IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/diedps/282986.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Are global value chains for sale? On business-state relations in the MENA region

Author

Listed:
  • Aboushady, Nora
  • Zaki, Chahir

Abstract

We use new data on political connections from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys to examine the impact of connections on firms' participation in global value chains (GVCs) for six MENA countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, and Lebanon). In addition to political connections, we construct several measures of "political influence" based on available data on lobbying and grand corruption. We also explore whether political connections help firms overcome barriers to trade and investment and increase their participation in GVCs at the extensive and intensive margins. Our findings suggest that political connections do matter for firms' GVC participation. The impact is more pronounced for firms that combine political connections with informal payments to influence policymaking. Our findings on the significance of trade and investment barriers for GVC participation for different categories of firms' political influence are - however - inconclusive.

Suggested Citation

  • Aboushady, Nora & Zaki, Chahir, 2023. "Are global value chains for sale? On business-state relations in the MENA region," IDOS Discussion Papers 17/2023, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:diedps:282986
    DOI: 10.23661/idp17.2023
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/282986/1/1877398047.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.23661/idp17.2023?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giovanni Facchini & Johannes Van Biesebroeck & Gerald Willmann, 2006. "Protection for sale with imperfect rent capturing," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(3), pages 845-873, August.
    2. Tovar, Patricia, 2011. "Lobbying costs and trade policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 126-136, March.
    3. Ishac Diwan & Philip Keefer & Marc Schiffbauer, 2020. "Pyramid capitalism: Cronyism, regulation, and firm productivity in Egypt," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 211-246, January.
    4. Phillip McCalman, 2004. "Protection for Sale and Trade Liberalization: an Empirical Investigation," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(1), pages 81-94, February.
    5. Eitan Goldman & Jörg Rocholl & Jongil So, 2013. "Politically Connected Boards of Directors and The Allocation of Procurement Contracts," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 17(5), pages 1617-1648.
    6. Mahdi Ghodsi & Robert Stehrer, 2022. "Trade policy and global value chains: tariffs versus non-tariff measures," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 158(3), pages 887-916, August.
    7. Tariq Dana, 2020. "Crony capitalism in the Palestinian Authority: a deal among friends," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(2), pages 247-263, February.
    8. Giovanni Facchini & Marcelo Olarreaga & Peri Silva & Gerald Willmann, 2010. "Substitutability and Protectionism: Latin America's Trade Policy and Imports from China and India," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 24(3), pages 446-473, June.
    9. Bown, Chad P. & Tovar, Patricia, 2011. "Trade liberalization, antidumping, and safeguards: Evidence from India's tariff reform," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 115-125, September.
    10. Susanna Thede & Nils-Åke Gustafson, 2012. "The Multifaceted Impact of Corruption on International Trade," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(5), pages 651-666, May.
    11. Biswajit Banerjee & Juraj Zeman, 2022. "Determinants of global value chain participation: cross-country analysis," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 59-95, June.
    12. Giovanni Maggi & Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, 1999. "Protection for Sale: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(5), pages 1135-1155, December.
    13. Salvador Gil-Pareja & Rafael Llorca-Vivero & José Antonio Martínez-Serrano, 2019. "Corruption and international trade: a comprehensive analysis with gravity," Applied Economic Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(79), pages 3-20, August.
    14. Andrew B. Bernard & J. Bradford Jensen, 2004. "Why Some Firms Export," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(2), pages 561-569, May.
    15. Asim Ijaz Khwaja & Atif Mian, 2005. "Do Lenders Favor Politically Connected Firms? Rent Provision in an Emerging Financial Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(4), pages 1371-1411.
    16. Rupa Duttagupta & Arvind Panagariya, 2007. "Free Trade Areas And Rules Of Origin: Economics And Politics," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 169-190, July.
    17. Kishore Gawande & Usree Bandyopadhyay, 2000. "Is Protection for Sale? Evidence on the Grossman-Helpman Theory of Endogenous Protection," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(1), pages 139-152, February.
    18. Claessens, Stijn & Feijen, Erik & Laeven, Luc, 2008. "Political connections and preferential access to finance: The role of campaign contributions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 554-580, June.
    19. Devashish Mitra & Dimitrios D. Thomakos & Mehmet A. Ulubaşoğlu, 2016. "“Protection For Sale” In A Developing Country: Democracy Vs. Dictatorship," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Political Economy of Trade Policy Theory, Evidence and Applications, chapter 9, pages 163-174, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    20. Kruse, Hendrik W. & Martínez-Zarzoso, Inma & Baghdadi, Leila, 2021. "Standards and political connections: Evidence from Tunisia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    21. Ge, Ying & Dollar, David & Yu, Xinding, 2020. "Institutions and participation in global value chains: Evidence from belt and road initiative," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    22. Ishac Diwan & Jamal Ibrahim Haidar, 2021. "Political Connections Reduce Job Creation: Firm-level Evidence from Lebanon," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(8), pages 1373-1396, August.
    23. Marc J. Melitz, 2003. "The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocations and Aggregate Industry Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(6), pages 1695-1725, November.
    24. Jan Hagemejer & Jan J. Michalek, 2008. "The Political Economy of Poland's Trade Policy: Empirical Verification of the Grossman-Helpman Model," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(5), pages 27-46, September.
    25. Bussolo, Maurizio & de Nicola, Francesca & Panizza, Ugo & Varghese, Richard, 2022. "Politically connected firms and privileged access to credit: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    26. Stein Masunda & Norman Mupaso, 2019. "A microeconometric analysis of factors affecting global value chain participation in Zimbabwe," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 1682746-168, January.
    27. Marion Dovis & Chahir Zaki, 2020. "Global Value Chains and Local Business Environments: Which Factors Really Matter in Developing Countries?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 57(2), pages 481-513, September.
    28. Pravin Krishna, 1996. "Regionalism and Multilateralism: A Political Economy Approach," Working Papers 96-5, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    29. Bombardini, Matilde & Trebbi, Francesco, 2012. "Competition and political organization: Together or alone in lobbying for trade policy?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 18-26.
    30. Branstetter, Lee G. & Feenstra, Robert C., 2002. "Trade and foreign direct investment in China: a political economy approach," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 335-358, December.
    31. Bob Rijkersb & Hassen Arouri & Leila Baghdadi, 2017. "Are Politically Connected Firms More Likely to Evade Taxes? Evidence from Tunisia," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 30(Supplemen), pages 166-175.
    32. Ali Fakih & Pascal L. Ghazalian, 2014. "Which firms export? An empirical analysis for the manufacturing sector in the MENA region," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 41(5), pages 672-695, September.
    33. Upalat Korwatanasakul & Youngmin Baek, 2021. "The Effect of Non-Tariff Measures on Global Value Chain Participation," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(3), pages 193-212, July.
    34. By Kishore Gawande & Pravin Krishna & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2012. "Lobbying Competition Over Trade Policy," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 53(1), pages 115-132, February.
    35. Francis,David C. & Hussain,Sahar Sajjad & Schiffbauer,Marc Tobias, 2018. "Do politically connected firms innovate, contributing to long-term economic growth ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8502, The World Bank.
    36. Abdulkareem Alhassan & Joshua Dzankar Zoaka & Salim Hamza Ringim, 2021. "Africa as headwaiter at the dining table of global value chains: Do institutions matter for her participation?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(3), pages 560-576, September.
    37. Aref M. Eissa & Yasser Eliwa, 2021. "The effect of political connections on firm performance: evidence from Egypt," Asian Review of Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(3), pages 362-382, July.
    38. Hillman, Arye L, 1982. "Declining Industries and Political-Support Protectionist Motives," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 72(5), pages 1180-1187, December.
    39. Rijkers, Bob & Freund, Caroline & Nucifora, Antonio, 2017. "All in the family: State capture in Tunisia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 41-59.
    40. Arye L. Hillman & Heinrich W. Ursprung, 2008. "Domestic Politics, Foreign Interests, and International Trade Policy," Springer Books, in: Roger D. Congleton & Kai A. Konrad & Arye L. Hillman (ed.), 40 Years of Research on Rent Seeking 2, pages 113-129, Springer.
    41. Nora Aboushady & Chahir Zaki, 2019. "Investment climate and Trade Margins in Egypt: Which Factors Do Matter?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(4), pages 2275-2301.
    42. MARA FACCIO & RONALD W. MASULIS & JOHN J. McCONNELL, 2006. "Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2597-2635, December.
    43. Diwan, Ishac & Schiffbauer, Marc, 2018. "Private banking and crony capitalism in Egypt—CORRIGENDUM," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 465-465, September.
    44. Imai, Susumu & Katayama, Hajime & Krishna, Kala, 2009. "Is protection really for sale? A survey and directions for future research," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 181-191, March.
    45. Pravin Krishna, 1998. "Regionalism and Multilateralism: A Political Economy Approach," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(1), pages 227-251.
    46. Diwan, Ishac & Schiffbauer, Marc, 2018. "Private banking and crony capitalism in Egypt," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 390-409, September.
    47. Kee, Hiau Looi & Olarreaga, Marcelo & Silva, Peri, 2007. "Market access for sale," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 79-94, January.
    48. Roberts, Mark J & Tybout, James R, 1997. "The Decision to Export in Colombia: An Empirical Model of Entry with Sunk Costs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(4), pages 545-564, September.
    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. Saha, Amrita, 2019. "Trade policy & lobbying effectiveness: Theory and evidence for India," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 165-192.
    2. Cole, Matthew T. & Lake, James & Zissimos, Ben, 2021. "Contesting an international trade agreement," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    3. Imai, Susumu & Katayama, Hajime & Krishna, Kala, 2009. "Protection for sale or surge protection?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(6), pages 675-688, August.
    4. Andrey Stoyanov, 2016. "Regional Trade Agreements and Cross-border Lobbying: Empirical Evidence from the Canada–US Free Trade Agreement Negotiations," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 126-149, February.
    5. Ludema, Rodney D. & Mayda, Anna Maria & Yu, Zhi & Yu, Miaojie, 2021. "The political economy of protection in GVCs: Evidence from Chinese micro data," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    6. Graham Mallard, 2014. "Static Common Agency And Political Influence: An Evaluative Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 17-35, February.
    7. Imai, Susumu & Katayama, Hajime & Krishna, Kala, 2009. "Is protection really for sale? A survey and directions for future research," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 181-191, March.
    8. Wilfred J. Ethier & Arye L. Hillman, 2017. "The Politics of International Trade," CESifo Working Paper Series 6456, CESifo.
    9. Francis,David C. & Kubinec ,Robert, 2022. "Beyond Political Connections : A Measurement Model Approach to Estimating Firm-levelPolitical Influence in 41 Economies," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10119, The World Bank.
    10. Ruckteschler, Christian & Malik, Adeel & Eibl, Ferdinand, 2022. "Politics of trade protection in an autocracy: Evidence from an EU tariff liberalization in Morocco," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Enrico Marvasi, 2013. "Protection for Sale, Monopolistic Competition and Variable Markups," Working Papers - Economics wp2013_11.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    12. Baybars Karacaovali, 2015. "Varying Political Economy Weights of Protection: The Case of Colombia," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 290-312, July.
    13. Matilde Bombardini & Francesco Trebbi, 2020. "Empirical Models of Lobbying," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 12(1), pages 391-413, August.
    14. Baybars Karacaovali, 2012. "Trade Policy Determinants and Trade Reform in a Developing Country: The Case of Colombia," Working Papers 201220R, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.
    15. Andrew Jonelis & Wisarut Suwanprasert, 2022. "Protection for sale: evidence from around the world," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 191(1), pages 237-267, April.
    16. Pokrivcak, Jan, 2007. "Economics and Political Economy of Regional Trade Agreements," Working Papers 7286, TRADEAG - Agricultural Trade Agreements.
    17. Marianna Belloc, 2007. "Protection for Sale in the EU," Working Papers in Public Economics 100, University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Economics and Law.
    18. Silva, Peri, 2011. "The role of importers and exporters in the determination of the U.S. tariff preferences granted to Latin America," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 207-219, March.
    19. Kristy Buzard, 2017. "Trade Agreements in the Shadow of Lobbying," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 21-43, February.
    20. Baybars Karacaovali, 2011. "Trade Policy Determinants and Trade Reform in a Developing Country," Working Papers 201115, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    GVCs; political connections; bribes; MENA region;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • P00 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - General - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:zbw:diedps:282986. 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: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ditubde.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.