REAL

The Size and Performance of Public Sector Activities in Europe: An Overview*

Handler, Heinz and Koebel, Bertrand and Reiss, J. Philipp and Schratzenstaller, Margit (2006) The Size and Performance of Public Sector Activities in Europe: An Overview*. Acta Oeconomica, 56 (4). pp. 399-422. ISSN 0001-6373

[img] Text
aoecon.56.2006.4.2.pdf
Restricted to Repository staff only until 31 December 2026.

Download (134kB)

Abstract

Obvious differences between countries regarding their economic performance have led to the question whether the size, structure, and organisation of the public sector contribute to cross-country income levels and growth gaps. Public sector activities may have an effect on overall productivity and economic growth via two channels: directly, through the level and changes of productivity within the public sector, and indirectly, by triggering off productivity changes in private production. This paper is concerned with the former aspect. It provides an overview of recent empirical literature on public sector performance and relates performance to the size and structure of the public sectors in Europe, the US and Japan. The results are not fully conclusive, but seem to attribute more efficiency to smaller rather than to larger government sectors. Public sector reforms aiming to consolidate the size of government are likely to enhance the sector's own productivity and are thereby prone to contribute positively to overall economic performance.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: H Social Sciences / társadalomtudományok > H Social Sciences (General) / társadalomtudomány általában
Depositing User: xKatalin xBarta
Date Deposited: 18 Jan 2017 09:29
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2017 09:29
URI: http://real.mtak.hu/id/eprint/45706

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item