Mohammad Bagher Shirmehenji; Mahdiyeh Moradizadeh; Mohammad Javad Nourahmadi
Abstract
The theoretical literature on fiscal decentralization has identified several channels for the impact of this policy on economic growth. Some studies emphasize the positive effect of fiscal decentralization on economic growth, while others consider it as a potential factor reducing economic growth ...
Read More
The theoretical literature on fiscal decentralization has identified several channels for the impact of this policy on economic growth. Some studies emphasize the positive effect of fiscal decentralization on economic growth, while others consider it as a potential factor reducing economic growth following its implementation. Due to this theoretical ambiguity, several studies in recent decades have attempted to empirically examine the effect of fiscal decentralization on economic growth. The findings of these studies are diverse and, in some instances, contradictory. To examine and conclude from these different results, this study uses a multilevel meta-analysis approach. To do so, we conducted a comprehensive review of empirical studies in the relevant field and applied a meta-analysis protocol for data selection. Ultimately, we identified 23 cross-country studies comprising 506 regressions and 635 coefficients for analysis. Studies that deviated from the protocol or lacked sufficient information for data extraction were excluded. The combined results of these individual studies, after accounting for publication bias and moderator variables, reveal that fiscal decentralization has a small and positive effect on economic growth. In addition, the results of this study showed that the indicators used to measure fiscal decentralization and economic growth, the period and sample of the countries under review, and the presence or absence of variables such as human capital, physical capital, investment rate, foreign investment, tax revenue, education, unemployment rate, political stability, population growth, urbanization rate, and public sector size in the regression models utilized in individual studies Significantly contribute to explaining the heterogeneity observed in their findings.
Mehdi Sadeghi Shahdani; Akbare Komijani; Mohammad Hadi Zahedi Vafa; Mohammad Ghaffary Fard
Volume 12, Issue 47 , January 2013, , Pages 97-122
Abstract
In economic studies, fiscal decentralization theories are used to increase productivity and efficiency of government and to improve the balance between different regions and it is mentioned as one of the fundamental tools in the way of transition to a market economy in developing countries. After Islamic ...
Read More
In economic studies, fiscal decentralization theories are used to increase productivity and efficiency of government and to improve the balance between different regions and it is mentioned as one of the fundamental tools in the way of transition to a market economy in developing countries. After Islamic Revolution in Iran and especially after Iran-Iraq war, fiscal and economic decentralization was officially considered as a strategic policy for the development of Iran’s provinces. Firstly, the Provincial Planning Councils were founded and then the provincial revenue-expenditure system was devised to increase the degree of decentralization. But the main concern of economic planners was to investigate the mechanism of which the fiscal decentralization had an impact on economic growth and income distribution. In this paper, by using augmented Solow model, the direct and indirect effects of fiscal decentralization on economic growth is evaluated. After testing for the stationary of our panel of data, it is confirmed that there is a long-run relationship between variables of the model by using Pedroni and Kao tests. After estimating the model by using generalized least squares (GLS) method, it was shown that during the period of 1379-1386, fiscal decentralization (based on two measures of decentralization of national investment expenditures and decentralization of provincial investment expenditures) had a positive effect on economic growth and income distribution in provinces. This effect was in a way that one percent increase in fiscal decentralization would increase economic growth rate up to 0/04 percent. In addition, fiscal decentralization improve income distribution in provinces and indirectly affects economic growth of different regions.
