This paper uses a panel of administrative data concerning 71,000 Italian small businesses observed in tax years 2005-2008. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the impact of a reform of audit rules implemented in 2006. The reform repealed a special audit exemption previously granted to businesses...

Small businesses are championed by politicians seeking votes. We study how the competitiveness of congressional elections affects small business loan subsidies. To identify the causal impact of electoral competitiveness, we examine politically-motivated congressional redistricting...

Delegated models of electoral governance (in which duties and power to appoint members of the electoral commission will be borne by the non-partisan bodies) are expected to reduce impasses caused by partisan clashes, keep away stakeholders from the decision-making process, increase confidence in...

A small committee has to approve/reject a project with uncertain return. Members have different preferences: some are value-maximizers, others are biased towards approval. We focus on the efficient use of scarce information when communication is not guaranteed, and we provide insights on the...