IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/rcybxx/v7y2022i1p5-23.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rules, institutions, or both? Estimating the drivers of telecommunication investment in Latin America

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Jung
  • Angel Melguizo

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of regulation and institutions on telecommunications investment in Latin America. The investment levels of the region lag behind those of advanced economies and are impeding substantial progress on digital transformation. Using a database built for this analysis, which covers nearly 90 percent of Latin American countries for 2007–2017, we confirm the relevance of regulatory and institutional frameworks to explain investment trends in the sector. We also show that a good institutional quality contributes significantly to counteracting partially a bad regulatory environment, and vice versa. However, the impact is significantly stronger when good regulation and institutions interact, suggesting that comprehensive reforms to improve institutions and the regulatory environment would pay off. In particular, improving cybersecurity and piracy control regulation, and fighting corruption and undue influence stand out as the priorities to increase telecommunication investment in Latin America.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Jung & Angel Melguizo, 2022. "Rules, institutions, or both? Estimating the drivers of telecommunication investment in Latin America," Journal of Cyber Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 5-23, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rcybxx:v:7:y:2022:i:1:p:5-23
    DOI: 10.1080/23738871.2022.2034910
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/23738871.2022.2034910
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/23738871.2022.2034910?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luis Andres & José Luis Guasch & Sebastián Lopez Azumendi, 2009. "Regulatory Governance and Sector Performance: Methodology and Evaluation for Electricity Distribution in Latin America," Chapters, in: Claude Ménard & Michel Ghertman (ed.), Regulation, Deregulation, Reregulation, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Enrique Alberola & Iván Kataryniuk & Ángel Melguizo & René Orozco, 2018. "Fiscal Policy and the Cycle in Latin America: the Role of Financing Conditions and Fiscal Rules," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, vol. 36(85), pages 101-116, April.
    3. Cavallo, Eduardo A. & Powell, Andrew & Serebrisky, Tomás, 2020. "From Structures to Services: The Path to Better Infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 10460, December.
    4. Wolfgang Keller, 2002. "Geographic Localization of International Technology Diffusion," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(1), pages 120-142, March.
    5. Alberto Alesina & Silvia Ardagna & Giuseppe Nicoletti & Fabio Schiantarelli, 2005. "Regulation And Investment," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(4), pages 791-825, June.
    6. Christian Daude & Ernesto Stein, 2007. "The Quality Of Institutions And Foreign Direct Investment," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(3), pages 317-344, November.
    7. Andonova, Veneta & Diaz-Serrano, Luis, 2009. "Political institutions and telecommunications," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 77-83, May.
    8. Katz, Raul & Callorda, Fernando, 2018. "Accelerating the development of Latin American digital ecosystem and implications for broadband policy," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 661-681.
    9. Witold J. Henisz & Bennet A. Zelner, 2001. "The Institutional Environment for Telecommunications Investment," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 123-147, March.
    10. Nickell, Stephen J, 1981. "Biases in Dynamic Models with Fixed Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(6), pages 1417-1426, November.
    11. Manuel Balmaseda del Campo & Angel Melguizo Esteso, 2007. "I+D como factor productivo en la economía española: un análisis empírico regional y sectorial," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 180(1), pages 9-34, March.
    12. Galperin, Hernán & Ruzzier, Christian A., 2013. "Price elasticity of demand for broadband: Evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 429-438.
    13. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    14. Andonova, Veneta, 2006. "Mobile phones, the Internet and the institutional environment," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 29-45, February.
    15. Anil Mishra & Kevin Daly, 2007. "Effect of quality of institutions on outward foreign direct investment," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 231-244.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Katz, Raúl & Jung, Juan, 2023. "The impact of taxation in the telecommunications industry," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    2. Jung, Juan & Katz, Raúl, 2022. "Spectrum flexibility and mobile telecommunications development," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Jung, Juan & Melguizo, Ángel, 2023. "Is your netflix a substitute for your telefunken? Evidence on the dynamics of traditional pay TV and OTT in Latin America," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jung, Juan, 2020. "Institutions and Telecommunications Investment," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    2. Richard Perkins & Eric Neumayer, 2011. "Is the internet really new after all?: the determinants of telecommunications diffusion in historical perspective," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 30800, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2017. "Independent Agencies, Political Interference, And Firm Investment: Evidence From The European Union," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(1), pages 281-304, January.
    4. Lestage, Romain & Flacher, David & Kim, Yeonbae & Kim, Jihwan & Kim, Yunhee, 2013. "Competition and investment in telecommunications: Does competition have the same impact on investment by private and state-owned firms?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 41-50.
    5. Imam, M. & Jamasb, T. & Llorca, M. & Llorca, M., 2018. "Power Sector Reform and Corruption: Evidence from Electricity Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1801, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    6. Vahagn Jerbashian & Anna Kochanova, 2016. "The impact of doing business regulations on investments in ICT," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 991-1008, May.
    7. Clovis Kerdrain & Isabell Koske & Isabelle Wanner, 2011. "Current Account Imbalances: can Structural Reforms Help to Reduce Them?," OECD Journal: Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2011(1), pages 1-44.
    8. Paleologos, John M. & Polemis, Michael L., 2013. "What drives investment in the telecommunications sector? Some lessons from the OECD countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 49-57.
    9. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi & Yossi Spiegel, 2012. "Investment and the Strategic Role of Capital Structure in Regulated Industries: Theory and Evidence," Chapters, in: Joseph E. Harrington Jr & Yannis Katsoulacos (ed.), Recent Advances in the Analysis of Competition Policy and Regulation, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Mina, Wasseem, 2012. "Beyond FDI: The Influence of Bilateral Investment Treaties on Debt," MPRA Paper 51920, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Dohse, Dirk & Lim, Cheng Yee, 2016. "Macro-geographic location and internet adoption in poor countries: What is behind the persistent digital gap?," Kiel Working Papers 2067, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    12. Asamoah, Michael Effah & Adjasi, Charles K.D. & Alhassan, Abdul Latif, 2016. "Macroeconomic uncertainty, foreign direct investment and institutional quality: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 612-621.
    13. Gehringer, Agnieszka & Prettner, Klaus, 2019. "Longevity And Technological Change," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 1471-1503, June.
    14. Imam, Mahmud I. & Jamasb, Tooraj & Llorca, Manuel, 2019. "Sector reforms and institutional corruption: Evidence from electricity industry in Sub-Saharan Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 532-545.
    15. Barli Suryanta & Arianto A. Patunru, 2023. "Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 15(1), pages 109-131, January.
    16. Mina, Wasseem Michel, 2012. "The Institutional Reforms Debate and FDI Flows to the MENA Region: The “Best” Ensemble," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1798-1809.
    17. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2010. "Regulatory Independence and Political Interference: Evidence from EU Mixed-Ownership Utilities’ Investment and Debt," Working Papers 2010.69, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    18. Mohsen Bahmani-Oskooee & Shady Kholdy & Ahmad Sohrabian, 2013. "Do MNCs spur financial markets in corrupt host countries?," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 37(2), pages 308-317, April.
    19. Díaz, Luis & Andonova, Veneta Stefanova, 2007. "Political institutions and the development of telecommunications," Working Papers 2072/4176, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    20. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2011. "Independence, Investment and Political Interference: Evidence from the European Union," RSCAS Working Papers 2011/42, European University Institute.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:rcybxx:v:7:y:2022:i:1:p:5-23. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/rcyb .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.