IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/oeg/wpaper/2002-10.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

What does “Privatization” do for Efficiency? Evidence from Argentina and Brazil’s Railways

Author

Listed:
  • Estache, Antonio
  • González, Marianela
  • Trujillo, Lourdes

Abstract

Railway restructuring and privatization has now become a mainstream policy option in many developing countries. This paper provides the first analysis of the efficiency payoffs of railway reform for a couple of developing countries, Argentina and Brazil. We track down the evolution of the performance of the private operators in both countries since reform, compare with the pre-reform performance when possible, distinguishing between the output and input sources of efficiency changes. This is done by computing the total factor productivity (TFP) of each business unit since the regulators started collecting enough data.

Suggested Citation

  • Estache, Antonio & González, Marianela & Trujillo, Lourdes, 2002. "What does “Privatization” do for Efficiency? Evidence from Argentina and Brazil’s Railways," Efficiency Series Papers 2002/10, University of Oviedo, Department of Economics, Oviedo Efficiency Group (OEG).
  • Handle: RePEc:oeg:wpaper:2002/10
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.unioviedo.es/oeg/ESP/esp_2002_10.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rebelo, Jorge M., 1999. "Reforming the urban transport sector in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region - a case study in concessions," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2096, The World Bank.
    2. Campos-Mendez, Javier & Estache, Antonio & Trujillo, Lourdes, 2001. "Processes, information, and accounting gaps in the regulation of Argentina's private railways," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2636, The World Bank.
    3. Campos, J., 2001. "Lessons from railway reforms in Brazil and Mexico," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 85-95, April.
    4. Jeffry M. Netter & William L. Megginson, 2001. "From State to Market: A Survey of Empirical Studies on Privatization," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 321-389, June.
    5. Antonio Estache, 2001. "Privatization and Regulation of Transport Infrastructure in the 1990s'," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/43998, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Javier Campos, 2013. "Air transport," Chapters, in: Mattias Finger & Torben Holvad (ed.), Regulating Transport in Europe, chapter 2, pages 36-60, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Trujillo, Lourdes & Quinet, Emile & Estache, Antonio, 2002. "Dealing with demand forecasting games in transport privatization," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 325-334, October.
    8. Osama J. A. R. Abu Shair, 1997. "Privatization and Development," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-25374-6, October.
    9. Ramamurti, Ravi, 1997. "Testing the limits of privatization: Argentine railroads," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(12), pages 1973-1993, December.
    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. Bogart, Dan & Chaudhary, Latika, 2015. "Off the rails: Is state ownership bad for productivity?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 997-1013.
    2. Antonio Estache & Sergio Perelman & Lourdes Trujillo, 2007. "Measuring Quantity‐Quality Trade‐Offs In Regulation: The Brazilian Freight Railways Case," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 78(1), pages 1-20, March.
    3. World Bank, 2007. "How to Revitalize Infrastructure Investments in Brazil : Public Policies for Better Private Participation, Volume 2. Background Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 8045, The World Bank Group.
    4. Antonio Estache & Sergio Perelman & Lourdes Trujillo, 2006. "Infrastructure Reform in Developing Economies: Evidence from a survey of efficiency measures," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/44062, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Mehdi Farsi & Massimo Filippini & William Greene, 2005. "Efficiency Measurement in Network Industries: Application to the Swiss Railway Companies," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 69-90, July.
    6. Ghulam, Yaseen, 2017. "Long-run performance of an industry after broader reforms including privatization," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 745-768.
    7. Estache, Antonio & Serebrisky, Tomas, 2004. "Where do we stand on transport infrastructure deregulation and public-private partnership?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3356, The World Bank.
    8. Antonio Estache & Jose-Luis Guasch & Atsushi Iimi & Lourdes Trujillo, 2009. "Multidimensionality and Renegotiation: Evidence from Transport-Sector Public-Private-Partnership Transactions in Latin America," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 35(1), pages 41-71, September.
    9. Ronaldo Seroa da Motta & Ajax R. B. Moreira, 2015. "Efficiency and Regulation in the Sanitation Sector in Brazil," Discussion Papers 0139, Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada - IPEA.
    10. Ghulam, Yaseen & Jaffry, Shabbar, 2015. "Efficiency and productivity of the cement industry: Pakistani experience of deregulation and privatisation," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 101-115.
    11. Ronaldo Seroa da Motta & Ajax R.B. Moreira, 2004. "Efficiency and Regulation in the Sanitation Sector in Brazil," Discussion Papers 1059, Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada - IPEA.
    12. Mu, Rui & de Jong, Martin & Ma, Yongchi & Xi, Bao, 2015. "Trading off public values in High-Speed Rail development in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 66-77.
    13. Panagiotis Staikouras, 2004. "Structural Reform Policy: Privatisation and Beyond—The Case of Greece," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 373-398, May.

    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. Alberto Chong & Florencio de, 2003. "The Truth about Privatization in Latin America," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm436, Yale School of Management.
    2. O'Toole, Conor M. & Morgenroth, Edgar L.W. & Ha, Thuy T., 2016. "Investment efficiency, state-owned enterprises and privatisation: Evidence from Viet Nam in Transition," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 93-108.
    3. Belkhir, Mohamed & Ben-Nasr, Hamdi, 2016. "Labor protection and the privatization or partial privatization method," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 305-322.
    4. Emmanuelle Auriol & Pierre M. Picard, 2008. "Infrastructure and Public Utilities Privatization in Developing Countries," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 23(1), pages 77-100, November.
    5. Mathur, Ike & Banchuenvijit, Wanrapee, 2007. "The effects of privatization on the performance of newly privatized firms in emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 134-146, May.
    6. Bogart, Dan & Chaudhary, Latika, 2015. "Off the rails: Is state ownership bad for productivity?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 997-1013.
    7. David Parker & Colin Kirkpatrick, 2005. "Privatisation in Developing Countries: A Review of the Evidence and the Policy Lessons," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 513-541.
    8. Mohammed Omran, 2008. "The Performance of State-Owned Enterprises and Newly Privatized Firms: Does Privatization Really Matter?," Chapters, in: José María Fanelli & Lyn Squire (ed.), Economic Reform in Developing Countries, chapter 10, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Mauricio Garrón B. & Carlos Gustavo Machicado & Katherina Capra, 2003. "Privatization in Bolivia: The Impact on Firm Performance," Research Department Publications 3154, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    10. Yin-Fang Zhang & David Parker & Colin Kirkpatrick, 2008. "Electricity sector reform in developing countries: an econometric assessment of the effects of privatization, competition and regulation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 159-178, April.
    11. D'Souza, Juliet & Megginson, William & Nash, Robert, 2005. "Effect of institutional and firm-specific characteristics on post-privatization performance: Evidence from developed countries," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(5), pages 747-766, October.
    12. Cabeza Garcia, Laura & Gomez Anson, Silvia, 2007. "The Spanish privatisation process: Implications on the performance of divested firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 390-409.
    13. D'Souza, Juliet & Megginson, William & Nash, Robert, 2007. "The effects of changes in corporate governance and restructurings on operating performance: Evidence from privatizations," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 157-184.
    14. Kikeri, Sunita & Nellis, John, 2002. "Privatization in competitive sectors : the record to date," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2860, The World Bank.
    15. John Nellis, 2003. "Privatization in Latin America," Working Papers 31, Center for Global Development.
    16. Polydoropoulou, Amalia & Roumboutsos, Athena, 2009. "Evaluating the impact of decision making during construction on transport project outcome," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 369-380, November.
    17. Abate, Megersa & Christidis, Panayotis & Purwanto, Alloysius Joko, 2020. "Government support to airlines in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    18. Patrick W. Schmitz, 2001. "Partial Privatization and Incomplete Contracts: The Proper Scope of Government Reconsidered," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 57(4), pages 394-411, August.
    19. repec:dgr:rugsom:02a04 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Dan Bogart & Latika Chaudhary, 2012. "Regulation, Ownership, and Costs: A Historical Perspective from Indian Railways," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 28-57, February.
    21. Auriol, Emmanuelle & Blanc, Aymeric, 2009. "Capture and corruption in public utilities: The cases of water and electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 203-216, June.

    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:oeg:wpaper:2002/10. 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: Luis Orea or David Roibas (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/geovies.html .

    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.