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The impact of state aid on the survival and financial viability of aided firms

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  • Heim, Sven
  • Hüschelrath, Kai
  • Schmidt-Dengler, Philipp
  • Strazzeri, Maurizio

Abstract

We estimate the causal impact of restructuring aid granted by the European Commission between 2003 and 2012 on the survival and financial viability of aided firms. Using a comprehensive dataset we find that restructuring aid increases a firm's average survival time by 8 to 15 years and decreases the hazard rate by 58 to 68 percent, depending on the definition of firm survival. Further analysis finds strong support that, in the longer run, aid receiving firms have a significantly higher probability to improve their financial viability than the counterfactual group.

Suggested Citation

  • Heim, Sven & Hüschelrath, Kai & Schmidt-Dengler, Philipp & Strazzeri, Maurizio, 2016. "The impact of state aid on the survival and financial viability of aided firms," ZEW Discussion Papers 16-035, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:16035
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    3. Tomaso Duso & Mattia Nardotto & Jo Seldeslachts, 2021. "A Retrospective Study of State Aid Control in the German Broadband Market," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1931, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Lenihan, Helena & McGuirk, Helen & Murphy, Kevin R., 2019. "Driving innovation: Public policy and human capital," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
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    6. Helena Lenihan & Kevin Mulligan & Justin Doran & Christian Rammer & Olubunmi Ipinnaiye, 2024. "R&D grants and R&D tax credits to foreign-owned subsidiaries: Does supporting multinational enterprises’ R&D pay off in terms of firm performance improvements for the host economy?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 740-781, April.
    7. Peixin Li & Lixia Li & Yichun Xie & Xueliang Zhang, 2021. "Investigating the effects of market segmentation on firm survival and their heterogeneities in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2614-2634, December.
    8. K. Aleks Schaefer & Daniel P. Scheitrum & Steven van Winden, 2022. "Returns on investment to the British bovine tuberculosis control programme," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(2), pages 472-489, June.
    9. Francesco Manaresi & Carlo Menon & Pietro Santoleri, 2021. "Supporting innovative entrepreneurship: an evaluation of the Italian “Start-up Act” [The effects of entry on incumbent innovation and productivity]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 30(6), pages 1591-1614.
    10. Radeef Chundakkadan & Rajesh Raj Natarajan & Subash Sasidharan, 2022. "Small firms amidst COVID‐19: Financial constraints and role of government support," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 51(3), November.
    11. Peter Grajzl & Jaka Cepec & Barbara Mörec, 2023. "Weaned off public money: The effect of discontinued reception of public cash on firm outcomes," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(1), pages 41-76, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    government policy; state aid; ex-post evaluation; survival; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies
    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • L52 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Industrial Policy; Sectoral Planning Methods
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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