Privatization And Restructuring

Privatization and Restructuring

Since an enterprise, which is to be privatized, has to be restructured in uncertainty, and the restructuring investments are sunk when the final decision on the sale price is taken, there is an imminent danger that restructuring is not efficient, and there is underinvestment. We consider, restructuring by the private buyer of the firm, by a government privatization agency, and by both. In the first two cases—one-sided restructuring—a first best can be achieved. In the case of both-sided restructuring, however, the first best cannot be reached if both parties engage in restructuring after signing the contract.

Privatization & Restructuring of Health Services in Singapore

Privatization and Restructuring in Central and Eastern Europe

One of the most important policy questions in the transition economies is what governments can do to speed the restructuring of firms and thus hasten the transition to a mature market economy. The authors report on a study that provides some answers. Privatization encourages restructuring if it is rapid and comprehensive and leads to concentrated ownership. Privatization also promotes restructuring because privatized firms are more likely than state-owned enterprises to exercise wage restraint--and wage restraint is vital to free up the necessary internal finance. But policies that increase bank lending to firms, such as debt forgiveness and recapitalization, may do more harm than good. The safest course is to recapitalize banks only as part of privatization and to encourage negotiations for financial restructuring only after the banks are privatized.