OECD Trade Policy Papers 147, OECD Publishing.
    4. Giuseppe BOGNETTI & Gabriel OBERMANN, 2012. "Local Public Services In European Countries: Main Results Of A Research Project By Ciriec International," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(4), pages 485-503, December.
    5. Millward,Robert, 2005. "Private and Public Enterprise in Europe," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521835244.
    6. Massimo Florio & Fabienne Fecher, 2011. "The Future Of Public Enterprises: Contributions To A New Discourse," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 361-373, December.
    7. Robert Millward, 2011. "Public Enterprise In The Modern Western World: An Historical Analysis," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 375-398, December.
    8. Giuseppe Bognetti & Gabriel Obermann, 2008. "Liberalization And Privatization Of Public Utilities: Origins Of The Debate, Current Issues And Challenges For The Future," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 79(3‐4), pages 461-485, September.
    9. Matthias Finger & Rolf W. Künneke (ed.), 2011. "International Handbook of Network Industries," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12961.
    10. Bonardi, Jean-Philippe, 2008. "The internal limits to firms' nonmarket activities," MPRA Paper 14500, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Luc Bernier, 2011. "The Future Of Public Enterprises: Perspectives From The Canadian Experience," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 399-419, December.
    12. Gabriel OBERMANN, 2007. "The Role Of The State As Guarantor Of Public Services: Transaction Cost Issues And Empirical Evidence," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 78(3), pages 475-500, September.
    13. George A. Boyne, 2002. "Public and Private Management: What’s the Difference?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 97-122, January.
    14. Florio, Massimo, 2013. "Network Industries and Social Welfare: The Experiment that Reshuffled European Utilities," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199674855.
    15. Judith Clifton & Pierre Lanthier & Harm Schröter, 2011. "Regulating and deregulating the public utilities 1830--2010," Business History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(5), pages 659-672, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carole RENTSCH & Matthias FINGER, 2015. "Yes, No, Maybe: The Ambiguous Relationships Between State-Owned Enterprises And The State," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(4), pages 617-640, December.
    2. Luc BERNIER & Eoin REEVES, 2018. "The Continuing Importance Of State‐Owned Enterprise In The Twenty‐First Century: Challenges For Public Policy," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(3), pages 453-458, September.
    3. Massimo Florio, 2016. "Per una comparative political economy dell?impresa pubblica: alcuni contributi recenti (2013-2015)," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(2), pages 5-41.
    4. Clifton, Judith & Díaz-Fuentes, Daniel & Revuelta, Julio, 2014. "Financing utilities: How the role of the European Investment Bank shifted from regional development to making markets," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 63-71.
    5. Stefano CLÒ & Chiara F. DEL BÒ & Matteo FERRARIS & Carlo FIORIO & Massimo FLORIO & Daniela VANDONE, 2014. "Publicization versus Privatization: Recent worldwide evidence," CIRIEC Working Papers 1403, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    6. Clò, Stefano & Florio, Massimo & Rentocchini, Francesco, 2020. "Firm ownership, quality of government and innovation: Evidence from patenting in the telecommunication industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(5).
    7. Szarzec, Katarzyna & Dombi, Ákos & Matuszak, Piotr, 2021. "State-owned enterprises and economic growth: Evidence from the post-Lehman period," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    8. Timo TREMML, 2019. "Linking Two Worlds? Entrepreneurial Orientation In Public Enterprises: A Systematic Review And Research Agenda," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 90(1), pages 25-51, March.
    9. Stefano CLO & Chiara F. DEL BO & Matteo FERRARIS & Massimo FLORIO & Daniela VANDONE & Carlo FIORIO, 2015. "Public Enterprises In The Market For Corporate Control: Recent Worldwide Evidence," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(4), pages 559-583, December.
    10. Bonardi, Jean-Philippe & Urbiztondo, Santiago, 2013. "Asset freezing, corporate political resources and the Tullock paradox," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 275-293, October.
    11. Voszka, Éva, 2015. "Államosítás, privatizáció és gazdaságpolitika - a főirány széttöredezése [Nationalization and privatization - in the shadow of changing paradigms of economic policy]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(7), pages 717-748.
    12. Abbott, Malcolm & Cohen, Bruce, 2022. "Economics, ideology, and the creation and performance of state-owned electricity utilities in Australia, 1900 to 1950," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Roberto Cardinale, 2022. "State-Owned Enterprises’ Reforms and their Implications for the Resilience and Vulnerability of the Chinese Economy: Evidence from the Banking, Energy and Telecom Sectors," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 489-514, September.
    14. Saes, Alexandre Macchione & Loureiro, Felipe Pereira, 2014. "What developing countries' past energy policies can tell us about energy issues today? Lessons from the expropriation of American Foreign and Power in Brazil (1959–1965)," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 36-43.
    15. Andrea ZATTI, 2011. "Organizational models in European local public transport: is the new paradigm really dominant," Departmental Working Papers 2011-29, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    16. Andrea ZATTI, 2012. "New Organizational Models In European Local Public Transport: From Myth To Reality," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(4), pages 533-559, December.
    17. Roberto CARDINALE, 2017. "The Political-Economy Implications of the Transition from State-Owned to Mixed-Owned Enterprises: Evidence from the European Gas Sector," Departmental Working Papers 2017-10, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    18. Clò, Stefano & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Florio, Massimo, 2017. "The targets of state capitalism: evidence from M&A deals," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 61-74.
    19. Clifton, Judith & Fuentes, Daniel Diaz & Warner, Mildred, 2016. "The loss of public values when public shareholders go abroad," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 134-143.
    20. Hongsheng Fang & Wen‐Quan Hu & Ruhua Shi & Xufei Zhang, 2023. "The Chinese‐style macroeconomic control: The role of state‐owned enterprises," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 702-725, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    State-owned enterprise (; SOE); public sector reform; regulation; universal service;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L32 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Enterprises; Public-Private Enterprises
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • L38 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Policy
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:mil:wpdepa:2014-05. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: DEMM Working Papers (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/damilit.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.