State-owned enterprises: in search for a new consensus

The objective of this study is to identify whether there is a contemporary consensus on the role of SOEs in different countries on selected issues, through the view of experts around the globe. We conducted a survey to formulate prospective forecasts of the evolution of the role of SOE and to summarize the state of knowledge. Here we present a selection of the results obtained, with an emphasis on identifying consensus on SOE governance and conflicting goals. Because of that, the qualitative approach adopted in this paper is a natural complement to the more quantitative ones. We find that guaranteeing autonomy from state authorities and transparency in SOEs management are the most important challenges that public firms currently face.