Evaluating the impact of firm subsidy using a multilevel propensity score approach

In this paper, we investigate if firms who received the Regional Development Grant are performing better than firms that did not receive the subsidy. Using data on Swedish stock companies, we firstly estimate a multilevel logit model of the probability of receiving the subsidy. The multilevel approach enables us to adequately take into account the regional context. Secondly, we use propensity score matching to assess the successfulness of the subsidy. The results show that firm characteristics and regional context matters for the probability of receiving the subsidy. Subsidized firms increased their firm size compared to non-subsidized firms’, however; we find no evidence that the subsidized firms have any higher profitability.