Competition and efficiency in the MENA banking region: a non-structural DEA approach

The goal of this article is to empirically assess the relationship between competition and efficiency in the banking sector of Middle East and North African (MENA) countries spanning the period 1997–2011. To measure the level of competition, the article estimates the non-structural indicator known as the H-statistic, while the level of bank efficiency is estimated through the nonparametric methodology of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Bootstrap Data Envelopment Analysis (BDEA), respectively. The empirical results are robust under six econometric methodologies, providing sufficient evidence for the presence of a one-way (negative) Granger causality, running from efficiency to competition. The empirical findings lead to the rejection of the ‘Efficient Structure Hypothesis’, implying that increases in competition do not precede increases in cost efficiency.     

Cost and learning efficiency drivers in Australian schools: a two-stage network DEA approach

This article explore performance issues in Australian public schools, using a two-stage DEA network model, which accounts simultaneously for both cost and learning efficiency levels. In the cost efficiency stage, different types of expenses and investments are employed to support a given number of students, teachers and administrative staff. In the learning efficiency stage, these groups of individuals help to produce important outputs related to performance in student tests and school rankings. Results indicate that Australian public schools are heterogeneous. Policy implications are also discussed.     

Managerial efficiency in Taiwan bank branches: A network DEA

Taiwan's banking industry remains highly fragmented and competitive after a series of financial liberalization and restructuring. With the enforcement of these fiscal policies, domestic banking institutions face a more dynamic, increasingly intense and highly competitive environment even as the banking industry's overall efficiency has gradually been enhanced. This structural change has further forced individual banking institutions, especially state-owned banks, to inspect the performance of their branches and identify improvement directions so as to gain further competitive advantages. To conduct a valid, fair and reliable evaluation on Taiwan's bank branches, we integrate a two-stage series performance model and fuzzy multiobjective model. A new scheme that considers the complementation of production and intermediation activities within a branch and overcomes the shortage of the traditional network DEA methodology about DMUs cannot be assessed on a common base. The results indicate that the overall performances of mixed ownership bank branches are superior to those of state-owned bank branches, representing that the advantages of banking privatization have some remedial effects for improving the managerial inefficiency of state-owned banks. In addition, the sensitivity analysis and decision-making matrix herein help bank management to identify branches' efficiency, weakness, and directions for improvement.     

Economic efficiency of Greek retail SMEs in a period of high fluctuations in economic activity: a DEA approach

This study aims to analyse the economic efficiency of Greek small and medium retail enterprises before and after the crisis that started in 2008. Based on the Accounting Equation, we use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to estimate variable returns of scale efficiency scores and to conclude on specific characteristics that efficient companies have, for example, on capital structure. Our results from the DEA application show a high degree of inefficiency. We found that SMEs on the islands are more efficient than those on the mainland and that SMEs in the cities are the least efficient. Size seems to be important, more so on the islands and on the mainland than in the cities. We conclude that companies should act more conservatively in terms of operating cost when the first signs of a recession appear. In addition, during a recession period, companies that have evidences that their operations will continue positively should strengthen their operations by raising more own capital. Finally, our study clarifies four issues: the efficiency of retail companies in a period of growth and a period of recession, focusing on SMEs that operate in different regions, connecting Accounting Equation and DEA and adding acid ratio as an output in our model.     

An analysis of innovation in textile companies: An efficiency approach

The elimination of trade contingency measures in 2005 triggered a process of renewal in the textile sector, requiring major investments. The divide between efficiency and innovation has become an issue of major importance for decision-making in the Spanish textile sector. This study provides quantitative data on the efficiency levels of innovative Spanish textile companies. The aim is to identify their distinguishing features and establish a possible pattern to follow. In addition, truncated regression is used to estimate the determinants of efficiency, in order to check the significance of innovation processes for firms.     

Analyses of technical efficiency using SDF and DEA models: evidence from Nepalese agriculture

Alleviation of poverty is a central issue in Nepal. Given the limited stock of land and the infant/unorganized manufacturing sector, increased demand for food has to be satisfied by improving production efficiency. This article examines how this could be achieved. Stochastic distance function and data envelopment analysis models identify the existence of a high degree of technical inefficiency in Nepalese agriculture, suggesting that there is a substantial prospect of increasing agricultural productivity using the existing level of inputs and resources more efficiently. Among the three farm sizes in the data set, medium size farmers achieve a higher technical efficiency than large and small farm sizes, suggesting that productive efficiency can be increased with the encouragement of creating medium size holdings. The observed decreasing returns to scale also implies that productivity gains could be achieved by breaking up of large farms into small family farms. The technical inefficiency model suggests the potential for shifting the production frontier upwards by providing ownership of land, increasing farmers’ education and knowledge, and increasing land quality, including irrigation facilities.     

基于DEA的中国绿色经济效率地区差异与收敛分析

本文运用熵权法构造了各地区综合环境污染指数,将其引入效率测度DEA模型,测度了1995—2007年间我国29个省市区的绿色经济效率,并对各地区绿色经济效率增长差异进行了收敛性检验。研究结果表明:伴随着我国经济高速增长的同时,环境污染问题日益严峻;整体上我国绿色经济效率呈波动型上升趋势,且由东部、西部、中部依次递减;由于各地区经济基础条件与特征不同,全国总体绿色经济效率不存在收敛趋势,但东部与中部地区绿色经济效率表现出俱乐部收敛。     

基于时间序列的BP神经网络预测鄂尔多斯市的GDP

国内生产总值(GDP)是制定经济发展战略、规划、年度计划以及各种宏观经济政策的重要依据,研究GDP预测方法具有重要的现实意义。在对鄂尔多斯市GDP数据序列分析的基础上,考虑到BP神经网络可以通过简单非线性函数的复合能够实现对于复杂函数的映射,本文采用BP神经网络方法来预测鄂尔多斯市的GDP,取得了较好的预测效果。     

Inter-firm networks and innovation: a survey of literature

This survey covers the recent literature on inter-firm networks as far as they have implications for innovation and technological change. The studies are classified according to the direction of causality in network studies. In the literature, some studies focus on the effect of networks, while others on the origins and formation of networks. These are represented as a circular flow diagram of network research. Circular diagram includes three themes of analysis as: (1) origins of networks, (2) firm performance, (3) network structure, and shows the relationship between these themes as observed in network research. The aim of this survey is to guide researchers working on inter-firm networks about the theoretical and empirical results obtained up to now in the field and to highlight those areas which need further work.     

论我国实行强制性环境责任保险制度的可行性——以环境责任保险制度的发展演进为视角

近年来,我国经济的高速发展带来了大量的社会问题,日益严重的环境污染问题就是其中之一。为了治理环境污染,提高污染企业的环境保护意识,我国于20世纪90年代初开始试行环境责任保险,经历了从任意性责任保险到强制性责任保险的发展历程,发展思路和模式也逐渐清晰,当前已经具备构建强制性环境责任保险制度的基本条件。实行强制性环境责任保险与企业社会责任理念相契合,投保环境责任保险是企业承担社会责任的方式之一。近年来我国政府相继出台了一系列推进强制性环境责任保险制度发展的规定,为制度构建奠定了政策基础。2014年4月24日新修订的《环境保护法》第52条明确规定国家鼓励投保环境强制责任保险,为制度构建提供了法律依据。我国在船舶油污损害强制责任保险和交强险方面的立法和实践可以为制度构建提供参考,同时在保险模式选择上可以借鉴西方国家成熟的环境责任保险制度。     

财政补贴对我国农户农业保险参保决策影响的实证研究——以浙江省为例

2004年,中国开始政策性农业保险试点工作,各级政府通过财政补贴激励农户购买农业保险。本文以浙江省为例,采用Logistic模型,对影响农户农业保险参保决策的因素进行实证分析。研究结果表明：农户对保费补贴政策的了解程度对其参保决策具有统计上的显著影响;保费补贴激励和风险厌恶激励成为推动农户参保的主要因素。据此本文指出,提高农户对政策性农业保险的认知程度和设计符合农户需求的保险险种,能够推动政策性农业保险的深入发展。     

我国保险业服务创新现状分析——基于浙江省的调研

本文对30家在浙保险公司进行了问卷调查,分别从创新的目标与战略、创新的类型、创新的机制等方面对其服务创新的现状进行了分析,得到如下结论：第一,大型保险公司更加注重强化管理基础,并不断进行管理创新;中小型国有控股保险公司继续加快网点建设步伐,实现超常规发展;外资保险公司则充分利用其在技术、管理等方面的优势,在局部地区或领域形成一定的竞争优势。第二,各保险公司在深化传统渠道的同时,不断加大了创新渠道的力度。第三,在未摆脱价格竞争的同时,我国保险业的市场竞争逐步向产品、服务、管理、品牌、技术等全方位延伸。     

中国农业保险的赔付风险:风险测度与应对策略——基于1984~2012年农业保险与财产保险赔付率的滤波分解与比较

由于农业保险所承保的农业自然灾害具有统计学上的不可预测性,灾害学上的时空延展性和经济学上的不可控性,使得经营农业保险的保险公司面临较高赔付风险. 为测算我国农业保险的赔付风险度,收集整理1984~2012年农业保险与财产保险赔付率数据,采用H-P滤波分解法对其进行长期趋势与短期波动的分解和比较分析. 研究发现:我国农业保险整体赔付水平和赔付的波动幅度远高于财产保险,验证了农业保险具有高风险经营的特性. 但是近年来,农业保险长期赔付趋势呈现平稳略微下降态势,短期波动幅度逐步收敛. 未来随着经营主体的增加,农业保险经营中须把握保险保障度的提升与保险公司经营风险管控的有效平衡;农业保险的适当盈利性与福利改进的有效融合.     

Contract farmer and poultry farm efficiency in Bangladesh: a data envelopment analysis

The objective of this article is to determine the efficiency of the poultry farm in Bangladesh and to assess the influence of contract farming system, using a data envelopment analysis. Seventy-five commercial poultry farms (25 and 50 independent and contract farms, respectively) were randomly selected. The results reveal that efficiency scores vary across sample farms. To explain some of these variations, the efficiency scores were regressed on some human capital variables and farming system using a Tobit model. The study also estimates elasticities to provide the information on the magnitude of the influence of variables on Technical Efficiency (TE), Allocative Efficiency (AE) and Economic Efficiency (EE). The results show that the contracting system is positively and significantly related to the farm's TE, AE and EE. This is expected because under contractual agreement, in order to obtain sufficient supplies of the right quality of poultry meat at the right time, the company provides technical know how assistance through company's recruited supervisor, production inputs and services, and production credit along with intensive supervision, which in turn improves farm efficiency. Thus, by receiving technical know how contract farmers have gained more knowledge on their resource and practices, which enables them to use resources more efficiently. Empirical results can provide crucial information to policy makers that improve poultry farm efficiency.     

安徽省主要城市工业用电效率及影响因素分析--基于DEA及Tobit两阶段模型

随着节约型社会的构建,安徽省不断加大对能源使用效率的监督和管理力度,为了明确安徽省近年来工业用电效率及其影响因素,采用数据包络及托宾回归模型对2004-2011年安徽省17个主要城市工业用电效率进行评价和分析。研究结果表明：（1）自2004年以来,安徽省主要城市工业用电效率一直处在上升阶段,但是与最优水平仍存在一定差距,同时还发现工业增加值与用电效率之间并不存在显著关系;（2）工业经济发达城市唯有依靠技术效率来提升用电效率,工业经济欠发达城市则需通过规模经济来实现用电效率的改善。（3）对外开放水平、节电意识、科技水平以及政府支出对工业用电效率有正向影响。     

Farm household efficiency in Bangladesh: a comparison of stochastic frontier and DEA methods

This study compares estimates of technical efficiency obtained from the stochastic frontier approach and the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach using farm-level survey data for rice farmers in Bangladesh. Technical inefficiency effects are modelled as a function of farm-specific socioeconomic factors, environmental factors and irrigation infrastructure. The results from both the approaches indicate that efficiency is significantly influenced by the factors measuring environmental degradation and irrigation infrastructure.     

Carbon efficiency of US colleges and universities: a nonparametric assessment

Under the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), institutes of higher education have pledged to pursue a goal of carbon neutrality. We utilize emissions reported under the ACUPCC agreement and a nonparametric data envelopment analysis approach in order to evaluate the relative performance of signatories to the agreement in terms of producing teaching and research with the least greenhouse gas emissions. We find that while many signatory institutions are now producing their desirable outputs relatively efficiently in terms of carbon emissions, there still exists considerable variation in efficiency and potential for improvement. Results of a second stage efficiency change analysis shows evidence of both movement towards the efficiency frontier since signing, and some movement of the frontier itself, though this evidence comes primarily from teaching-focused institutions.     

Bank reforms and efficiency in Vietnamese banks: evidence based on SFA and DEA

This study examines the cost efficiency of Vietnamese banks from 2000 to 2014 in the first stage, and the selection and dynamic effects of two governance reforms, foreign partial acquisition and listing on the stock exchange, on the efficiency in the second stage. Empirical results from the two-stage Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) are highly consistent with those from the two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) . Specifically, the first-stage efficiency estimation indicates that the cost efficiency shows a slightly upward trend over the period 2000–2014, with the cost efficiency score being 0.93 and state-owned banks outperforming joint-stock banks (JSBs). The mixed process seemingly unrelated regression estimator which controls the potential endogeneity of public listing and foreign acquisition in the second stage shows that selection effects occur in the Vietnamese banking system: banks selected by the strategic foreign investors for partial acquisition and banks selected for public listing are more cost-efficient than those not selected. The short-term and long-term dynamic effects of foreign partial acquisition are documented: the cost efficiency of the Vietnamese banks post-partial acquisition is lower than prior-partial acquisition, and it experiences a decreasing trend since partial acquisition. However, the short-term and long-term dynamic effects of public listing are not evidenced: the cost efficiency of the banks after public listing is not statistically different from that before public listing, and it also reveals an unclear trend since public listing.     

The efficiency of social public expenditure in European countries: a two-stage analysis

Do European countries differ in the efficiency of their welfare policies? And which factors can account for such variability? To address these questions, we perform a two-stage efficiency analysis. First, based on a composite output indicator for social protection expenditure, we measure efficiency by means of the Free Disposable Hull and Data Envelopment Analysis techniques. Second, we perform an econometric analysis to identify the factors that can be associated to cross-country differences. We find that countries scoring higher efficiency have higher education and GDP levels, a smaller population size, a lower degree of selectivity of their welfare systems and a lower corruption level.     

基于DEA和因子分析法的安徽省物流发展现状实证分析--基于安徽省2011年各地市物流相关统计数据

基于DEA模型,通过建立物流投入指标,分析2011年安徽省16个地市的物流投入产出效率。结论表明：以合肥为代表的7个地市物流投入产出达到DEA有效;以阜阳为代表的9个地市存在投入和产出冗余;总体来看,安徽省物流投入产出平均总体效率、平均纯技术效率、平均规模效率分别为0.83、0.89、0.92,说明安徽省物流效率偏低的主要原因是纯技术效率偏低造成的,物流投入存在浪费现象,产出还有很大发展空间。为了提升物流效率,使用因子分析法对安徽省物流产业发展影响因素进行分析,根据3个主要影响因子,提出了物流发展改进策略。