Guo Xu

Content by Guo Xu

• Publication - Working Paper

  The costs of patronage: Evidence from the British Empire

  31 Jul 2017 | Guo Xu

  
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• Project

  The recruitment and allocation of bureaucratic talent: Evidence from the administration of the British Empire

  A major concern for policymakers today is that patronage (discretionary appointment to public office) undermines the quality of governance. The impact of patronage, however, still remains poorly understood. Using historical personnel and public finance data from the administration of the British Empire, I study how a major civil service reform affected the allocation...

  19 Oct 2016 | Guo Xu

• Blog post

  Thank you for your patronage: How social connections impact bureaucratic efficiency

  When promotions are more about whom you know than what you know, chances are that the top jobs, even in the public sector, don’t go to the most ablest or hardest working employees, but to the best connected. This can affect the ability of bureaucracies to regulate, implement reforms and provide public resources conducive to development and growth. Today's blog looks at...

  29 Jun 2016 | Guo Xu