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State ownership and control in the Czech Republic

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  • Evžen Kočenda
  • Jan Hanousek

Abstract

We analyze the extent of the integrated control of the state over privatized firms during the post-privatization decade (1995–2005) in the Czech Republic. During this period the integrated control potential of the state resembled a corporate pyramid. While pyramidal control was not fully utilized, the golden share in the hands of the state substantially enhanced its ability to control firms. In terms of corporate performance we show that state control resulted in declining and even negative corporate performance. Integrated state control was shown to be mostly inferior when compared with private types of ownership. State ownership positions are in striking contrast with the lack of capacity to push corporate performance in order to collect larger tax volumes. Lack of focus and inter-agency cooperation as well as the simple inefficiency of the state bureaucracy are the most likely reasons behind our findings. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Evžen Kočenda & Jan Hanousek, 2012. "State ownership and control in the Czech Republic," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 157-191, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:45:y:2012:i:3:p:157-191
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-011-9114-z
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    3. Chang, Chong-Chuo, 2023. "The impact of quality of institutions on firm performance: A global analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 694-716.
    4. Evzen Kocenda & Jan Hanousek, 2012. "Firm break-up and performance," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 121-143, June.
    5. Jan Hanousek & Evžen Kočenda, 2011. "Rozsah integrovaného státního vlastnictví a vliv firemní kontroly na výkonnost českých podniků [Extent of the Integrated State Ownership and Effect of the State Control on Performance of Czech Firm," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2011(1), pages 82-104.
    6. Iwasaki, Ichiro & Kočenda, Evžen, 2017. "Are some owners better than others in Czech privatized firms? Even meta-analysis can’t make us perfectly sure," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 537-568.
    7. Baumöhl, Eduard & Iwasaki, Ichiro & Kočenda, Evžen, 2020. "Firm survival in new EU member states," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 44(1).
    8. Ichiro Iwasaki & Satoshi Mizobata, 2020. "Ownership Concentration and Firm Performance in European Emerging Economies: A Meta-Analysis," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 32-67, January.
    9. Iwasaki, Ichiro & Kočenda, Evžen & Shida, Yoshisada, 2021. "Distressed acquisitions: Evidence from European emerging markets," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 962-990.
    10. Hongxing Yao & Muhammad Haris & Gulzara Tariq, 2018. "Profitability Determinants of Financial Institutions: Evidence from Banks in Pakistan," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-28, May.
    11. Renato Santiago & José Alberto Fuinhas & António Cardoso Marques, 2020. "The impact of globalization and economic freedom on economic growth: the case of the Latin America and Caribbean countries," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 61-85, February.
    12. Aidan R. Vining & David L. Weimer, 2016. "The challenges of fractionalized property rights in public‐private hybrid organizations: The good, the bad, and the ugly," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(2), pages 161-178, June.
    13. Evžen Kočenda & Jan Hanousek, 2010. "Divide and Privatize : Firms Break-up and Performance," Working Papers 291, Leibniz Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung (Institute for East and Southeast European Studies).
    14. Baghdasaryan, Delia & la Cour, Lisbeth, 2013. "Competition, ownership and productivity. A panel analysis of Czech firms," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 86-100.
    15. Matuszak, Piotr & Kabaciński, Bartosz, 2021. "Non-commercial goals and financial performance of state-owned enterprises – some evidence from the electricity sector in the EU countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 1068-1087.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate pyramid; State ownership; Privatization; Corporate performance; Voting rights; Golden share; C51; D23; D24; L23; P26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C30 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - General
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D29 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Other
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • L21 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Business Objectives of the Firm

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