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The impact of tax structure on investment: an empirical assessment for OECD countries*
José Alves*
José Alves
Affiliation: ISEG/UL – Universidade de Lisboa, Department of Economics, Lisboa, Portugal ; REM – Research in Economics and Mathematics, UECE – Research Unit on Complexity and Economics (UECE is supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal), Lisboa, Portugal
0000-0002-9979-7544
Correspondence
jalves@iseg.ulisboa.pt
Article | Year: 2019 | Pages: 291 - 309 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 3 Received: July 8, 2019 | Accepted: July 26, 2019 | Published online: September 14, 2019
|
FULL ARTICLE
FIGURES & DATA
REFERENCES
CROSSMARK POLICY
METRICS
LICENCING
PDF
|
realgdppc
|
taxinc
|
taxfirms
|
ssc
|
taxpayroll
|
taxprop
|
Mean
|
24.448
|
8.82
|
2.806
|
8.345
|
0.369
|
1.745
|
Std.
dev.
|
14.313
|
4.635
|
1.500
|
4.981
|
0.728
|
1.003
|
Max
|
101.054
|
26.78
|
12.594
|
19.173
|
5.661
|
7.334
|
Min
|
2.184
|
0.873
|
0.261
|
0.000
|
0.000
|
0.074
|
Obs.
|
1195
|
1106
|
1106
|
1137
|
1137
|
1137
|
|
taxvat
|
gfcf
|
gfcfgr
|
depositrate
|
ageratio
|
debt
|
Mean
|
10.588
|
23.161
|
3.314
|
9.253
|
51.287
|
55.728
|
Std.
dev.
|
3.046
|
4.091
|
8.917
|
25.364
|
6.931
|
35.901
|
Max
|
18.73
|
39.404
|
45.119
|
682.53
|
96.457
|
242.113
|
Min
|
2.979
|
11.546
|
-47.761
|
-0.18
|
36.323
|
3.664
|
Obs.
|
1137
|
1174
|
1164
|
1055
|
1260
|
943
|
|
foreigninvestment
|
rtfpna
|
totexp
|
pop
|
hconsggdp
|
outputgap
|
Mean
|
3.645
|
0.941
|
42.621
|
33.531
|
56.382
|
-0.319
|
Std.
dev.
|
10.487
|
0.123
|
9.657
|
52.235
|
7.069
|
2.850
|
Max
|
252.308
|
1.539
|
68.436
|
319.449
|
79.551
|
14.911
|
Min
|
-58.323
|
0.472
|
14.244
|
0.228
|
29.918
|
-11.437
|
Obs.
|
1120
|
1173
|
977
|
1173
|
1174
|
851
|
|
OLS
|
OLS-FE
|
GMM
|
RLS
|
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
(3)
|
(4)
|
(5)
|
(6)
|
(7)
|
(8)
|
Δrealgdppc
|
0.004***
|
0.003***
|
0.003***
|
0.003***
|
0.004***
|
0.005***
|
0.004***
|
0.004***
|
|
(0.000)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.000)
|
taxinc-1
|
-0.144**
|
-0.069
|
0.131
|
1.491**
|
-0.127
|
0.037
|
-0.128**
|
-0.182
|
|
(0.070)
|
(0.215)
|
(0.199)
|
(0.577)
|
(0.112)
|
(0.367)
|
(0.061)
|
(0.175)
|
taxinc2-1
|
|
-0.007
|
|
-0.070**
|
|
-0.015
|
|
-0.001
|
|
|
(0.009)
|
|
(0.031)
|
|
(0.017)
|
|
(0.008)
|
taxfirms-1
|
-0.442**
|
-1.580***
|
0.277
|
-0.595
|
-0.561***
|
-3.859***
|
-0.289**
|
-1.032**
|
|
(0.176)
|
(0.568)
|
(0.272)
|
(0.779)
|
(0.263)
|
(1.488)
|
(0.140)
|
(0.427)
|
taxfirms2-1
|
|
0.107**
|
|
0.070
|
|
0.279**
|
|
0.066*
|
|
|
(0.044)
|
|
(0.060)
|
|
(0.115)
|
|
(0.039)
|
ssc-1
|
-0.121**
|
-0.436**
|
-0.047
|
-2.007**
|
-0.151
|
-0.703
|
-0.086*
|
-0.276
|
|
(0.058)
|
(0.209)
|
(0.230)
|
(1.013)
|
(0.095)
|
(0.437)
|
(0.050)
|
(0.180)
|
ssc2-1
|
|
0.017
|
|
0.083**
|
|
0.028
|
|
0.010
|
|
|
(0.011)
|
|
(0.039)
|
|
(0.021)
|
|
(0.010)
|
taxpayroll-1
|
-0.324
|
0.420
|
1.990**
|
3.002
|
-0.065
|
-2.013
|
-0.284
|
0.107
|
|
(0.262)
|
(0.929)
|
(0.968)
|
(1.904)
|
(0.381)
|
(1.546)
|
(0.277)
|
(0.934)
|
taxpayroll2-1
|
|
-0.365
|
|
-0.304
|
|
0.729
|
|
-0.144
|
|
|
(0.356)
|
|
(0.540)
|
|
(0.682)
|
|
(0.383)
|
taxprop-1
|
-0.571*
|
-0.588
|
-0.211
|
0.775
|
-0.036
|
3.822
|
-0.013
|
1.139
|
|
(0.295)
|
(1.025)
|
(0.508)
|
(1.521)
|
(0.649)
|
(2.793)
|
(0.255)
|
(0.770)
|
taxprop2-1
|
|
0.042
|
|
-0.118
|
|
-0.658
|
|
-0.208
|
|
|
(0.166)
|
|
(0.214)
|
|
(0.443)
|
|
(0.141)
|
taxvat-1
|
-0.612***
|
-2.640***
|
0.413
|
0.291
|
-0.103
|
-2.691*
|
-0.663***
|
-1.982***
|
|
(0.163)
|
(0.635)
|
(0.363)
|
(1.127)
|
(0.3)
|
(1.519)
|
(0.133)
|
(0.538)
|
taxvat2-1
|
|
0.099***
|
|
0.016
|
|
0.111
|
|
0.066**
|
|
|
(0.033)
|
|
(0.057)
|
|
(0.072)
|
|
(0.026)
|
gfcf-1
|
-0.521***
|
-0.615***
|
-1.283***
|
-1.337***
|
-0.077
|
-0.340
|
-0.505***
|
-0.599***
|
|
(0.104)
|
(0.123)
|
(0.148)
|
(0.159)
|
(0.111)
|
(0.208)
|
(0.072)
|
(0.079)
|
gfcfgr-1
|
0.242***
|
0.242***
|
0.225***
|
0.221***
|
0.429**
|
0.267
|
0.259***
|
0.257***
|
|
(0.057)
|
(0.058)
|
(0.061)
|
(0.061)
|
(0.183)
|
(0.169)
|
(0.032)
|
(0.032)
|
Δdepositrate
|
-0.426*
|
-0.435*
|
-0.436*
|
-0.414*
|
1.063
|
-1.323
|
-0.583***
|
-0.606***
|
|
(0.241)
|
(0.238)
|
(0.256)
|
(0.251)
|
(1.233)
|
(1.526)
|
(0.160)
|
(0.159)
|
ageratio-1
|
-0.016
|
-0.053
|
-0.065
|
-0.029
|
-0.044
|
-0.029
|
-0.027
|
-0.058
|
|
(0.067)
|
(0.071)
|
(0.137)
|
(0.144)
|
(0.116)
|
(0.104)
|
(0.053)
|
(0.055)
|
Δdebt
|
-0.275***
|
-0.303***
|
-0.189**
|
-0.200**
|
-0.487*
|
-0.543**
|
-0.264***
|
-0.295***
|
|
(0.078)
|
(0.082)
|
(0.082)
|
(0.084)
|
(0.258)
|
(0.218)
|
(0.047)
|
(0.047)
|
rtfpna
|
-12.705***
|
-12.809***
|
-6.562
|
-2.947
|
2.829
|
-0.873
|
-10.328***
|
-10.345***
|
|
(3.769)
|
(3.884)
|
(5.536)
|
(6.308)
|
(4.246)
|
(5.567)
|
(2.677)
|
(2.770)
|
Δtotexp-1
|
-0.148
|
-0.160
|
-0.088
|
-0.081
|
0.315
|
-0.139
|
0.053
|
0.032
|
|
(0.159)
|
(0.163)
|
(0.154)
|
(0.157)
|
(0.654)
|
(0.602)
|
(0.104)
|
(0.104)
|
log(pop)
|
-0.497
|
-0.580
|
61.785***
|
63.702***
|
0.228
|
-0.501
|
-0.926***
|
-0.997***
|
|
(0.397)
|
(0.396)
|
(10.841)
|
(11.771)
|
(0.878)
|
(0.974)
|
(0.237)
|
(0.243)
|
foreigninvestment-1
|
-0.075***
|
-0.066***
|
-0.070***
|
-0.066***
|
0.028
|
0.009
|
-0.075***
|
-0.073***
|
|
(0.017)
|
(0.016)
|
(0.017)
|
(0.017)
|
(0.087)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.015)
|
(0.015)
|
hconsumption-1
|
0.039
|
0.013
|
-0.214**
|
-0.242**
|
0.07
|
0.000
|
0.036
|
0.024
|
|
(0.027)
|
(0.028)
|
(0.093)
|
(0.094)
|
(0.048)
|
(0.049)
|
(0.027)
|
(0.028)
|
outputgap
|
0.369**
|
0.466***
|
0.690***
|
0.736***
|
-0.849**
|
0.121
|
0.271***
|
0.352***
|
|
(0.157)
|
(0.157)
|
(0.159)
|
(0.170)
|
(0.395)
|
(0.565)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.093)
|
Tax thresholds
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
taxinc
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
10.65%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxfirms
|
-
|
7.38%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6.92%
|
-
|
7.82%
|
ssc
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
12.09%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxpayroll
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxprop
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxvat
|
-
|
13.33%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
15.02%
|
R2
|
0.540
|
0.554
|
0.680
|
0.687
|
0.343
|
0.477
|
0.401
|
0.414
|
DW-Stat
|
1.856
|
1.875
|
2.000
|
2.018
|
2.110
|
1.949
|
n.a.
|
n.a.
|
Obs.
|
529
|
529
|
529
|
529
|
473
|
473
|
529
|
529
|
Notes: *, ** and *** represent statistical significance at levels of 10%, 5%, and 1% respectively. The robust standard errors are in brackets. The White diagonal covariance matrix is used in order to assume residual heteroskedasticity, with the exception of the RLS technique. The DW-statistic is the Durbin-Watson statistic. The non-bold and bold values express, respectively, maximum and minimum levels of optimal tax items.
|
OLS
|
OLS-FE
|
GMM
|
RLS
|
|
(9)
|
(10)
|
(11)
|
(12)
|
(13)
|
(14)
|
(15)
|
(16)
|
Δrealgdppc
|
0.000**
|
0.000**
|
0.003***
|
0.001**
|
0.004***
|
0.001**
|
0.004***
|
0.000*
|
|
(0.000)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.001)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.000)
|
(0.000)
|
taxinc-1
|
-0.042
|
-0.085
|
0.131
|
0.740
|
-0.127
|
-0.263
|
-0.128**
|
0.021
|
|
(0.051)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.199)
|
(0.571)
|
(0.112)
|
(0.169)
|
(0.061)
|
(0.114)
|
taxinc2-1
|
|
0.003
|
|
-0.042
|
|
0.012*
|
|
-0.004
|
|
|
(0.004)
|
|
(0.029)
|
|
(0.007)
|
|
(0.005)
|
taxfirms-1
|
-0.098
|
-0.197
|
0.277
|
0.489
|
-0.561**
|
-0.601
|
-0.289**
|
-0.828***
|
|
(0.107)
|
(0.458)
|
(0.272)
|
(0.747)
|
(0.263)
|
(0.734)
|
(0.140)
|
(0.278)
|
taxfirms2-1
|
|
0.014
|
|
-0.028
|
|
0.041
|
|
0.066***
|
|
|
(0.034)
|
|
(0.053)
|
|
(0.055)
|
|
(0.025)
|
ssc-1
|
-0.069**
|
-0.227**
|
-0.047
|
-0.417
|
-0.151
|
-0.150
|
-0.086*
|
-0.255**
|
|
(0.034)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.230)
|
(0.662)
|
(0.095)
|
(0.172)
|
(0.050)
|
(0.117)
|
ssc2-1
|
|
0.010*
|
|
0.008
|
|
0.006
|
|
0.009
|
|
|
(0.005)
|
|
(0.023)
|
|
(0.010)
|
|
(0.006)
|
taxpayroll-1
|
-0.168
|
0.170
|
1.990**
|
1.156
|
-0.065
|
0.221
|
-0.284
|
-0.164
|
|
(0.160)
|
(0.490)
|
(0.968)
|
(1.352)
|
(0.381)
|
(0.986)
|
(0.277)
|
(0.608)
|
taxpayroll2-1
|
|
-0.215
|
|
-0.467
|
|
-0.334
|
|
-0.044
|
|
|
(0.185)
|
|
(0.503)
|
|
(0.415)
|
|
(0.249)
|
taxprop-1
|
-0.258
|
-0.971
|
-0.211
|
-0.816
|
-0.036
|
-1.381
|
-0.013
|
0.447
|
|
(0.181)
|
(0.868)
|
(0.508)
|
(1.838)
|
(0.649)
|
(1.260)
|
(0.255)
|
(0.501)
|
taxprop2-1
|
|
0.137
|
|
0.122
|
|
0.190
|
|
-0.052
|
|
|
(0.124)
|
|
(0.219)
|
|
(0.198)
|
|
(0.092)
|
taxvat-1
|
-0.271**
|
-0.183
|
0.413
|
1.985***
|
-0.103
|
0.298
|
-0.663***
|
-0.499
|
|
(0.109)
|
(0.397)
|
(0.363)
|
(0.571)
|
(0.300)
|
(0.853)
|
(0.133)
|
(0.350)
|
taxvat2-1
|
|
-0.007
|
|
-0.108***
|
|
-0.040
|
|
0.022
|
|
|
(0.021)
|
|
(0.029)
|
|
(0.035)
|
|
(0.017)
|
gfcf-1
|
-0.114*
|
-0.100
|
-1.283***
|
-0.259***
|
-0.077
|
0.096
|
-0.505***
|
-0.083
|
|
(0.062)
|
(0.069)
|
(0.148)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.111)
|
(0.115)
|
(0.072)
|
(0.052)
|
gfcfgr-1
|
0.274***
|
0.267***
|
0.225***
|
0.214***
|
0.429**
|
0.265***
|
0.259***
|
0.292***
|
|
(0.034)
|
(0.036)
|
(0.061)
|
(0.036)
|
(0.183)
|
(0.100)
|
(0.032)
|
(0.021)
|
Δdepositrate
|
-0.648***
|
-0.644***
|
-0.436*
|
-0.468***
|
1.063
|
-0.388
|
-0.583***
|
-0.573***
|
|
(0.124)
|
(0.191)
|
(0.256)
|
(0.131)
|
(1.233)
|
(0.815)
|
(0.160)
|
(0.104)
|
ageratio-1
|
-0.064
|
-0.053
|
-0.065
|
-0.052
|
-0.044
|
0.089**
|
-0.027
|
-0.071**
|
|
(0.040)
|
(0.032)
|
(0.137)
|
(0.112)
|
(0.116)
|
(0.045)
|
(0.053)
|
(0.036)
|
Δdebt
|
-0.239***
|
-0.238***
|
-0.189**
|
-0.150***
|
-0.487*
|
-0.631***
|
-0.264***
|
-0.245***
|
|
(0.050)
|
(0.057)
|
(0.082)
|
(0.041)
|
(0.258)
|
(0.124)
|
(0.047)
|
(0.031)
|
rtfpna
|
-4.849**
|
-4.240*
|
-6.562
|
0.082
|
2.829
|
1.089
|
-10.328***
|
-4.070**
|
|
(2.074)
|
(2.551)
|
(5.536)
|
(4.644)
|
(4.246)
|
(3.229)
|
(2.677)
|
(1.803)
|
Δtotexp-1
|
-0.046
|
-0.050
|
-0.088
|
0.002
|
0.315
|
0.517
|
0.053
|
-0.125*
|
|
(0.091)
|
(0.077)
|
(0.154)
|
(0.079)
|
(0.654)
|
(0.327)
|
(0.104)
|
(0.068)
|
log(pop)
|
-0.436**
|
-0.421
|
61.785***
|
14.650**
|
0.228
|
-0.203
|
-0.926***
|
-0.415***
|
|
(0.189)
|
(0.299)
|
(10.841)
|
(7.225)
|
(0.878)
|
(0.391)
|
(0.237)
|
(0.158)
|
foreigninvestment-1
|
-0.004
|
-0.002
|
-0.070***
|
-0.006
|
0.028
|
0.044
|
-0.075***
|
-0.003
|
|
(0.007)
|
(0.006)
|
(0.017)
|
(0.009)
|
(0.087)
|
(0.047)
|
(0.015)
|
(0.010)
|
hconsumption-1
|
0.056***
|
0.053***
|
-0.214**
|
-0.093
|
0.070
|
0.057**
|
0.036
|
0.026
|
|
(0.018)
|
(0.018)
|
(0.093)
|
(0.102)
|
(0.048)
|
(0.028)
|
(0.027)
|
(0.018)
|
outputgap
|
-0.144*
|
-0.138
|
0.690***
|
-0.085
|
-0.849**
|
-0.433
|
0.271***
|
-0.214***
|
|
(0.083)
|
(0.103)
|
(0.159)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.395)
|
(0.312)
|
(0.091)
|
(0.061)
|
Tax
thresholds
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
taxinc
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxfirms
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6.27%
|
ssc
|
-
|
11.35%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxpayroll
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxprop
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
taxvat
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9.19%
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
R2
|
0.476
|
0.481
|
0.717
|
0.730
|
0.171
|
0.180
|
0.360
|
0.366
|
DW-Stat
|
1.124
|
1.127
|
1.034
|
1.095
|
1.692
|
1.665
|
n.a.
|
n.a.
|
Obs.
|
529
|
529
|
529
|
529
|
473
|
473
|
529
|
529
|
Notes: *, ** and *** represent statistical significance at levels of 10%, 5%, and 1% respectively. The robust standard errors are in brackets. The White diagonal covariance matrix is used in order to assume residual heteroskedasticity, with the exception of the RLS technique. The DW-statistic is the Durbin-Watson statistic. The non-bold and bold values express, respectively, maximum and minimum levels of optimal tax items.
|
Short-run
|
Long-run
|
Mean
|
taxinc
|
10.65%
|
-
|
8.82%
|
taxfirms
|
7.37%
|
6.27%
|
2.81%
|
ssc
|
12.09%
|
11.35%
|
8.35%
|
taxpayroll
|
-
|
-
|
0.37%
|
taxprop
|
-
|
-
|
1.75%
|
taxvat
|
14.18%
|
9.19%
|
10.59%
|
Notes: The non-bold and bold values, presented in the short-run and long-run columns express maximum and minimum optimum levels, respectively. The values expressed in italics represent average values.
Table 1Summary statistics of the variables set for investment regressions, 1980-2015 DISPLAY Table
Table 2Linear and non-linear short-run impact results of taxation structure on investment decisions DISPLAY Table
Table 3Linear and non-linear long-run impact results of taxation structure on investment decisions DISPLAY Table
Table 4Summary of tax items threshold values for investment decisions DISPLAY Table
* The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of his employers. The author thanks two anonymous referees for helpful comments. Any remaining errors are the author’s sole responsibility.
1 For reasons of parsimony we do not provide the Hausman test results in the article, although they are available upon request.
|
|
September, 2019 III/2019
|