Analyzing the relationships between information technology, inputs substitution and national characteristics based on CES stochastic frontier production models

This research examines four interrelated issues at the country level: the value of information technology (IT), inputs substitution and complement, the complementarity phenomenon created by IT and national characteristics, and the productivity paradox, jointly and critically from a global perspective, using the so-called productive efficiency as the performance measure. To that end, we develop the three-factor constant elasticity of substitution (CES) stochastic production frontier model and apply it to a set of panel data from 15 countries over the period 1993–2003, along with the traditional two-factor CES models, within the one- and two-equation frameworks. In the two-equation setting, six national characteristics are selected as the contributing factors of the productive efficiency. The findings include: (i) the value of IT as measured by the productive efficiency is duly recognized: (ii) the productivity paradox is found to be absent from the production process in a majority of developed and developing countries considered, rejecting the existing argument that the paradox exists only in developing economies but does not exist in developed countries; however, the developed countries have used IT capital in their production systems more productively efficiently than the developing nations; (iii) traditional capital (non-IT capital), traditional labor, and IT capital are not pairwise substitutable, contrary to the notion that they are pairwise substitutable at the firm level; (iv) constant returns to scale, as commonly assumed, are not supported by the data; (v) different national characteristics affect a country's output (represented by gross domestic product or GDP) and its productive efficiency differently; and (vi) the complementarity phenomenon is observed in most of the countries (developed and developing) under study.     

企业中的信息技术生产率悖论

信息技术 (IT)生产率悖论描述了从信息技术投资所获得的实际收益和期望收益的不匹配。本文综合国外最新研究进展 ,将关于企业层面的信息技术生产率悖论研究分为三个阶段 :2 0世纪 90年代中期之前为悖论的证实和解释阶段 ;2 0世纪 90年代中期悖论消失 ;2 0 0 0年以后新悖论出现。对新悖论的成因进行分析并探讨了新悖论存在的问题。最后 ,给出企业信息技术生产率悖论对我国企业信息技术投资的启示。     

The Measurement of Firm Information About Product Demand

The role of firm information about product and financial markets is the subject of considerable research. Typically empirical research measures information through price dispersion. However, the dispersion represents an imperfect measure of information. Several studies utilize stochastic frontier estimation techniques to measure worker information about the labor market. This paper determines whether the frontier information measure can be applied to the measurement of firm information about product markets. Several intuitive hypotheses are tested concerning the relationship between firm characteristics and information investments. The results are consistent with expectations and provide support for using stochastic frontier techniques to measure firm information.     

Oligopolistic competition,IT use for product differentiation and the productivity paradox

Empirical studies suggest that the huge investment in information technologies (IT) of the past two decades has led to no significant increase in productivity; this phenomenon is known as the ‘productivity paradox’. It has been argued that the paradox might result from oligopolistic competition: because of strategic interaction, each individual firm might find it profitable to invest in cost-reducing IT, but total investment might then be excessive from the industry’s point of view. I confirm this view and strengthen it by allowing IT investment to be also devoted to product differentiation which makes the productivity paradox more likely. The emergence of Web-based electronic commerce provides an illustration of the forces identified in the model.     

中国高技术产业研发效率的实证研究

本文利用随机前沿生产函数测算了中国高技术产业的研发效率，并考察了企业规模、市场结构和所有权结构等因素对研发效率的影响。主要研究结论是：中国高技术产业的研发效率整体偏低，但呈现稳步上升状态，行业间效率差异有逐步缩小趋势。企业规模和市场竞争程度与研发效率之间存在着显著的正相关关系．外商投资企业和国有企业比重对研发效率也有正向影响，但外商投资企业对研发效率的贡献程度更高。     

U.S. Financial Services Consolidation: The Case of Corporate Credit Unions

This paper estimates a stochastic cost frontier forU.S. corporate credit unions using call report datafor 1992–1997. The results indicate that corporatecredit unions were 91 percent cost efficient, onaverage, over this period and that institutionspassing a larger percentage of their investments toU.S. Central Credit Union are more cost efficient. However, the economic magnitude of estimatedefficiency gains from investment concentration isfound to be modest. We conclude that the currentthree-tier hierarchical structure for the U.S. creditunion industry is likely to endure.     

基于SFA的地区能源效率评价方法研究

针对地区能源效率评价问题,从生产效率角度提出一种参数前沿分析方法。该方法在基于谢泼德能源距离函数定义能源效率的基础上,建立随机前沿分析模型对能源效率得分进行估计。最后通过实例分析,验证了该方法的稳健性、识别力和可信度。     

Disparity in Production Efficiency of China's TVEs Across Regions: A Stochastic Frontier Production Function Approach

This study aims to empirically examine the changes in production efficiencies of China's township and village enterprises (TVEs) between 1988 and 1993 with particular reference to the spatial disparity of these changes. The stochastic frontier production model, which incorporates inefficiency effects, is adopted in the study. Findings of this study indicate that the technical production efficiency of China's TVEs had, on average, declined between the six years under study. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that the industrial performance of China's TVEs (in terms of production efficiency), like the development.     

Technical efficiency of alternative farming systems: the case of Greek organic and conventional olive-growing farms

Olive-growing is a major farming activity in Greek agriculture. This paper analyzes empirically the technical efficiency of organic and conventional olive-growing farms using a stochastic production frontier methodology and a translog functional specification. Findings indicate that the organic olive-growing farms examined exhibit a higher degree of technical efficiency (relative to their production frontier) than do conventional olive-growing farms. Reasons may include lower profit margins and restrictions on inputs permitted, thus forcing organic farmers to be more cautious with input use. However, both input- and output-oriented technical efficiency scores are still relatively low for both types of olive-farming. Thus there is considerable scope for cost reducing and farm income improvement in both farming modes. This could prove crucial for the long-run viability and the future course of the sector.     

融资约束、政府补贴与新能源企业投资效率——基于异质性双边随机前沿模型

从融资视角来看,新能源产业的发展因其自身特点受制于较强的融资约束。因其引发的资金不足问题导致新能源企业的投资效率低下。为扶持新能源产业的发展,政府补贴成为缓解融资约束的必然选择。本文基于2010～2014年新能源产业微观数据,在全样本和按企业异质性分组的子样本下,利用异质性双边随机前沿模型定量估计融资约束和政府补贴对新能源企业投资效率的双边效应和净效应。研究结果表明：平均而言,政府补贴对新能源产业上市企业投资效率的正向效应能够平滑融资约束的负效应,但却未能完全正负抵消,新能源产业上市企业仍存在投资不足现象。但也有1/4的企业存在过度投资现象。从新能源上市企业的异质性来看,东部地区企业和非国有企业的投资效率更高。     

Improving the efficiency targeting of Malawi's farm input subsidy programme: Big pain,small gain?

The Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) in Malawi was introduced in the 2005/2006 season against a background of bad weather affecting production and prolonged food shortages. Vouchers are distributed empowering eligible farmers to exchange them for fixed quantities of inputs at subsidized prices. Since its inception, there has been a debate at national level about whether the FISP’s potential has been fully exploited, with policy makers exploring options to improve the programme. Proposals include targeting efficient and productive farmers to maximize returns. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of these proposed changes to the existing FISP design by utilizing two waves of the LSMS-ISA survey merged with climatic data. We estimate how the national demand for agricultural inputs varies according to a variation in the targeting criteria by means of a two-stage demand system. Then, we identify more efficient farmers by means of a stochastic frontier approach. We observe a mismatch between voucher recipients and efficiency, with approximately 60% of vouchers being allocated to the three bottom quintiles of efficiency. This mismatch is observed also at the spatial level with more vouchers going to districts characterized by less efficient production. While concerns on the distributional impacts of the new criteria are discussed together with some suggestions for spatially diversifying the structuring of the policy and incentivizing crop diversification, our results highlight a high substitutability of commercial with subsidized inputs by new eligible farmers. Consequently, simulating the targeting policy variation we obtain an outcome that would lead only to a limited increases in predicted food expenditure ranging from 0.27% to 0.8% and maize production from 0.2% to 1.3. Scope for analysing different adjustments in the functioning of FISP are, thus, proposed to policy makers.     

Information technology and its changing roles to economic growth and productivity in Australia

In this paper we describe our investigation of the role of investment in information technology (IT) on economic output and productivity in Australia over a period of about four decades. The framework used in this paper is the aggregate production function, where IT capital is considered as a separate input of production along with non-IT capital and labour. The empirical results from the study indicate the evidence of robust technical progress in the Australian economy in the 1990s. IT capital had a significant impact on output, labour productivity and technical progress in the 1990s. In recent years, however, the contribution of IT capital on output and labour productivity has slowed down. Regaining the IT capital productivity therefore remains as a key challenge for Australia, especially in the context of greater IT investment in the future.     

Profit efficiency among Bangladeshi rice farmers

Production inefficiency is usually analyzed by its three components—technical, allocative, and scale efficiency. In this study, we provide a direct measure of production efficiency of the Bangladeshi rice farmers using a stochastic profit frontier and inefficiency effects model. The data, which are for 1996, include seven conventional inputs and several other background factors affecting production of modern or high yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice spread across 21 villages in three agro-ecological regions of Bangladesh. The results show that there are high levels of inefficiency in modern rice cultivation. The mean level of profit efficiency is 77% suggesting that an estimated 23% of the profit is lost due to a combination of technical, allocative and scale inefficiency in modern rice production. The efficiency differences are explained largely by infrastructure, soil fertility, experience, extension services, tenancy and share of non-agricultural income.     

Evaluating the impact of individual fishing quotas (IFQs) on the technical efficiency and composition of the US Gulf of Mexico red snapper commercial fishing fleet

This study examines the impact of individual fishing quotas (IFQs) on the technical efficiency (TE) and composition of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper commercial fishing fleet. Employing a parametric stochastic distance frontier framework we find that IFQs improved the TE of the vertical line and bottom longline fleets. Our results suggest that the observed TE gains were mainly driven by the retirement of less efficient vessels and, to a lesser extent, by efficiency gains of the remaining vessels. We also document changes in output and input distance elasticities and in returns to scale following the introduction of IFQs. The paper also investigates the impact of regulations and weather on productivity and the effect of crowding on TE. Policy implications stemming from these results are also discussed.     

Assessing farm performance by size in Malawi,Tanzania, and Uganda

Many Sub-Sahara African countries have long endured sluggish agricultural productivity growth and a farm structure dominated by smallholders. This prevailing structure has led to public policies focusing on access to land and its distribution as ways to boost agricultural supply. Drawing on data from the Living Standards Measurement Study–Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) for three East African countries (Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda), our purpose is to: test whether smaller farms in these countries are more productive than larger ones; examine how managerial performance varies with farm size; and assess how public policy may improve farm performance. We adopt the Random Parameters Stochastic Production Frontier model to estimate and then decompose Total Factor Productivity (TFP) across different farm size classes. In doing so, we test for possible measurement errors of farmer self-reported land area using Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and explore the imperfect factor markets hypothesis. The results show that across the three countries TFP is higher for smaller farms than for larger ones. Overall, managerial performance is low suggesting that programs designed to enhance managerial capacity would promote farm productivity across all sizes. Other policies are size specific. Access to agricultural input markets improves the productivity of the small farms, while greater spending on transportation infrastructure and extension services enhances the productivity of the large.     

“一带一路”建设与中国出口效率提升——基于面板数据随机前沿引力模型的实证研究

“一带一路”是深化改革开放、谋求共同发展的重大战略，国际贸易是重要的桥梁和纽带。本文采用基于面板数据随机前沿引力模型，对“一带一路”沿线国家进行实证分析，实证结果表明，GDP、总人口、中国对外投资、中国从各国进口、是否签订自由贸易协定、是否陆地接壤等指标均对中国出口产生正向效应，距离对中国出口产生负向效应。我们应该加快贸易通道建设，稳步推进“设施联通”；适当扩大对沿线国家的进口，发挥引领带动作用；积极参与自由贸易区谈判，提升双边贸易深度；加大对沿线国家的投资与开发，加强“政策沟通”。     

Competition and investment — A unified approach

Using a simple but general two-stage framework, this paper identifies the circumstances under which increasing competition leads to more cost-reducing investments. The framework can, for instance, capture increasing substitutability for different types of oligopoly models or changes from Cournot to Bertrand competition. The paper identifies four transmission mechanisms by which competition affects investment. For a firm with lower initial marginal costs (higher efficiency), a positive effect of competition on investment is more likely. Positive spillovers support a negative effect of competition on investment. The relation between competition and investment is not affected in an unambiguous way by the level of pre-existing competition.     

Can the small dairy farm remain competitive in US agriculture?

Smaller dairy farms in the US are observed to have higher costs than larger farms, and whether those higher costs are due to technology or inefficiency has implications for policy to address the small farm. If high cost of production on smaller farms is due to a higher cost frontier, then to make small farms competitive would require research to devise and design technology that is suitable for small farms. If instead high cost is due to inefficiency, then educational approaches are needed to ensure small dairy farms use technology efficiently. To determine the cause of higher costs on small farms, the cost of milk production by farm size was decomposed into frontier and efficiency components with a stochastic cost curve using data on USA dairy farms. Although the frontier cost of production decreases with farm size, that cost reduction is not as pronounced as a cost curve that includes inefficiency. The higher cost of production on many smaller farms is caused by inefficiency rather than technology.     

Role of formal standards in transition to the technology frontier: Korean ICT systems

According to traditional wisdom, latecomer countries improve their technological capabilities in reverse of the product cycle, that is from mature towards new technologies. However, improvement of standards capabilities in this process has not been revealed clearly. This paper confirms similar patterns for improving formal standards capabilities as for the technological capabilities, but records some possible differences in the rate of catch-up when latecomers approach the technology frontier; a forward moving position where technology leaders (typically advanced countries) develop or conceptualize new technologies before being turned into products or systems. A number of case studies of South Korean ICT systems reveal that transition to the technological frontier is increasingly related to how they target and carry out formal standardization. The common elements driving differences in rates of successful catch-up for ICT systems standards are not only limited to generic standards capabilities, but also rely on characteristics of technology trajectories, national strategic focus, and organizing for standardization.³ This implies that a nation should not be discouraged by slow progress in standards-setting during earlier stages. Once a minimum level of capabilities is achieved, a nation pro-active in standards from the beginning may attain higher rates of catch-up near the technology frontier.     

信息技术革命与生产率悖论

信息技术革命无疑是人类经济史上一次意义深远的技术进步,但是统计上的观察表明,自20世纪六七十年代美国爆发信息技术革命以来,经济不仅没有得到更快的增长,而且与此前的年份相比,劳动生产率、全要素生产增长水平反而呈现出一种下降的趋势。理论上,一般把这种现象称作为“生产率悖论”。本文试图对这一悖论的几种解释进行考察和评析,以期为国内相关研究提供一个理论基础。