IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v81y2024icp1241-1256.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do intergovernmental transfers accelerate the formation of zombie firms? A study based on fuzzy regression discontinuity analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Qiao, Junfeng
  • Lyu, Jinbo
  • Yin, Xingyi

Abstract

Intergovernmental transfers are an important source of revenue for local governments, while governments’ revenue and expenditure practices are considered to be a deep-seated cause of zombie firm formation. Based on Chinese county-level panel data from 1999 to 2007, this study employs a policy experiment on the qualification for classification of China's national poverty counties in 1994 and analyzes the impact and mechanism of intergovernmental transfers on the formation of local zombie firms using the fuzzy regression discontinuity method. It is found that the proportion of local zombie firms will increase by 0.7 units and 3.2 units, respectively, when the share of general and earmarked transfers increases by 1 unit, confirming that intergovernmental transfers contribute to the formation of zombie firms. The results remain robust to different zombie firm identification methods. Further analysis also demonstrates that when local governments receive fiscal transfer payments with less autonomy, tax effort will increase, which eventually affects firms’ production and operations. The subsequent higher total burden caused by the increased tax collection and management leads to the formation of zombie firms. This study proposes a theoretical construct and intuitive evidence for accelerating the elimination of zombie firms and improving the fiscal transfer system in China.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:81:y:2024:i:c:p:1241-1256
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2024.02.013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592624000286
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2024.02.013?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaolin Yu & Fan Wu & Kai Wan & Tsangyao Chang, 2023. "Zombie firms and corporate innovation: a double distortion effect—empirical evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 456-461, February.
    2. Nie, Huihua & Jiang, Ting & Yang, Rudai, 2012. "A Review and Reflection on the Use and Abuse of Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database," MPRA Paper 50945, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. 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.
    4. Viral V Acharya & Tim Eisert & Christian Eufinger & Christian Hirsch, 2019. "Whatever It Takes: The Real Effects of Unconventional Monetary Policy," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(9), pages 3366-3411.
    5. Ren, Meixu & Zhao, Jinxuan & Zhao, Jingmei, 2023. "The crowding-out effect of zombie companies on fixed asset investment: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Ricardo J. Caballero & Takeo Hoshi & Anil K. Kashyap, 2008. "Zombie Lending and Depressed Restructuring in Japan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1943-1977, December.
    7. David S. Lee & Thomas Lemieux, 2010. "Regression Discontinuity Designs in Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(2), pages 281-355, June.
    8. Cai, Guowei & Zhang, Xuejiao & Yang, Hao, 2023. "Capacity utilization shifting or resource-seeking? Benefits for Chinese enterprises participating in the belt and road initiative," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    9. Guido Imbens & Karthik Kalyanaraman, 2012. "Optimal Bandwidth Choice for the Regression Discontinuity Estimator," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 79(3), pages 933-959.
    10. Liu, Guangqiang & Zhang, Xiaojie & Zhang, Wanting & Wang, Di, 2019. "The impact of government subsidies on the capacity utilization of zombie firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 51-64.
    11. Genqiang Lei & Xiaohong Huang & Penghui Xi, 2016. "The impact of transfer payments on urban-rural income gap: based on fuzzy RD analysis of China’s midwestern county data," China Finance and Economic Review, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Müge Adalet McGowan & Dan Andrews & Valentine Millot & Thorsten BeckManaging Editor, 2018. "The walking dead? Zombie firms and productivity performance in OECD countries," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 33(96), pages 685-736.
    13. Sebastian Calonico & Matias D. Cattaneo & Rocio Titiunik, 2014. "Robust Nonparametric Confidence Intervals for Regression‐Discontinuity Designs," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82, pages 2295-2326, November.
    14. Zhang, Xiaoqian & Huang, Bin, 2022. "Does bank competition inhibit the formation of zombie firms?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1045-1060.
    15. Shen, Guangjun & Chen, Binkai, 2017. "Zombie firms and over-capacity in Chinese manufacturing," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 327-342.
    16. Calderon, Cesar & Schaeck, Klaus, 2016. "The Effects of Government Interventions in the Financial Sector on Banking Competition and the Evolution of Zombie Banks," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(4), pages 1391-1436, August.
    17. Lü, Xiaobo, 2015. "Intergovernmental transfers and local education provision — Evaluating China's 8-7 National Plan for Poverty Reduction," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 200-211.
    18. Meng Sun & Qichun He, 2018. "Central Transfer and Fiscal Capacity in China: Evidence from the Tax-Sharing System," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(2), pages 393-409, January.
    19. Cai, Guowei & Zhang, Xuejiao & Yang, Hao, 2022. "Fiscal stress and the formation of zombie firms: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    20. Joe Peek & Eric S. Rosengren, 2005. "Unnatural Selection: Perverse Incentives and the Misallocation of Credit in Japan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(4), pages 1144-1166, September.
    21. Ryan Banerjee & Boris Hofmann, 2022. "Corporate zombies: anatomy and life cycle," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 37(112), pages 757-803.
    22. Miyazaki, Takeshi, 2020. "Intergovernmental fiscal transfers and tax efforts: Regression-discontinuity analysis for Japanese local governments," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    23. Weingast, Barry R & Shepsle, Kenneth A & Johnsen, Christopher, 1981. "The Political Economy of Benefits and Costs: A Neoclassical Approach to Distributive Politics," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(4), pages 642-664, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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.
    2. Tan, Ruipeng & Zhu, Wenjun & Pan, Lulu & Wu, Huaqing, 2024. "Short selling and de-zombification: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 86-102.
    3. Li, Xinyu & Wang, Huacheng & Li, Rong, 2023. "A hidden channel of “blood transfusion”: Internal capital market subsidies and zombie firms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    4. Viral V. Acharya & Matteo Crosignani & Tim Eisert & Christian Eufinger, 2024. "Zombie Credit and (Dis‐)Inflation: Evidence from Europe," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 79(3), pages 1883-1929, June.
    5. Diana Bonfim & Geraldo Cerqueiro & Hans Degryse & Steven Ongena, 2023. "On-Site Inspecting Zombie Lending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(5), pages 2547-2567, May.
    6. Edward I. Altman & Rui Dai & Wei Wang, 2024. "Global zombie companies: measurements, determinants, and outcomes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(6), pages 723-744, August.
    7. 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.
    8. Manuel Correia de Pinho & Maria Manuel Pinho, 2022. "The 2011-2014 Economic Adjustment Programme for Portugal: A Plausible Counterfactual Scenario," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 69-99, December.
    9. Bruno Albuquerque, 2024. "Corporate debt booms, financial constraints, and the investment nexus," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(5), pages 766-789, August.
    10. Ren, Meixu & Zhao, Jinxuan & Zhao, Jingmei, 2023. "The crowding-out effect of zombie companies on fixed asset investment: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Maximilian Göbel & Nuno Tavares, 2022. "Zombie-Lending in the United States: Prevalence versus Relevance," Working Papers REM 2022/0231, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    12. Álvarez, Laura & García-Posada, Miguel & Mayordomo, Sergio, 2023. "Distressed firms, zombie firms and zombie lending: A taxonomy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    13. Liu, Chun & Liang, Shilin & Sun, Liang, 2024. "Unintended consequences of the introduction of specialized bankruptcy courts: evidence from zombie lending," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. 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.
    17. 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.
    18. 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.
    19. Chakrabarti, Prasenjit & Kaur, Jasmeet, 2024. "Zombie-lending during the pandemic in India: Did the Central Bank reduce credit misallocation concerns of forbearance?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 153-170.
    20. Fabiano Schivardi & Enrico Sette & Guido Tabellini, 2022. "Credit Misallocation During the European Financial Crisis," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(641), pages 391-423.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    General transfers; Earmarked transfers; Tax effort; Zombie firms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:81:y:2024:i:c:p:1241-1256. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.