Non-parametric frontier estimates of mutual fund performance using C- and L-moments: Some specification tests

There is a burgeoning literature using non-parametric frontier methods to measure mutual fund performance. These articles measure the relationship between the various characteristics (mainly return information and some costs of ownership) of these specialized financial products to establish a ranking using some efficiency measure. We argue in favor of the use of the shortage function, which is compatible with general investor preferences, and question some of the often maintained hypotheses in this line of research. The empirical part employs a large database of US and European mutual funds to offer extensive tests of the underlying modeling assumptions using various frontier estimators.     

Portfolio performance gauging in discrete time using a Luenberger productivity indicator

This paper proposes a pragmatic, discrete time indicator to gauge the performance of portfolios over time. Integrating the shortage function (Luenberger, 1995) into a Luenberger portfolio productivity indicator (Chambers, 2002), this study estimates the changes in the relative positions of portfolios with respect to the traditional Markowitz mean-variance efficient frontier, as well as the eventual shifts of this frontier over time. Based on the analysis of local changes relative to these mean-variance and higher moment (in casu, mean-variance-skewness and mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis) frontiers, this methodology allows to neatly separate between on the one hand performance changes due to portfolio strategies and on the other hand performance changes due to the market evolution. This methodology is empirically illustrated using a mimicking portfolio approach (22 and 23) using US monthly data from January 1931 to August 2007.     

A short-run Johansen industry model for common-pool resources: planning a fishery's industrial capacity to curb overfishing

Current methods for assessing capacity and its utilisation infisheries operate at the firm-level, but neglect industry capacity.Here, we introduce the Johansen-Färe measure of plant capacityof the firm into a multi-output, frontier-based version of theshort-run Johansen industry model. The model determines firmcapacity utilisation such that current industry outputs aremaintained, while minimising the use of fixed inputs at industrylevel and assuming abundant variable inputs. Policy extensionsrelevant to combating overfishing include tightening quotas,seasonal closures, linking economic and plant capacity, decommissioningschemes and area closures, implementation issues and equityconsiderations. The application to the Danish fisheries revealssubstantial overcapacity in the Danish fleet.     

Returns to Scale on Nonparametric Deterministic Technologies: Simplifying Goodness-of-Fit Methods Using Operations on Technologies

Thepurpose of this short article is to simplify goodness-of-fitmethods to obtain qualitative information about returns to scalefor individual observations. Traditional and new goodness-of-fitmethods developed for estimating returns to scale on nonparametricdeterministic reference technologies are reviewed. Using compositionrules for technologies with specific returns to scale assumptions,we show how these goodness-of-fit methods can be simplified inthe case of convex technologies (Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)models).     

Energy productivity and greenhouse gas emission intensity in Dutch dairy farms: A Hicks–Moorsteen by-production approach under non-convexity and convexity with equivalence results

The agricultural sector is currently confronted with the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, whilst maintaining or increasing production. Energy-saving technologies are often proposed as a partial solution, but the evidence on their ability to reduce GHG emissions remains mixed. Production economics provides methodological tools to analyse the nexus of agricultural production, energy use and GHG emissions. Convexity is predominantly maintained in agricultural production economics, despite various theoretical and empirical reasons to question it. Employing non-convex and convex frontier frameworks, this contribution evaluates energy productivity change (the ratio of aggregate output change to energy use change) and GHG emission intensity change (the ratio of GHG emission change to polluting input change) using Hicks-Moorsteen productivity formulations. We consider GHG emissions as by-products of the production process by using a multi-equation model. Given our empirical specification, non-convex and convex Hicks-Moorsteen indices can coincide under certain circumstances, which leads to a series of theoretical equivalence results. The empirical application focuses on 1,510 observations of Dutch dairy farms for the period of 2010–2019. The results show a positive association between energy productivity change and GHG emission intensity change, which calls into question the potential of on-farm, energy-efficiency-increasing measures to reduce GHG emission intensity.     

A New Input‐Oriented Plant Capacity Notion: Definition and Empirical Comparison

Starting from the existing output‐oriented plant capacity measure, this paper proposes a new input‐oriented plant capacity measure. Furthermore, we empirically illustrate both input‐oriented and output‐oriented decompositions of technical efficiency integrating these technical concepts of capacity utilization. In particular, we pay attention to the impact of convexity of the technology on both input‐oriented and output‐oriented plant capacity measures.     

Directional measurement of technical efficiency of production: An axiomatic approach

This contribution revisits the debate on the axiomatic properties satisfied by various radial versus non-radial measures of technical efficiency in production. This issue arises whenever isoquant and efficient subset of technology diverge and hence traditional radial measurement does not comply with Koopmans' definition of technical efficiency. This axiomatic approach to technical efficiency measurement is revisited within the framework of the more recently introduced directional distance function. This analysis provides the opportunity to define some new directional efficiency measures.     

Radial and nonradial measures of technical efficiency: An empirical illustration for Belgian local governments using an FDH reference technology

This paper serves two purposes. First, we argue that radial efficiency measures are inappropriate for the Free Disposal Hull (FDH) technology, and we provide a comparative analysis of alternative nonradial measures. In particular, using information on Belgian local government expenditures and output indicators we implement various radial and nonradial measures on the FDH reference technology, and we investigate to which extent these efficiency measures imply different distributions and rankings. Second, we analyze the patterns of measured technical efficiency implied by the various indices. Specifically, we investigate whether different measures make any substantial difference for the explanation of the calculated inefficiencies. The empirical results suggest that more important differences in rankings exist between radial and nonradial measures than between different nonradial alternatives; moreover, the radial and the nonradial efficiency measures do yield a somewhat different pattern of explanation.This is a revision of a paper presented at the 38th Conference of the Applied Econometrics Association in Athens (April 12–13, 1993). Comments of R. Goudriaan, Henry Tulkens, and two anonymous referees are gratefully acknowledged.