A Window of Opportunity: Anti-Corruption and Performance Data Quality Enhancement

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Zhang, Jingyu; Pan, Yuxin; Tang, Xiao
• 署名单位: Tsinghua University
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3352
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.70044
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: management; INFORMATION; manipulation; GOVERNMENT; CONTRACTS; turnover; impacts; english; targets; MODEL

摘要

Data manipulation plagues principals for providing noisy performance data. Yet, it also has pitfalls for agents, which receive relatively little attention in the literature. Due to the performance data manipulated by previous agents, incumbent agents fall into the dilemma regarding whether to continue or curb data manipulation. We argue that to navigate the dilemma, political agents leverage the anti-corruption opportunity window to curb data manipulation. Using panel data from China's local governments spanning 2001-2018, we find evidence supporting this claim. Local government leaders reduce data manipulation when their predecessors are expelled. Furthermore, leaders reduce data manipulation to a greater extent in response to the negative performance feedback. It is also more likely for leaders promoted from outside of the jurisdiction to reduce data manipulation during the opportunity window. These results advance the literature on data manipulation and have implications for performance management.