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Out of the Shadows? Revisiting the impact of the Brazilian SIMPLES program on firms’ formalization rates

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  • Piza, Caio

Abstract

A recent survey of programs aimed at helping small firms to formalize indicates that most programs fail at achieving this goal. One study reported that the Brazilian tax simplification program, SIMPLES, had a large effect on firms’ formalization rates. Using the same data set, another study concluded that the program had a limited effect on formalization rates. The aim of this paper is twofold: (a) to provide a thorough discussion of methodological issues that escaped the two previous evaluations of SIMPLES and (b) to suggest two alternative empirical strategies to deal with the identification problems present in the two studies. The main finding of this paper suggests that the program did not affect formalization rates. The large effects of the program on formalization rates found previously were likely confounded by measurement error in the assignment variable and seasonal shocks that affected more intensely the sectors that the reform initially targeted.

Suggested Citation

  • Piza, Caio, 2018. "Out of the Shadows? Revisiting the impact of the Brazilian SIMPLES program on firms’ formalization rates," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 125-132.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:134:y:2018:i:c:p:125-132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2018.05.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fajnzylber, Pablo & Maloney, William F. & Montes-Rojas, Gabriel V., 2011. "Does formality improve micro-firm performance? Evidence from the Brazilian SIMPLES program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 262-276, March.
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    5. Rocha, Rudi & Ulyssea, Gabriel & Rachter, Laísa, 2018. "Do lower taxes reduce informality? Evidence from Brazil," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 28-49.
    6. Gabriel Ulyssea, 2018. "Firms, Informality, and Development: Theory and Evidence from Brazil," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(8), pages 2015-2047, August.
    7. Miriam Bruhn & David McKenzie, 2014. "Entry Regulation and the Formalization of Microenterprises in Developing Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 29(2), pages 186-201.
    8. McCrary, Justin, 2008. "Manipulation of the running variable in the regression discontinuity design: A density test," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 698-714, February.
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    10. Monteiro, Joana C.M. & Assunção, Juliano J., 2012. "Coming out of the shadows? Estimating the impact of bureaucracy simplification and tax cut on formality in Brazilian microenterprises," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 105-115.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Nascimento, Marcos & Mattos, Enlinson, 2023. "Do lower taxes reduce the size of the firms? Evidence from micro-entrepreneurs in Brazil," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Gareth Liu-Evans & Shalini Mitra, 2023. "Formal sector enforcement and welfare," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(3), pages 706-728, June.
    5. Jessen, Jonas & Kluve, Jochen, 2021. "The effectiveness of interventions to reduce informality in low- and middle-income countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 138.
    6. Amaral, Ernesto F. L. & Faustino, Samantha Haussmann Rodarte & Gonçalves, Guilherme Quaresma & Queiroz, Bernardo L, 2019. "Economic sector, demographic composition, educational attainment, and earnings in Brazil," OSF Preprints vz4sa, Center for Open Science.
    7. Floridi, Andrea & Demena, Binyam Afewerk & Wagner, Natascha, 2020. "Shedding light on the shadows of informality: A meta-analysis of formalization interventions targeted at informal firms," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Torm, Nina & Oehme, Marty, 2024. "Social protection and formalization in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review of the literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    9. Azuara Herrera, Oliver & Azuero, Rodrigo & Bosch, Mariano & Torres, Jesica, 2019. "Special Tax Regimes in Latin America and the Caribbean: Compliance, Social Protection, and Resource Misallocation," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 9511, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Micro- and small firms; Formalization rate; Identification strategy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • K34 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Tax Law
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General

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