THE UNEQUAL ENFORCEMENT OF LIBERALIZATION: EVIDENCE FROM RUSSIA'S REFORM OF BUSINESS REGULATION
研究了俄罗斯各地区的治理制度差异如何导致国家商业自由化改革执行效果不均，进而影响小企业绩效和官方小企业部门增长。
We document the unequal enforcement of liberalization reform of business regulation across Russian regions with different governance institutions, which leads to unequal effects of liberalization. National liberalization laws were enforced more effectively in subnational regions with more transparent government, a more informed population, a higher concentration of industry, and stronger fiscal autonomy. As a result, liberalization had a substantial positive effect on the performance of small firms and the growth of the official small business sector in regions with stronger governance institutions. In contrast, in regions with weaker governance institutions, we observe no effect of reform and, in some cases, even a negative effect.