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Determinants of subnational budget/fiscal transparency: a review of empirical evidence

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  • Branko Stanic

    (Institute of Public Finance, Zagreb, Croatia)

Abstract

This paper provides a review of empirical research on the factors determining the budget/fiscal transparency of subnational governments. It focuses on academic online databases by conducting keyword searches that take in papers published in the period 2000-2017. Three important observations can be made: (1) there is a lack of a unique definition of budget/fiscal transparency; (2) the different definitions lead to disharmonised budget/fiscal transparency measurements; (3) there is a heterogeneity of the definition and measurement of some explanatory variables that can lead to apparent contradictions and inconsistencies in the results obtained. However, the paper provides a balanced account of core explanatory factors, emphasizing variables that, despite heterogeneity in definition and measurement, have a significant impact on the levels of subnational government budget/ fiscal transparency. Since the review involves mainly online disclosure, future studies might want to extend the observation period, or implement systematic reviews and meta-analyses to gain additional insights on this topic.

Suggested Citation

  • Branko Stanic, 2018. "Determinants of subnational budget/fiscal transparency: a review of empirical evidence," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 42(4), pages 449-486.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipf:psejou:v:42:y:2018:i:4:p:449-486
    DOI: 10.3326/pse.42.4.4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    subnational governments; budget transparency; empirical review; main determinants;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures

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