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Profit shifting and corruption

Author

Listed:
  • Katarzyna Bilicka

    (Utah State University
    Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation)

  • André Seidel

    (University of Bergen)

Abstract

This paper introduces heterogeneous profit shifting costs induced by corrupt tax officials to the analysis of profit shifting of multinationals. Using a theoretically derived corruption weighted tax differential, we show that corruption increases profit shifting of European firms. We use our estimates to calculate the implied tax revenue elasticities for European countries and find that countries with otherwise similar tax rates face lower tax revenue elasticities when they are more corrupt. This means that corruption negatively affects the revenue gains that countries could have from increasing their tax rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Katarzyna Bilicka & André Seidel, 2020. "Profit shifting and corruption," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(5), pages 1051-1080, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:27:y:2020:i:5:d:10.1007_s10797-020-09596-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10797-020-09596-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Nouf Binhadab & Robert Gillanders & Thomas McCluskey, 2023. "A clean and discreet service: The role of corruption and secrecy in profit shifting by multinational firms," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(7), pages 1551-1573, October.
    2. Delis, Fotios & Economidou, Claire & Hasan, Iftekhar, 2022. "Democracy, Institutions, and International Profit-Shifting," MPRA Paper 111715, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corruption; Profit shifting; Tax revenue elasticities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance

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