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Deterring Kickbacks and Encouraging Entry in Public Procurement Markets: Evidence from Firm Surveys in 90 Developing Countries

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  • Stephen Knack
  • Nataliya Biletska
  • Kanishka Kacker

Abstract

There is little systematic evidence on the links between procurement systems and outcomes such as competition and corruption levels. This paper adds to the evidence, using data on 34,000 firms from the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, in 90 countries with procurement systems data from Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessments. We find that in countries with better public access to complete, reliable, and timely procurement information, firms are more likely to participate in public procurement markets. Firms report paying less in kickbacks to officials in countries where exceptions to open competition in tendering must be explicitly justified, and where there are effective and independent complaints mechanisms. These findings—particularly on kickbacks—are robust to the inclusion of numerous controls and to a range of sensitivity tests. However, due to data limitations we are unable to rule out the possibility that these estimates may reflect in part endogeneity bias.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Knack & Nataliya Biletska & Kanishka Kacker, 2019. "Deterring Kickbacks and Encouraging Entry in Public Procurement Markets: Evidence from Firm Surveys in 90 Developing Countries," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 33(2), pages 287-309.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:33:y:2019:i:2:p:287-309.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wber/lhy016
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Tas, Bedri Kamil Onur, 2020. "SME Participation in Public Purchasing: Procurement Policy Matters," CEPR Discussion Papers 14836, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Lisa Chauvet & Marin Ferry, 2021. "Taxation, infrastructure, and firm performance in developing countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 187(3), pages 455-480, June.
    3. Gauthier, Bernard & Goyette, Jonathan & Kouamé, Wilfried A.K., 2021. "Why do firms pay bribes? Evidence on the demand and supply sides of corruption in developing countries," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 463-479.
    4. Mihály Fazekas & Johannes Wachs, 2020. "Corruption and the Network Structure of Public Contracting Markets across Government Change," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 153-166.
    5. Ari Van Assche & Ali Arsalan Pasha & Lucian Cernat & Hinrich Voss, 2024. "From the editor – Governments as buyers: the international business implications of public procurement," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(2), pages 133-146, June.
    6. Ismail Abdi Changalima & Ismail Juma Ismail & Alban Dismas Mchopa, 2021. "A review of the forms, rationale, and challenges of supplier development in public procurement: lessons for public buyers in Tanzania," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Hoekman, Bernard & Onur Taş, Bedri Kamil, 2024. "Discretion and public procurement outcomes in Europe," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Bernard Hoekman & Bedri Kamil Onur Taş, 2022. "Procurement policy and SME participation in public purchasing," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 383-402, January.
    9. Olayinka Oyekola & Martha A. Omolo & Olapeju C. Ogunmokun, 2023. "Are majority-female-owned firms more susceptible to bribery solicitations?," Discussion Papers 2311, University of Exeter, Department of Economics.
    10. Sümeyra Atmaca, 2020. "Application Period in Reverse Auctions," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 20/993, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    11. Bernard Hoekman & Marco Sanfilippo, 2020. "Foreign participation in public procurement and firm performance: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(1), pages 41-73, February.

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