Hometown favoritism and intra-regional trade barriers under decentralization: Evidence from China

IF 2.3 3区 经济学 Q2 ECONOMICS
Min Dai, Yongwei Ye
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Decentralization management in inter-jurisdictional contexts requires careful consideration. This article highlights the potential for hometown favoritism to undermine decentralization practices. China established its ambitious social credit system in the highway construction sector in 2009, where local rating agencies are responsible for the grading of firms’ social credit ratings. Using a unique dataset spanning 2010–2022, we find that local firms can achieve higher social credit ratings, helping them meet more bidding requirements. Local firms are less likely to be downgraded, and those with stronger local cultural and economic ties receive higher ratings. Hometown favoritism in credit ratings is particularly pronounced for eponymous firms, less important and lower-quality construction projects, and it varies over time, increasing during periods of poor economic performance. Further evidence suggests that local firms win more bids, although changes in local ratings are less predictive of securing new bids. These findings underscore the previously unexplored role of hometown favoritism in creating trade barriers under decentralization.
分权下的家乡偏袒与区域内贸易壁垒:来自中国的证据
管辖区间的权力下放管理需要仔细考虑。这篇文章强调了家乡偏袒破坏分权实践的可能性。2009年,中国在高速公路建设领域建立了雄心勃勃的社会信用体系,由地方评级机构负责对公司的社会信用评级进行评级。利用2010-2022年的独特数据集,我们发现当地企业可以获得更高的社会信用评级,帮助他们满足更多的投标要求。当地公司不太可能被降级,那些与当地文化和经济联系更紧密的公司获得更高的评级。对于同名企业、不太重要和质量较低的建设项目,信用评级中的家乡偏好尤为明显,而且随着时间的推移而变化,在经济表现不佳的时期会增加。进一步的证据表明,当地公司赢得了更多的投标,尽管当地评级的变化对获得新投标的预测能力较弱。这些发现强调了以前未被探索的家乡偏爱在权力下放下制造贸易壁垒的作用。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
3.80
自引率
9.10%
发文量
392
期刊介绍: The Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization is devoted to theoretical and empirical research concerning economic decision, organization and behavior and to economic change in all its aspects. Its specific purposes are to foster an improved understanding of how human cognitive, computational and informational characteristics influence the working of economic organizations and market economies and how an economy structural features lead to various types of micro and macro behavior, to changing patterns of development and to institutional evolution. Research with these purposes that explore the interrelations of economics with other disciplines such as biology, psychology, law, anthropology, sociology and mathematics is particularly welcome.
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