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Production efficiency and self-enforcement in value-added tax: Evidence from state-level reform in India

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  • Hoseini, Mohammad
  • Briand, Océane

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of replacing sales tax by value-added tax (VAT) on production efficiency and informality among Indian states. We disentangle the production efficiency gains caused by removing the distortions of sales tax from the increase in enforcement caused by VAT’s input refund system and show that heterogeneous effects of these two aspects of the reform depend on input-output linkages. While production efficiency is larger in downstream industries with backward linkages to a chain of input suppliers, the increase in tax compliance is larger in upstream industries that are forwardly-linked with many businesses as customers. To identify these mechanisms, we exploit exogenous variations in the timing of VAT adoption across states and in input-output linkages between industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoseini, Mohammad & Briand, Océane, 2020. "Production efficiency and self-enforcement in value-added tax: Evidence from state-level reform in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:144:y:2020:i:c:s0304387820300377
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2020.102462
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    Cited by:

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    2. Fei Peng & Langchuan Peng & Jie Mao & Peng Lu, 2021. "The Short-Run Effect of a Local Fiscal Squeeze on Pollution Abatement Expenditures: Evidence from China’s VAT Pilot Program," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 78(3), pages 453-485, March.
    3. Neba Bhalla & Rakesh Kumar Sharma & Inderjit Kaur, 2022. "Effect of Tax Knowledge and Technological Shift in Tax System on Business Performance: A PLS-SEM Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Sixia Chen & Yuan Fang & Shengfeng Lu & Haotian Zhang, 2024. "Tackle spurious invoices challenges to VAT compliance: a quasi-experiment of input VAT deduction reform in China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(5), pages 1342-1387, October.
    5. Kowsar Yousefi & Mohammad Vesal, 2023. "The Double Dividend of a Joint Tariff and VAT Reform: Evidence from Iran," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 37(2), pages 331-349.
    6. Zhang, Yan & Bai, Zhuoran & Findaly, Christopher, 2021. "Value-added Tax Reform and Services Exports: Evidence from China," MPRA Paper 111184, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2021.
    7. Tang, Yajun & Wang, Li & Shu, Haicheng, 2024. "“Tax reduction” and the financialization of real enterprises: Evidence from China’s “VAT reform”," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 835-850.
    8. Neba Bhalla & Inderjit Kaur & Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 2022. "Examining the Effect of Tax Reform Determinants, Firms’ Characteristics and Demographic Factors on the Financial Performance of Small and Micro Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    9. Chen, Gao & Qi, Yu & Liu, Feng & Xing, Fei, 2022. "Taxation officers’ grassroots work experience and tax performance: Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Neba Bhalla & Rakesh Kumar Sharma & Inderjit Kaur, 2023. "Effect of Goods and Service Tax System on Business Performance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Value-added tax; Distortions; Informality; Linkage analysis; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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