Factors explaining local privatization: a meta-regression analysis

This paper aims at explaining the differences in the results of empirical studies of motivations for local privatization by undertaking a meta-regression. Our results suggest that fiscal constraints and interest groups were especially relevant in the early studies of the US, which considered several services. Further, studies that focus on one service capture the influence of scale economies more accurately. Finally, our results show that small towns are more affected by fiscal and political factors, while ideology plays a major role for European and large cities. Thus, no clear conclusions emerge from this literature because the findings of each study are sensitive to its characteristics.