Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis

The objective of this study is to examine the factors affecting the budget deficit by using a panel dataset of 66 countries from 1996 to 2020. In the first stage regressions, the current study employs fixed and random effect models to estimate the impact of institutional quality and other economic v...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Asma Arif, Umaima Arif
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2023-05-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231171297
_version_ 1797833632725860352
author Asma Arif
Umaima Arif
author_facet Asma Arif
Umaima Arif
author_sort Asma Arif
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this study is to examine the factors affecting the budget deficit by using a panel dataset of 66 countries from 1996 to 2020. In the first stage regressions, the current study employs fixed and random effect models to estimate the impact of institutional quality and other economic variables on the budget deficit. In the second stage regression, pooled mean group (PMG) and mean group (MG) estimation method is employed for estimating the long-run and short-run coefficients for the effect of institutional quality and other economic variables on the budget deficit in a heterogeneous panel dataset. The empirical estimates confirm that GDP per capita is positively and significantly associated with the budget deficit in the long run. Further, inflation rates and trade openness also have positive and significant impacts on the budget deficit in the long run. Moreover, the results show that, in the long run, the population growth rate is negatively associated with budget deficit. As far as institutional variables are concerned, the empirical findings show that an increase in corruption in government institutions leads to a significant increase in the budget deficit. However, political stability, improved bureaucratic quality, democratic accountability and the rule of law lead to a reduction in the budget deficit. The current study will help policymakers and practitioners to better understand the determinants of the budget deficit and to design the policies for the improvement of institutional quality which, in turn, may control the level of a budget deficit. Jel Codes: H5, H6, H3, H4
first_indexed 2024-04-09T14:27:21Z
format Article
id doaj.art-969a75f9f3db4127801adbe47c0f0009
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2158-2440
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T14:27:21Z
publishDate 2023-05-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series SAGE Open
spelling doaj.art-969a75f9f3db4127801adbe47c0f00092023-05-04T03:34:02ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402023-05-011310.1177/21582440231171297Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical AnalysisAsma Arif0Umaima Arif1University of Wah, PakistanQuaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, PakistanThe objective of this study is to examine the factors affecting the budget deficit by using a panel dataset of 66 countries from 1996 to 2020. In the first stage regressions, the current study employs fixed and random effect models to estimate the impact of institutional quality and other economic variables on the budget deficit. In the second stage regression, pooled mean group (PMG) and mean group (MG) estimation method is employed for estimating the long-run and short-run coefficients for the effect of institutional quality and other economic variables on the budget deficit in a heterogeneous panel dataset. The empirical estimates confirm that GDP per capita is positively and significantly associated with the budget deficit in the long run. Further, inflation rates and trade openness also have positive and significant impacts on the budget deficit in the long run. Moreover, the results show that, in the long run, the population growth rate is negatively associated with budget deficit. As far as institutional variables are concerned, the empirical findings show that an increase in corruption in government institutions leads to a significant increase in the budget deficit. However, political stability, improved bureaucratic quality, democratic accountability and the rule of law lead to a reduction in the budget deficit. The current study will help policymakers and practitioners to better understand the determinants of the budget deficit and to design the policies for the improvement of institutional quality which, in turn, may control the level of a budget deficit. Jel Codes: H5, H6, H3, H4https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231171297
spellingShingle Asma Arif
Umaima Arif
Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
SAGE Open
title Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
title_full Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
title_fullStr Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
title_short Institutional Approach to the Budget Deficit: An Empirical Analysis
title_sort institutional approach to the budget deficit an empirical analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231171297
work_keys_str_mv AT asmaarif institutionalapproachtothebudgetdeficitanempiricalanalysis
AT umaimaarif institutionalapproachtothebudgetdeficitanempiricalanalysis