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The IFN Workshop on Privatization

Stockholm, June 16–17, 2008

IFN has invited international researchers working on the economics of privatization to a two-day workshop in Stockholm. Privatization is broadly defined and includes theoretical and empirical perspectives on topics such as contracting for government services, public procurement, voucher systems, public-private partnerships, and the sale of government-owned companies.

We are pleased to announce that Professor Steven Kelman at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government will present his book Unleashing Change: A Study of Organizational Renewal in Government in one of the sessions.

The workshop takes place in Vaxholm at Waxholm's Hotel; a scenic location in the Stockholm Archipelago.

Organizers: Henrik Jordahl and Erik Lindqvist. With financial support from Almega – Forum for Service Companies.

In the press: The quest for objective research

Steve Kelman writes about the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN) conference on privatization in his FWC column. Kelmans favorite paper was the one presented by Erik Lindqvist, IFN, examining the effects of the choice to contract out treatment services for at-risk teenagers.

Read the article

Participants

Eva-Karin Anderman, Almega
Fredrik Andersson, Lund University, P 
Mats Bergman, Uppsala University, D
Anders Böhlmark, Stockholm University, P 
Alberto Cavaliere, University of Pavia, P 
Nicola Dimitri, University of Siena, D 
Sara Fogelberg, IFN, O
Richard Friberg, Stockholm School of Economics, P 
Erik Grönqvist, IFAU, D
Elisabeth Gustafsson, IFN, O
Henrik Jordahl, IFN, O D 
Niklas Kaunitz, IFN, O D
Steven Kelman, Harvard University, P 
Erik Lindqvist, IFN, O P 
Nadav Levy, University at Albany, SUNY, P 
Lars Persson, IFN, D C
Panu Poutvaara, University of Helsinki, P D 
Christian Schultz, University of Copenhagen, P D 
Giancarlo Spagnolo, Stockholm School of Economics, P 
Yossi Spiegel, Tel Aviv University, P D
Edward Stringham, Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut, P
Helena Svaleryd, IFN, D
Steven Tadelis, UC Berkeley, P D
Joacim Tåg, IFN, D

O = Organizer; P = Presenter; D = Discussant; C = Co-author

Program IFN Workshop on Privatization

The presenter is in bold. Each presentation should take no more than 30 minutes, the discussant may use 10 minutes and 5 minutes are devoted to general discussion.

--- Sunday June 15 --- 

19:00
Pre Conference Dinner, Waxholm's Hotel

 --- Monday June 16 --- 

08.45–09.00
Registration
09.00–09.15
Welcoming

Session I

Chair: Henrik Jordahl
09.15–10.00
Fredrik Andersson,  Lund University and IFN 
Horizontal and Vertical Differentiation in School Competition with Vouchers
(Co-author: Dan Anderberg)
Discussant: Panu Poutvaara, University of Helsinki
10.00–10.45
Anders Böhlmark, SOFI, Stockholm University
The Impact of School Choice on Educational Performance, Segregation and Costs: Swedish Evidence
(Co-author: Mikael Lindahl)
Discussant: Erik Grönqvist,  IFAU
10.45–11.15
Coffee

Session II

Chair: Fredrik Andersson
11.15–12.00
Christian Schultz, University of Copenhagen
Arm’s Length Provision of Public Services
(Co-author: Morten Bennedsen)
Discussant: Lars Persson, IFN
12.00–12.45
Erik Lindqvist, IFN
Privatization of Credence Goods: Theory and Evidence from Service Contracting
Discussant: Steven Tadelis, UC Berkeley
12.45–14.15
Lunch

Session III

Chair: Lars Persson
14.15–15.00
Richard Friberg, Stockholm School of Economics
Privatization, Investment and Ownership Efficiency
(Co-authors: Pehr-Johan Norbäck & Lars Persson)
Discussant: Yossi Spiegel, Tel Aviv University
15.00–15.45
Giancarlo Spagnolo, Stockholm School of Economics
Relational Procurement
(Co-author: Giacomo Calzolari)
Discussant: Christian Schultz, University of Copenhagen
15.45–16.15
Coffee  
16.15–17.00
Steven Kelman, Harvard University
19:00
19:30
Apéritif, Waxholm’s Hotel
Conference Dinner, Waxholm’s Hotel

--- Tuesday June 17 --- 

Session IV

Chair: Erik Lindqvist
09.00–09.45
Nadav Levy, University at Albany, SUNY
Government’s Credit-Rating Concerns and the Privatization of Public Projects
(Co-author: Ady Pauzner)
Discussant: Joacim Tåg, IFN
09.45–10.30
Panu Poutvaara, University of Helsinki
Why is the Public Sector More Labor-Intensive? A Distortionary Tax Argument
(Co-author: Andreas Wagener)
Discussant: Mats Bergman, Uppsala University
10.30–11.00
Coffee – Remember to check out 

Session V

Chair: Panu Poutvaara
11.00–11.45
Yossi Spiegel, Tel Aviv University
Capital Structure and Regulation: Does Ownership Matter?
(Co-authors: Bernardo Bortolotti, Carlo Cambini and Laura Rondi)
Discussant: Helena Svaleryd, IFN
11.45–12.30
Steven Tadelis, UC Berkeley
Contracting for Government Services: Theory and Evidence from U.S. Cities
(Co-author: Jonathan Levin)
Discussant: Niklas Kaunitz, IFN
12.30–14.00
Lunch

Session VI

Chair: Helena Svaleryd
14.00–14.45
Edward Stringham, Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut
Privatizing the Adjudication of Disputes
(Co-author: Bryan Caplan) 
Discussant: Nicola Dimitri, University of Siena
14.45–15.30
Alberto Cavaliere, University of Pavia
Privatization and Efficiency: From Principals and Agents to Political Economy
(Co-author: Simona Scabrosetti)
Discussant: Henrik Jordahl, IFN
16.00–17:20
Boat trip to Stockholm