Red Tape

Extracted Attributes

• Scope

  Primarily associated with governments, but also applicable to private corporations.

• Categories

  Rules dysfunctional from inception ('rules born bad') and rules that initially served a useful function but evolved into red tape ('good rules gone bad').

• Definition

  Excessive or redundant regulation or bureaucratic procedures that create financial or time compliance costs.

• Distinction

  Differs from beneficial rules and safeguards; represents administrative burden over and above the necessary cost of implementing policies and procedures.

• Origin of Term

  Early 16th century, Spanish administration of Charles V, who used red tape (balduque) to bind important administrative dossiers.

• Impact on Businesses

  Hampers ability to compete, grow, and create jobs; imposes tangible costs, hindering investments and economic growth.

• Impact on Public Sector Workers

  Reduces employee well-being and job satisfaction.

• Academic Definition (Bozeman 1993)

  Rules, regulations, and procedures that remain in force and entail a compliance burden for the organization but have no efficacy for the rules' functional object.

• Academic Definition (Pandey and Kingsley 2000)

  Impressions on the part of managers that formalization (in the form of burdensome rules and procedures) is detrimental to the organization.

• Estimated Annual GDP Loss (7 European countries)

  154 billion USD (average).

Timeline

• The term 'red tape' originated with the Spanish administration of Charles V, who used red tape (balduque) to bind important administrative dossiers. (Source: Wikipedia, Web Search)

  Early 16th century

• The UK's Better Regulation Task Force suggested that red tape reforms could lead to an increase in GDP of 16 billion pounds per year. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2005

• The Canadian Federation of Independent Business estimated the cost to business of red tape arising from federal, provincial, and municipal government regulations was $11 billion. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2020

• Developer Rick Caruso criticized bureaucratic red tape for severely hampering rebuilding efforts after the LA wildfires in California. (Source: Related Documents)

  Recent (contextual)

Red tape

Red tape is excessive or redundant regulation or bureaucratic procedures that create financial or time compliance costs. It is usually associated with governments, but can apply to other organizations, such as private corporations. Red tape differs from beneficial rules and safeguards. It is the administrative burden, or cost to the public, over and above the necessary cost of implementing policies and procedures. A distinction is sometimes made between rules that are dysfunctional from inception ("rules born bad"), and rules that initially served a useful function but evolved into red tape ("good rules gone bad"). Red tape can hamper the ability of firms to compete, grow, and create jobs. Research finds red tape has a cost to public sector workers, and can reduce employee well-being and job satisfaction. In 2005, the UK's Better Regulation Task Force suggested that red tape reforms could lead to an increase in GDP of 16 billion pounds per year, a greater than 1% rise. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business estimated the cost to business of red tape arising from federal, provincial and municipal government regulations was $11 billion in 2020, or about 28% of the total burden of regulation for businesses in Canada. Many governments have introduced measures to limit or cut red tape, including the European Union, Argentina, the United States, and India. Experience from British Columbia, Canada suggests a successful red tape reduction initiative requires strong political commitment.

Web Search Results

• Red tape - Wikipedia

  It is generally believed that the term "red tape" originated in the early 16th century with the Spanish administration of Charles V, King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, who started to use red tape, balduque, in an effort to modernize the administration that was running his vast empire. The red tape was used to bind the most important administrative dossiers that required immediate discussion by the Council of State, and separate them from files that were treated in an ordinary administrative [...] However, red tape is usually defined more narrowly as government policies, guidelines, and forms that are excessive, duplicative or unnecessary, and that generate a financial or time-based compliance cost.: 276 Red tape can be categorized as dysfunctional from inception (say because of inadequate comprehension of the problem being addressed); or may evolve into red tape when a rule is inadvertently changed or is no longer needed (for example, a rule that requires carbon copies when [...] Red tape is excessive or redundant regulation or bureaucratic procedures that create financial or time compliance costs.: 274, 278–9 It is usually associated with governments, but can apply to other organizations, such as private corporations.: 273–4

• Red Tape Literature in Public Administration

  Continue reading this article... (#_ftnref1) Pandey and Kingsley (2000, 782) defined red tape as “impressions on the part of managers that formalization (in the form of burdensome rules and procedures) is detrimental to the organization.” [...] A widespread source of administrative costs stems from the ubiquitous presence of “red tape” in regulatory compliance. Most empirical work on red tape is grounded in Bozeman’s (1993) definition of organizational red tape, which include “rules, regulations, and procedures that remain in force and entail a compliance burden for the organization but have no efficacy for the rules’ functional object.” Bozeman (1993, 284) also identified another form of red tape, stakeholder red tape, which includes [...] # Red Tape Literature in Public Administration September 17, 2022 Authored by: Daniel R. Pérez Download this Insight (PDF) People often refer to “red tape” to mean cumbersome and unnecessary government burdens, but there’s an extensive public administration literature on the subject. This Insight reviews that literature. ## I. Administrative Burdens and Red Tape

• Red Tape Causes Economic Loss. But How Much? - NYU Shanghai

  No matter where a business operates, navigating government bureaucracy and regulations is a must. These bureaucratic hurdles, known as red tape, serve as essential tools for governments to regulate markets and alleviate negative impacts such as pollution. However, they also impose tangible costs on businesses, hindering investments and economic growth. Measuring these costs is a significant question for experts in macroeconomics and finance to explore. [...] Applying this methodology to seven European countries, namely France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Austria, and the United Kingdom, the study reveals that red tape indeed incurs real economic costs, with an average annual GDP loss of 154 billion USD, across these countries. The impact varies widely, even among developed European countries, showcasing the nuanced effects of regulation. The research highlights that the economic impact is not solely due to regulators favoring certain firms but [...] A recent study by NYU Shanghai Assistant Professor of Finance Geoffery Zheng, and his collaborator, Columbia University Business School Assistant Professor of Business Bruno Pellegrino, introduces a fresh methodology to measure the actual economic costs imposed by government red tape. Their findings, published in the Journal of Financial Economics, provide insights for businesses, economists, and policymakers alike.

• RED TAPE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

  link icon link icon link icon Definition Definition # red tape ## noun ## Examples of red tape in a Sentence ## Word History from the red tape formerly used to bind legal documents in England 1736, in the meaning defined above ## Rhymes for red tape ## Browse Nearby Words ## Articles Related to red tape ### 17 Red, White, and Blue Political Terms ## Cite this Entry “Red tape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Accessed 1 Oct. 2025. ## Share ## Kids Definition [...] red tape ## More from Merriam-Webster on red tape Nglish: Translation of red tape for Spanish Speakers Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! ## More from Merriam-Webster Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word. ### Can you solve 4 words at once? ### Can you solve 4 words at once? #### Word of the Day #### preternatural [...] Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word. Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points. Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing? hedgehog reading a book Learn a new word every day. Delivered to your inbox!

• What does 'red tape' idiom mean? Still couldm't get it. I ... - Reddit

  Image 2: r/EnglishLearning iconr/EnglishLearning A place for learning English. 英語の学びのスペースです。 Un lugar para aprender Inglés. مكان لتعلم اللغة الإنجليزية. Un lieu pour apprendre l'Anglais. Ein Ort zum Englisch lernen. 604K Members Online •2 yr. ago [deleted] What does 'red tape' idiom mean? Still couldm't get it. I searched google but it left me confused as hell. Vocabulary What does 'red tape' idiom mean? I searched google but it left me confused as hell. [...] I mean, is it a unnecessary rules in goverment? Read more Archived post. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Share Related Answers Section Related Answers Explain the idiom 'red tape' in English Meaning of 'red tape' idiom Etymology of 'red tape' Synonyms for repetitive work New to Reddit? Create your account and connect with a world of communities. Continue with Email Continue With Phone Number [...] What does 'red tape' idiom mean? Still couldm't get it. I searched google but it left me confused as hell. : r/EnglishLearning Skip to main contentWhat does 'red tape' idiom mean? Still couldm't get it. I searched google but it left me confused as hell. : r/EnglishLearning Open menu Open navigation[]( to Reddit Home r/EnglishLearning A chip A close button Log InLog in to Reddit Expand user menu Open settings menu Image 1: r/EnglishLearning icon Go to EnglishLearning r/EnglishLearning

• Instance Of

  Q215380