Modelling superannuation fund management function as a two-stage process for overall and stage-level performance appraisal

We assess superannuation fund performance in a multi-dimensional framework by conceptualizing its management function as a serially linked two sub-process; operational management (OM) and portfolio management (PM). The procedure that we adopt is data envelopment analysis (DEA). We express overall efficiency as a weighted average of the two sub-process efficiencies and assess overall efficiency conditional on their relative importance. We demonstrate application of our model using a sample of Australian superannuation funds. By appraising performance in two sample periods; crisis (2008) and relatively non-crisis (2014), we show that some findings of previous studies may be explained further through the proposed multi-stage framework. The best overall performer in 2008 is public sector funds and in 2014 it is corporate funds. Decomposition of overall efficiency reveals that public sector funds, on average, outperform all other fund categories in OM. However, no specific fund category dominates PM performance in both assessment periods. The driving force behind the observed inverse association between superannuation fund size and performance appears to be PM performance. Number of investment options offered is not associated with overall, OM and PM performance. Here, we demonstrate that performance appraisal from different aspects of management provide insightful information to superannuation fund managers.     

On the post-financial crisis performance of Islamic mutual funds: the case of Riyad funds

Using Riyad Capital mutual funds as a proxy for Saudi Arabian mutual funds, this paper empirically compares the risk-adjusted performance and investment style of Islamic mutual funds with that of conventional funds in the wake of the recent global financial crisis of 2009–2014. Absolute and relative risk-adjusted measures with single factor (Jensen) and multifactor (Carhart) models are applied. Our findings suggest that Islamic funds outperformed conventional funds domestically, given similar risk exposure, and produced comparable results under lower market risk globally. The results show that Islamic funds are a relatively big cap from the strong statistical significance registered on the global side as evidenced by the difference portfolio outcomes. In addition, the difference portfolios provide statistical evidence that Islamic funds are more value-oriented compared to conventional funds on both fronts. Furthermore, Islamic funds tend to slightly favour a contrarian trading investment strategy as suggested by statistically significant local portfolio value and global difference portfolios results. The results of home bias test show stronger ties by local Islamic funds to local market relative to the global proxy suggesting that domestic investors and managers favour Islamic funds over conventional funds, thus confirming a local preference for Shari’ah-compliant investments.     

Comparative risk adjusted performance of Islamic,socially responsible and conventional funds: Evidence from United Kingdom

This study investigates the risk and return characteristics of Islamic funds in comparison with SRI and the conventional open-end mutual funds for the UK, which, having attracted over £11.7 billion in Islamic investment in the past decade has emerged as the largest financial market for Islamic funds in the west. In addition, contrasting with previous literature, this research categorizes SRI and Islamic funds into two distinct types in order to allow a fair comparison. Our findings demonstrate that Islamic and SRI funds in general perform close to the conventional funds with significantly better risk-return tradeoff in US focused funds. Results further indicate that the UK-based Islamic and SRI funds were less effected during financial crisis as the magnitude of loss was significantly lower for them when compared to conventional funds. The research suggests that Islamic and SRI funds do provide a rational substitute and investors can benefit from investing in these funds as ethic and faith-based screening criteria do not affect the returns of Islamic and SRI funds adversely. This was also substantiated by our findings on investment behavior of these funds.     

基于DEA模型的中医药上市公司绩效评价研究

数据包络分析（DEA）作为一种绩效评价方法,其评价结果更客观。利用DEA方法对中国25家中医药上市公司的经营绩效进行了分析评价,结果表明,中国中医药上市公司的整体效率有待提高：只有7家上市公司是DEA有效的,其余18家上市公司则是非DEA有效的。进一步分析发现,非DEA有效的中医药上市公司多是规模收益递增的,说明其在提高财务管理效率和成本控制方面有较大的发展空间。在此基础上,进一步探求改善中医药上市公司绩效的途径。     

Risk management and dynamic network performance: an illustration using a dual banking system

This study applies dynamic network data envelopment analysis to compare a dual banking system, namely conventional and Islamic banks, with emphasis on risk measures. Non-oriented, variable return-to-scale dynamic network slacks-based measure is used to model the banking performance for the period 2008–2012. Under the consideration of risk measures, the findings highlight that Islamic banks excel in managerial efficiency while conventional banks surpass in profitability efficiency. Furthermore, the regression results find that the number of directors on the risk management committee has a positive impact on banking performance. Meanwhile, the high number of independent directors improves the profitability efficiency but worsens the managerial efficiency.     

新型农村合作医疗绩效评价研究

绩效评价是新型农村合作医疗管理的重要内容之一。本文根据前期的试行情况,分析了新型农村合作医疗绩效评价在空间界定、期间设定和方法选择等方面的特殊性。在此基础上,提出了合作医疗绩效评价中定性分析的资料来源、取得途径和内容设计的基本构想,并建立了定量分析的评价指标体系。     

基于DEA的浙江省R&D投入绩效评价研究

本文运用数据包络分析法对浙江省R&D投入绩效进行分析评价。实证分析表明,浙江省R&D投入相对效率不高,且呈先升后降又升的趋势,而各制造业R&D投入的绩效的增长主要来自于技术效率的提高,而不是技术本身的进步。最后,根据实证分析情况,从政府科技管理体制等方面指出提升R&D投入效率的对策建议。     

Intellectual capital and university performance in Taiwan

Assessing university performance is an important yet complex issue. Knowing whether policy is effective in achieving its goal of advancing teaching and research is critical. Furthermore, at the level of implementation, it is necessary to understand if university resource allocation is sufficiently efficient for delivering expected results. To achieve this insight, this study utilizes a two-stage data envelopment analysis to evaluate the cost and teaching and research efficiencies of public universities in Taiwan. Additionally, this paper also employs a truncated-regression to discuss whether intellectual capital affects the operating efficiency of universities. The results demonstrate that the universities are much better at handling cost efficiencies than teaching and research efficiencies. The regression analysis indicates that intellectual capital does play an important role in influencing teaching and research efficiency. Finally, the conceptual roadmap to performance improvement strategies, which helps the manager and/or authorities to improve their operating efficiencies, also is presented.     

基于DEA的河南地市经济发展分析

数据包络分析方法（DEA）是一种评价具有相同类型投入和产出的若干个生产或非生产部门（决策单元）相对效率的有效方法,可用于评价区域经济综合发展。运用数据包络分析方法,通过建立具体的指标体系、模型运算,对河南省18个地市的经济效益进行了实证研究。根据技术效率相对有效性和规模效率相对有效性分析结果,提出发展河南省地市经济的建议。     

Decentralized and concentrated investments in China and the performance of Taiwanese listed electronic companies

Ever since China surpassed Taiwan to become the largest exporter of electronic products, dependence between the two sides has deepened, which prompts Taiwanese companies to go public in China. This study conducted the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and regression analysis to analyse the impacts of the depth and breadth of investments in China on the performance of Taiwanese listed electronic companies. The empirical results show that, the breath of the investments in China has a positive correlation with the performance of Taiwanese companies; while the depth of investments in China has a negative and significant effect on the performances due to the companies’ lack of know-how, which leads to a high-learning cost. In summary, companies should strategize their decentralized and concentrated investments in China.     

Strategic corporate social responsibility and economic performance

This article proposes a novel Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) index based on a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. Acknowledging the argument that companies might favour those CSR dimensions that provide strategic competitive advantages, we argue that the index can capture companies’ strategic approach to CSR. Furthermore, our findings reveal a neutral relationship between this strategic CSR index and economic performance as measured by Return on Assets (ROA) and Tobin's Q, when controlling for firm unobserved heterogeneity and past economic performance. By contrast, an equally-weighted index of the same CSR indicators is found to be negatively related with ROA, which reinforces our claim that this specific DEA-based index is a measure of strategic CSR.     

Convergence of the performance of microfinance institutions: A decomposition analysis

In this paper, we focus on investigating whether and to what extent patterns of performance microfinance institutions converge over time. In particular, we analyze whether patterns of performance are related to changes in operating efficiency, capital deepening, and/or technological change for a large international sample of microfinance institutions for the period 2003–2012. We apply intertemporal Data Envelopment Analysis, a methodology that has been used extensively in the literature explaining patterns of economic growth, but has not been applied yet in microfinance research. We decompose performance changes into operating efficiency changes, changes in capital intensity and/or technological change and find that capital deepening is the most important source of improved performance, especially during the first half, while capital deepening and technological innovations are important during the second half of the period. We also find strong evidence for convergence of performance between microfinance institutions. These trends concur with important changes in microfinance, such as increased commercialization, competition with commercial banks, and involvement of private investors.     

建筑企业人力资源管理绩效评价模型的选择

建筑企业人力资源管理及其绩效评价,具有相对独特性,通常的评价方法在应用时受到制约,难以产生期望的效果。数据包络分析,具有处理多输入和多输出的多目标决策问题的能力和优势,可以有效地描述建筑企业间复杂的多重关系,并能获得企业及其施工项目人力资源管理绩效的客观评价。     

Evaluating R&D performance of EU countries using categorical DEA

Over the coming decade, Research and Development (R&D) performance will be the key component of bringing innovation and the determinant of global competitiveness of nations. Therefore, this paper presents categorical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for evaluating R&D performance of European Union (EU) countries. We utilise the output-oriented constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) DEA models with categorical data, namely, CAT-O-C and CAT-O-V models. In addition to DEA based framework, to examine the relationship between R&D performance and political-regulatory-economic situation of the countries; three research hypotheses are stated and their results are analysed. Policy implications about R&D activities can be derived for EU countries from the findings of this study.     

不同策略股票型开放式基金的业绩评价实证分析

对基金投资策略的评价可以采用对基金在某一时段的投资业绩进行评估,以考察不同策略在该阶段的有效性。本文首先按照股票型开放武基金风格对所选的28只进行分类,给出了基于夏普方法的基金净值、累计净值等指标及计算出来的相对绩效数值,同时采用夏苷指数对我国股果型开放武基金的运蕾绩效进行评估。     

The influence of pension funds on corporate governance

Although pension funds have gained importance in the last two decades, their role has not been described in detail by economic models. This article focuses on the scope of these institutional investors when they are not satisfied with a management team of a company in which the pension fund holds a block of shares. Stock holdings by pension funds are largely dispersed. Therefore, any intervention by pension funds in corporate governance requires the formation of a coalition of pension funds. The realization of a coordinated intervention, in turn, is subject to the problems related to the provision of public goods, such as free riding. We find that the stock dispersion and the combined share of pension funds, coordination costs and the attractiveness of the exit option are relevant factors for determining the probability of the success of interventions.     

基于DEA的城市循环经济运行效率分析

城市循环经济运行效率是城市可持续发展、建设和谐社会的综合度量,是当今社会研究的热点问题。本文运用数据包络分析模型对城市循环经济运行效率进行了分析,并根据计算结果提出相应的城市化推进策略,为相关政府部门的战略决策提供理论依据。     

Using the optimization algorithm to evaluate and predict the business performance of logistics companies–a case study in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

In the current market economy, it is important to evaluate and forecast the situation and business performance of enterprises to provide the necessary information for managers to plan for future use of resources. This study aims to evaluate and predict the business performance of logistics companies in Vietnam. The authors use the optimal algorithm in the data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the business efficiency of the companies in the years 2014–2017. In addition, the authors use Grey system theory to forecast business results and their future use during the period of 2018–2021. The research shows that Gemadept Corporation and Sea & Air Freight International use the their business resources effectively and as expected, and that these companies will continue to thrive in the future. This study provides a method to measure, evaluate, and forecast the business performance of the logistics companies. Managers and the government can rely on this approach for implementation and overall planning of logistics enterprises in the future.     

Intermittent work activity and earnings

Patterns of intermittent work activity appear to be more common in the modern labour market, at least for younger workers. This study extends earlier models of the relationship between labour market intermittency and earnings to include both part time work and nonparticipation, to differentiate between past work experience and current job tenure, to allow for nonlinear experience effects, and to account for selection bias arising from the exclusion of nonworkers. The results suggest that the effects of part time work and nonparticipation on earnings are similar. Moreover, some common patterns emerge: the effects are larger for women, greater for young workers, and greater when intermittency replaces current job tenure.     

中国大陆社会保障支出水平与效率评价——基于DEA模型的实证分析

运用聚类分析和数据包络分析方法对中国大陆中的27个省份地区的社会保障支出水平与效率进行实证研究，结果表明：中国大陆社会保障支出水平相似的地区，社会保障支出效率呈现出了明显的差异性，一般情况下，社会保障支出效率高的地区多集中在经济水平较高的地区。因此，应运用经济手段，建立相应的激励机制，不断完善中国大陆多层次的社会保障制度体系。