IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/juipol/v91y2024ics0957178724001449.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Breaking the culture of nonpayment: A qualitative analysis of utility intervention in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Ahmad, Husnain Fateh
  • Ali, Ayesha
  • Meeks, Robyn C.
  • Plutshack, Victoria
  • Wang, Zhenxuan
  • Younas, Javed

Abstract

Reliable electricity access is vital to economic growth, though financial challenges can undermine service quality. In Karachi, Pakistan, the local utility intervened to reduce losses and improve bill revenue recovery. The intervention increased budgets to improve infrastructure, provided staff incentives, and expanded customer engagement activities. We employ qualitative techniques to study managers' and customers’ perceptions of the intervention and the mechanisms driving its effects. While managers credit the multi-pronged nature of the intervention for increasing trust and mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers report no increase in trust and focus primarily on infrastructure improvements.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad, Husnain Fateh & Ali, Ayesha & Meeks, Robyn C. & Plutshack, Victoria & Wang, Zhenxuan & Younas, Javed, 2024. "Breaking the culture of nonpayment: A qualitative analysis of utility intervention in Pakistan," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:91:y:2024:i:c:s0957178724001449
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2024.101850
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957178724001449
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jup.2024.101850?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. Depuru, Soma Shekara Sreenadh Reddy & Wang, Lingfeng & Devabhaktuni, Vijay, 2011. "Electricity theft: Overview, issues, prevention and a smart meter based approach to control theft," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 1007-1015, February.
    2. Mwaura, Francis M., 2012. "Adopting electricity prepayment billing system to reduce non-technical energy losses in Uganda: Lesson from Rwanda," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 72-79.
    3. Ahmad, Tanveer, 2017. "Non-technical loss analysis and prevention using smart meters," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 573-589.
    4. Paul J. Gertler & Sebastian Martinez & Patrick Premand & Laura B. Rawlings & Christel M. J. Vermeersch, 2016. "Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 25030.
    5. Robyn C. Meeks & Anil Pokhrel, 2024. "The Economics of Electricity and Development: Planning for Growth and a Changing Climate," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 16(1), pages 323-347, October.
    6. Linda G. Morra Imas & Ray C. Rist, 2009. "The Road to Results : Designing and Conducting Effective Development Evaluations," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2699.
    7. Adnan Q. Khan & Asim I. Khwaja & Benjamin A. Olken, 2016. "Tax Farming Redux: Experimental Evidence on Performance Pay for Tax Collectors," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(1), pages 219-271.
    8. Huenteler,Joern Torsten & Dobozi,Istvan & Balabanyan,Ani & Banerjee,Sudeshna Ghosh & Huenteler,Joern Torsten & Dobozi,Istvan & Balabanyan,Ani & Banerjee,Sudeshna Ghosh, 2017. "Cost recovery and financial viability of the power sector in developing countries : a literature review," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8287, The World Bank.
    9. Sheoli Pargal & Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee, 2014. "More Power to India : The Challenge of Electricity Distribution," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 18726.
    10. Eliana Carranza & Robyn Meeks, 2021. "Energy Efficiency and Electricity Reliability," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(3), pages 461-475, July.
    11. Shaun McRae, 2015. "Infrastructure Quality and the Subsidy Trap," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(1), pages 35-66, January.
    12. Trimble,Christopher Philip & Kojima,Masami & Perez Arroyo,Ines & Mohammadzadeh,Farah, 2016. "Financial viability of electricity sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa : quasi-fiscal deficits and hidden costs," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7788, The World Bank.
    13. Kelsey Jack & Grant Smith, 2020. "Charging Ahead: Prepaid Metering, Electricity Use, and Utility Revenue," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 134-168, April.
    14. Robin Burgess & Michael Greenstone & Nicholas Ryan & Anant Sudarshan, 2020. "The Consequences of Treating Electricity as a Right," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 145-169, Winter.
    15. Meeks, Robyn C. & Omuraliev, Arstan & Isaev, Ruslan & Wang, Zhenxuan, 2023. "Impacts of electricity quality improvements: Experimental evidence on infrastructure investments," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    16. Yakubu, Osman & Babu C., Narendra & Adjei, Osei, 2018. "Electricity theft: Analysis of the underlying contributory factors in Ghana," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 611-618.
    17. Bhatt, Brijesh & Singh, Anoop, 2020. "Stakeholders’ role in distribution loss reduction technology adoption in the Indian electricity sector: An actor-oriented approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    18. Smith, Thomas B., 2004. "Electricity theft: a comparative analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(18), pages 2067-2076, December.
    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. Savian, Fernando de Souza & Siluk, Julio Cezar Mairesse & Garlet, Taís Bisognin & do Nascimento, Felipe Moraes & Pinheiro, José Renes & Vale, Zita, 2021. "Non-technical losses: A systematic contemporary article review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    2. Wabukala, Benard M. & Mukisa, Nicholas & Watundu, Susan & Bergland, Olvar & Rudaheranwa, Nichodemus & Adaramola, Muyiwa S., 2023. "Impact of household electricity theft and unaffordability on electricity security: A case of Uganda," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    3. Babar, Zainab & Jamil, Faisal & Haq, Wajiha, 2022. "Consumer's perception towards electricity theft: A case study of Islamabad and Rawalpindi using a path analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    4. Gideon Otchere-Appiah & Shingo Takahashi & Mavis Serwaa Yeboah & Yuichiro Yoshida, 2021. "The Impact of Smart Prepaid Metering on Non-Technical Losses in Ghana," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Adongo, Charles Atanga & Taale, Francis & Bukari, Shaibu & Suleman, Shafic & Amadu, Iddrisu, 2021. "Electricity theft whistleblowing feasibility in commercial accommodation facilities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Klug, Thomas W. & Beyene, Abebe D. & Meles, Tensay H. & Toman, Michael A. & Hassen, Sied & Hou, Michael & Klooss, Benjamin & Mekonnen, Alemu & Jeuland, Marc, 2022. "A review of impacts of electricity tariff reform in Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    7. Robin Burgess & Michael Greenstone & Nicholas Ryan & Anant Sudarshan, 2020. "The Consequences of Treating Electricity as a Right," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 145-169, Winter.
    8. Meeks, Robyn C. & Omuraliev, Arstan & Isaev, Ruslan & Wang, Zhenxuan, 2023. "Impacts of electricity quality improvements: Experimental evidence on infrastructure investments," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    9. Jamil, Faisal & Ahmad, Eatzaz, 2019. "Policy considerations for limiting electricity theft in the developing countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 452-458.
    10. Furszyfer Del Rio, Dylan D. & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2023. "Of cooks, crooks and slum-dwellers: Exploring the lived experience of energy and mobility poverty in Mexico's informal settlements," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Daniel Leite & José Pessanha & Paulo Simões & Rodrigo Calili & Reinaldo Souza, 2020. "A Stochastic Frontier Model for Definition of Non-Technical Loss Targets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, June.
    12. Beyene, Abebe D. & Jeuland, Marc & Sebsibie, Samuel & Hassen, Sied & Mekonnen, Alemu & Meles, Tensay H. & Pattanayak, Subhrendu K. & Klug, Thomas, 2022. "Pre-paid meters and household electricity use behaviors: Evidence from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    13. Gautier, Axel & Nsabimana, René & Walheer, Barnabé, 2023. "Quality performance gaps and minimal electricity losses in East Africa," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    14. Stracqualursi, Erika & Rosato, Antonello & Di Lorenzo, Gianfranco & Panella, Massimo & Araneo, Rodolfo, 2023. "Systematic review of energy theft practices and autonomous detection through artificial intelligence methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    15. Bhatt, Brijesh & Singh, Anoop, 2020. "Stakeholders’ role in distribution loss reduction technology adoption in the Indian electricity sector: An actor-oriented approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    16. Bhatt, Brijesh & Singh, Anoop, 2021. "Power sector reforms and technology adoption in the Indian electricity distribution sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PA).
    17. Darragh Carr & Murray Thomson, 2022. "Non-Technical Electricity Losses," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    18. Hugo Brise o & Omar Rojas, 2020. "Factors Associated with Electricity Losses: A Panel Data Perspective," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 281-286.
    19. Hugo Brise o & Omar Rojas, 2020. "Factors Associated with Electricity Theft in Mexico," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(3), pages 250-254.
    20. Arkorful, Vincent Ekow, 2022. "Unravelling electricity theft whistleblowing antecedents using the theory of planned behavior and norm activation model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

    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:juipol:v:91:y:2024:i:c:s0957178724001449. 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: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/utilities-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.