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    Thinking inside the box: Optimal policy towards a footloose R&D‐intensive firm


    Dewit, Gerda and Leahy, Dermot (2020) Thinking inside the box: Optimal policy towards a footloose R&D‐intensive firm. Journal of Public Economic Theory, 22 (6). pp. 1921-1942. ISSN 1097-3923

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    Abstract

    We derive the optimal policy mix of Research and Development (R&D)‐subsidies and corporate tax rates towards a footloose R&D‐intensive firm. In-creasing R&D‐subsidies strengthens the firm's incentive to offshore production. The firm's home government can offset this by offering an appropriate corporate tax concession. The optimal policy package exhibits a “Matthew principle”: higher R&D‐subsidies should typically be accompanied by lower tax rates. However, if the R&D‐subsidy exceeds a crucial threshold, a tax concession can no longer prevent offshoring. We find that it is never optimal to raise tax rates as R&D‐subsidies increase.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: Thinking inside the box; Optimal policy; footloose R&D-intensive firm;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics, Finance and Accounting
    Item ID: 19251
    Identification Number: 10.1111/jpet.12478
    Depositing User: Dermot Leahy
    Date Deposited: 10 Dec 2024 15:31
    Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Public Economic Theory
    Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/19251
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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