Search

We use firm-level data from ASEAN5 to examine the significance of tax-motivated profit shifting by multinational enterprises and to analyze how anti-avoidance measures mitigate the profit shifting. We show that (1) tax-motivated profit shifting is statistically and economically significant, especially for manufacturing firms, (2) auditing and transfer-pricing scrutiny is more effective in reducing profit shifting than documentation requirement alone and (3) tax-motivated profit shifting is prominent for large firms, while anti-tax avoidance measures result in the absence of profit shifting detected from small manufacturing firms. The findings have important implications for developing countries with weak governance but dependent on MNEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2007.05.011 Byline: Joseph J. Doyle (a)(b), Krislert Samphantharak (c) Keywords: Tax incidence; Gasoline; Spatial competition Abstract: There are surprisingly few estimates of the effects of sales taxes on retail prices, especially at the firm level. We consider the temporary suspension, and subsequent reinstatement, of the gasoline sales tax in Illinois and Indiana following a price spike in 2000. Earlier laws set the timing of the reinstatements, providing plausibly exogenous changes in the tax rates. Using a unique dataset of daily prices at the gas-station level, 70% of the tax suspension is passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices, while 80-100% of the tax reinstatements are passed on to consumers. Some evidence suggests that these short-run pass-through estimates are smaller near the state borders, with the tax reinstatements associated with relatively higher prices up to an hour's drive into neighboring states. Author Affiliation: (a) MIT Sloan School of Management, USA (b) NBER, USA (c) University of California, San Diego - Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, USA Article History: Received 25 August 2006; Revised 18 May 2007; Accepted 26 May 2007 Article Note: (footnote) [star] We would like to thank Severin Borenstein, Gordon Hanson, Craig McIntosh, Jim Poterba, Andrew Samwick, Tom Stoker, Joel Slemrod and two referees, as well as seminar participants at the University of California, San Diego, the NBER Public Economics Program Meeting, and the University of California Energy Institute for useful comments. Evan Chan provided excellent research assistance. Generous support from MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research is gratefully acknowledged.