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Giving zombie firms a second chance: An assessment of the reform of the Portuguese insolvency framework

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  • Nieto-Carrillo, Ernesto
  • Carreira, Carlos
  • Teixeira, Paulino

Abstract

In most advanced economies productivity growth has been hampered by barriers that allow zombie firms to survive. We examine the effectiveness of institutional reforms in Portugal that were aimed to improve efficiency in insolvency framework. Estimates show that reallocation barriers declined. The reforms appear to have larger and more effective results in zombie recovery than in exit. Firm size plays a major role in tackling zombie-entrenchment. The decline in barriers has also implied a lower distortion in the economy-wide selection process. The new setting seems to be more desirable than forcing zombie exit at all costs.

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  • Nieto-Carrillo, Ernesto & Carreira, Carlos & Teixeira, Paulino, 2022. "Giving zombie firms a second chance: An assessment of the reform of the Portuguese insolvency framework," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 156-181.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:76:y:2022:i:c:p:156-181
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2022.08.003
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    Cited by:

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    2. J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Eduardo L. Giménez, 2022. "The Changing Roles of Young Single Women in Jordan Before the Great Recession: An Explanation Using Economic Theory," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 9-47, December.
    3. Kovacs, Oliver, 2024. "Exaptationary Industry 4.0: Graphene as pathfinder?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    4. Hao Ding, 2024. "Can common institutional ownership inhibit the formation of zombie firms? Evidence from China," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 38(1), pages 34-56, May.
    5. Carlos Carreira & Joana Lopes, 2022. "The Role of Different Types of Creditors on Zombie Firm Creation," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 131-142, December.
    6. Shen, Yu & Ren, Meixu & Zhao, Jingmei, 2023. "Bank competition and zombie company: Empirical evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 297-318.
    7. Nelson Gomes & Nuno Gonçalves, 2022. "Innovation and the Financial Performance of Firms during the Great Recession and Recovery Period," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 115-131, December.
    8. Daniel Gomes Fernandes, 2022. "Business Cycle Accounting for the COVID-19 Recession," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 47-66, December.
    9. Mattsson, Pontus & Reshid, Abdulaziz, 2023. "Productivity divergence and the role of digitalisation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 942-966.
    10. Leonor Mesquita & Carlos Carreira & Rita Martins, 2022. "Market Power in Manufacturing and Services Industries," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 99-112, December.
    11. Zhu, Ruoyu & Tan, Kehu & Xin, Xiaohui, 2024. "Does the opening of high-speed rail inhibit corporate zombification?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 372-389.
    12. Qiao, Junfeng & Lyu, Jinbo & Yin, Xingyi, 2024. "Do intergovernmental transfers accelerate the formation of zombie firms? A study based on fuzzy regression discontinuity analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1241-1256.
    13. Carlos Carreira & Paulino Teixeira & Ernesto Nieto-Carrillo, 2023. "Recovery and exit of zombie firms in Portugal: A remake," Aussenwirtschaft, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economics Research, vol. 73(01), pages 91-108, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Insolvency regimes; Zombie firms; Productivity; Reallocation barriers; Firm exit; Restructuring;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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