The Partial Reform Equilibrium of China’s Large SOEs: Theory and Evidence

39 Pages Posted: 28 Dec 2017 Last revised: 28 Aug 2020

See all articles by Jim Huangnan Shen

Jim Huangnan Shen

School of Management, Fudan University ; The Growth Lab, Center for International Development, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University; Core China Research Center, School of Economics and Business, University of Navarra

Weiping Li

Sun Yat-sen University

Jun Zhang

Fudan University - China Center for Economic Studies (CCES)

Gary H. Jefferson

Brandeis University - International Business School

Date Written: October 14, 2018

Abstract

This paper uses a Nash bargaining framework to model the causes of the partial reform equilibrium syndrome that characterizes China’s state sector. The model demonstrates the nature of the bargain between the principals (i.e., officials from China’s State Asset Council) and the agents (large-SOE managers). We derive an indifference payoff point, which maximizes payoffs for both parties without the privatisation of SOEs. Once such payoffs are achieved, further institutional change including the further decentralization of managerial control or ownership reform may generate no better benefits for either party in the game. This condition helps to explain the inability of China’s political economy system to privatize meaningfully China’s large-SOEs for the sake of improving efficiency. In this context, we argue that the power sharing between the officials from the State Asset Council and the large-SOE managers is crucial to understanding why there may be limited progress with SOE reform in the foreseeable future. We find that the model and hypotheses developed in the paper are broadly consistent with the relevant empirical evidence.

Keywords: partial equilibrium syndrome, Nash bargaining, indifference payoff point, privatization, state asset council, mega-SOE managers

JEL Classification: D86, L13, P20, P26, P31

Suggested Citation

Shen, Jim Huangnan and Li, Weiping and Zhang, Jun and Jefferson, Gary H., The Partial Reform Equilibrium of China’s Large SOEs: Theory and Evidence (October 14, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3092373 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3092373

Jim Huangnan Shen (Contact Author)

School of Management, Fudan University ( email )

Shanghai
China

The Growth Lab, Center for International Development, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University ( email )

One Eliot Street Building
79 JFK Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Core China Research Center, School of Economics and Business, University of Navarra ( email )

Campus Universitario
Pamplona, Navarra 31009
Spain

Weiping Li

Sun Yat-sen University ( email )

Haizhu District
Guangzhou
China

Jun Zhang

Fudan University - China Center for Economic Studies (CCES) ( email )

China

Gary H. Jefferson

Brandeis University - International Business School ( email )

Mailstop 32
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
United States

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