Public or Private? Firm Influence on State-Centric IO Rule Making

• In Event: Firms' Behavior, Taxes and the Global Economy

Abstract

To what extent do firms influence state-centric IO rule making? Which types of firms are most successful in this endeavor? This paper outlines a theory of firm lobbying in state-centric international organizations. In this setting, firms and industry associations work to build positive reputations at the IO through frequent, regularized, and unique public commenting with the goal of furthering their policy preferences. I present evidence in line with these expectations in the case of base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) at the OECD, and its implications for fairness in IO lobbying, from qualitative interviews, text analysis of the public comments, and quantitative tests of the universe of public comments.

Author

• Margaret Anne Kenney, University of California, Berkeley