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Determinants and Size of the Shadow Economy - A Structural Equation Model

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  • Marcus Ruge

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the determinants of the shadow economy within a coherent Structural Equation Model using a data set of 11 latent variables with 58 indicators from 35 countries. The shadow economy is closely connected to its determinants; a higher wealth and development level, a better administrative system, lower taxes and social security payments and the extent of labor market regulations determine the level of shadow economy. Germany ranks 16th of 35 countries by shadow economy, with a score of 3.6, with the best being New Zealand, 1.0, and the worst Romania, 10.

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  • Marcus Ruge, 2010. "Determinants and Size of the Shadow Economy - A Structural Equation Model," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 511-523.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:intecj:v:24:y:2010:i:4:p:511-523
    DOI: 10.1080/10168737.2010.525988
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    3. Medda, Tiziana & Palmisano, Flaviana & Sacchi, Agnese, 2022. "Informal we stand? The role of social progress around the world," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 660-675.
    4. Quintano, Claudio & Mazzocchi, Paolo, 2013. "The shadow economy beyond European public governance," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 650-670.
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    6. Hailin Chen & Friedrich Schneider & Qunli Sun, 2018. "Size, Determinants, and Consequences of Corruption in China's Provinces: The MIMIC Approach," CESifo Working Paper Series 7175, CESifo.
    7. Tomas Lichard & Jan Hanousek & Randall K. Filer, 2012. "Measuring the Shadow Economy: Endogenous Switching Regression with Unobserved Separation," Economics Working Paper Archive at Hunter College 438, Hunter College Department of Economics.
    8. Psychoyios, Dimitrios & Missiou, Olympia & Dergiades, Theologos, 2021. "Energy based estimation of the shadow economy: The role of governance quality," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 797-808.
    9. Berg, Lyudmila N., 2020. "Systematization of the EAEU legal sources in the field of regulation of the service market in science," Economic Consultant, Roman I. Ostapenko, vol. 32(4), pages 83-93.
    10. Ligita Gasparėnienė & Rita Remeikienė & Colin C. Williams, 2022. "Unemployment and the Informal Economy," SpringerBriefs in Economics, Springer, number 978-3-030-96687-4, October.
    11. Dell'Anno, Roberto & Pergolizzi, Antonio & Pittiglio, Rosanna & Reganati, Filippo, 2020. "Waste crime in Italian Regions: A Structural Equation Approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    12. Claudio Quintano & Paolo Mazzocchi, 2018. "Behind the GDP: some remarks on the shadow economy in Mediterranean countries," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 147-173, February.
    13. Schneider, Friedrich, 2017. "Restricting or Abolishing Cash: An Effective Instrument for Fighting the Shadow Economy, Crime and Terrorism?," International Cash Conference 2017 – War on Cash: Is there a Future for Cash? 162914, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    14. Tomáš Lichard & Jan Hanousek & Randall K. Filer, 2021. "Hidden in plain sight: using household data to measure the shadow economy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 1449-1476, March.
    15. Friedrich Schneider, 2021. "Do Different Estimation Methods Lead to Implausible Differences in the Size of the Non-Observed or Shadow Economies? A Preliminary Answer," CESifo Working Paper Series 9434, CESifo.
    16. Piotr Dybka & Michał Kowalczuk & Bartosz Olesiński & Andrzej Torój & Marek Rozkrut, 2019. "Currency demand and MIMIC models: towards a structured hybrid method of measuring the shadow economy," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(1), pages 4-40, February.
    17. Lizina, Olga M., 2020. "State of shadow economic activity in Russian regions," Economic Consultant, Roman I. Ostapenko, vol. 32(4), pages 73-82.
    18. Mykolas Navickas & Vytautas JuÅ¡Ä ius & Valentinas Navickas, 2019. "Determinants of Shadow Economy in Eastern European Countries," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 66(1), pages 1-14, March.
    19. Roberto Dell’Anno, 2020. "Corruption around the world: an analysis by partial least squares—structural equation modeling," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 184(3), pages 327-350, September.
    20. Friedrich Schneider, 2017. "Implausible Large Differences in the Sizes of Underground Economies in Highly Developed European Countries? A Comparison of Different Estimation Methods," CESifo Working Paper Series 6522, CESifo.

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