Profitability efficiency,marketability efficiency and technology gaps in Taiwan’s banking industry: meta-frontier network data envelopment analysis

The aim of this article is to measure the profitability efficiency (PE) and marketability efficiency (ME) of non-homogenous Taiwanese banks after the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards by using the convex meta-frontier data envelopment analysis model. The model is applied to simultaneously estimate PE and ME of the banks in financial holding companies (FHCs) and the banks not in FHCs. The meta-inefficiencies in individual processes are further decomposed into group inefficiencies and technology gap inefficiencies to explore the sources of inefficiency. The empirical results indicate that the banks in FHCs can reduce more costs than the banks not in FHCs, whereas the banks not in FHCs can create greater market value than the banks in FHCs. For the banks joining and not in FHCs, technology gap inefficiency is the main source of inefficiencies in both profitability and marketability processes.     

Productivity and efficiency of Vietnamese banking system: new evidence using Färe-Primont index analysis

This article aims to provide a clearer view on the recent evolutions of the Vietnamese banking system that can be useful to public authority when taking restructuring decisions. This article focuses on the evolution of productivity of Vietnamese banks over the period 2008 to 2012, and on the evolution of the different components of this productivity: technical change, pure technical efficiency and mix and scale efficiency. The methodology draws from very recent developments in index theory in the design of multiplicative-complete economically ideal indexes, using Färe-Primont productivity indexes to measure productivity. This methodology is applied to a balanced panel of Vietnamese banks. The results complement observations usually made on the recent development of the Vietnamese banking system. They show that the State Bank of Vietnam’s restructuring policy cannot focus only on either the insufficient size of banks or a better management of these banks in terms of the mix of outputs. Both must be considered simultaneously, not only through bank mergers but also in setting management criteria in line with criteria defined internationally.     

Banks’ efficiency and credit risk analysis using by-production approach: the case of Iranian banks

This article uses a by-production approach that integrates credit risk to monitor bank efficiency. The method overcomes the possible misspecification issues of the commonly assumed weak disposability (WDA) of undesirable outputs. In addition, our measure extends the classic by-production approach by including statistical aspects through subsampling techniques. We have also provided an algorithm to correct related infeasibilities. Using this approach, we investigate the performance of Iranian banks and credit risk management in the sector for the period 1998–2012. Non-performing loans (NPLs) have been used as an undesirable output and proxy for credit risk in our models. Based on our empirical results, although the banks generally exhibited efficiency improvements over time, their credit risk performance deteriorated considerably after the regulatory changes introduced in 2005. These findings confirm that credit quality can be monitored more actively across Iranian banks.     

Firms’ efficiency,exits and government procurement contracts

This study shows that productivity trends in Russia are similar to those in other countries where technology leaders enjoy productivity growth, with a gap increasing between them and other companies. The survival analysis suggests that the most efficient firms quit the market at a faster rate than other companies do. Survival functions of the least efficient firms do not always differ significantly from those of other enterprises. Additional financial support from government contracts helps firms in all efficiency groups survive but this effect is stronger for laggards. The shift of gains from the public procurement system towards low productive firms leads to the distorted allocation of resources in the economy and, in the long run, may undermine economic growth by allowing inefficient companies to stay in the market significantly longer than would be the case in a more competitive environment.     

The efficiency of the Scandinavian banking sector – a wavelet quantile regression analysis

In this article, the Scandinavian housing financing market is analysed in order to determine whether the interest rate price-discovery processes of Denmark, Norway and Sweden are efficient. Based on wavelet quantile regression analysis, we find systematic positive asymmetric price transmission (APT) inefficiencies. We conclude that there is a very high propensity for mortgage lenders to directly increase its customers’ mortgage interest rates subsequently to an increase in its borrowing costs. However, after a corresponding borrowing cost decrease, the same mortgage lenders are very slow to decrease its customers’ mortgage rates. These positive coefficients for so-called APT effects are found in all Scandinavian countries, even if the coefficients for Norway were not statistically significant. Wavelet quantile regression analysis, with a focus on the relevant higher percentiles, is easily motivated since the mortgage rates are adjusted very infrequently. Moreover, wavelet decomposition allows a robust analysis at different time frequency scales, while simultaneously controlling for nonstationary trends, autocorrelation and structural breaks. Except for the still positive but yet insignificant and inconclusive coefficients for Norway, the result is very clear-cut. Regardless of which wavelet scaling decomposition or quantile coefficient that is studied – positive APT effects are clearly identified and confirmed on the Scandinavian mortgage market.     

Do increases in energy efficiency improve environmental quality and sustainability?

Governments world-wide increasingly see energy efficiency as an important aspect of sustainability. However, there is a debate in the literature as to whether the impact of improved energy efficiency on reducing energy use might be partially, or more than wholly, offset through “rebound” and “backfire” effects. This paper clarifies the theoretical conditions under which such effects would occur and explores their likely significance using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the Scottish economy. We find that for Scotland a general improvement in energy efficiency in the production sectors of the economy initially produces rebound effects that eventually grow into backfire. Energy use ultimately increases in response to an efficiency gain and the ratio of GDP to CO₂ emissions falls. The economic factors underpinning rebound effects are straightforward: energy efficiency improvements result in an effective cut in energy prices, which produces output, substitution, competitiveness and income effects that stimulate energy demands. However, the presence of strong rebound or even backfire does not mean that efficiency-enhancing policies are irrelevant: rather it suggests that such policies operating alone are insufficient to generate environmental improvements. The implication is that a co-ordinated portfolio of energy policies is required.     

Energy efficiency and economic growth of China： 1953-2006

Energy plays an important role in the economic life. With the rapid development of economy, the constraint of energy on the sustainable development of economy is becoming more and more obvious. This paper just Studies the factors influencing energy efficiency of China and the relationship between energy efficiency and China＇s economic： growth. By using time series multivariable linear regression methods with China＇s relevant data from 1953 to 2006, this paper constructs the regression model to analyze the factors that would impact energy, efficiency. After that, a regression model of China＇s real output to capital, labor and energy e lficiency is conducted to estimate the marginal contribution of every factor to the real output to prove the fundamental influence of energy efficiency to the economic growth. In the end, some policies and recommendations are also put forward in order to improve the energy efficiency; of China.     

Does education promote social capital? Evidence from IV analysis and nonparametric-bound analysis

This study uses the British National Child Development Study to examine the effect of educational attainment on social capital at the individual level. Social trust and membership of voluntary groups are considered as two basic indicators of social capital. We employ the IV analysis and nonparametric bound analysis to tackle the problem of education endogeneity. Both the approaches reveal that the OLS estimator of the educational effect suffers from an upward bias in the study of group membership. We do not observe any significant bias in the educational effect on social trust. Our empirical findings indicate that education has a positive influence in promoting social trust and membership of voluntary groups.     

Process and risk analysis about enterprises technological innovation

Successful innovation is so important that enterprise scientifically manages the process and risk of technological innovation. Firstly, the process of innovation is generalized to seven stages including formation of innovation idea, investigation and evaluation, research and development, middle test, mass production, marketing and selling, after service and feedback. Secondly, the origin of risk in the process of innovation is analyzed. The purpose is to help enterprise identify risk and take countermeasure to minimize the potential loss and maximize the potential income.     

Do core-selecting Combinatorial Clock Auctions always lead to high efficiency? An experimental analysis of spectrum auction designs

For many years the Simultaneous Multi-Round Auction (SMRA) has been the primary auction design for spectrum sales worldwide. Recently, the core-selecting Combinatorial Clock Auction (CCA) has been used as an alternative to the SMRA in a number of countries promising strong incentives for truthful bidding and high efficiency as a result. We analyze the efficiency and auctioneer revenue of the CCA in comparison to SMRA and examine bidding behavior in both formats. The experiments are based on two value models, which resemble single- and multiband spectrum sales in the field. Such applications often allow for thousands of possible bundles. Bidders in the CCA submitted bids for only a fraction of all bundles with a positive valuation. Bundles were selected based on synergies and payoff after the primary bid rounds. As a consequence, we found efficiency of the CCA to be significantly lower than that of SMRA in the multi-band value model and auctioneer revenue of the CCA to be lower in both value models. In addition, we characterize several properties of the auction format, which result from the two-stage design and the payment and activity rules.     

Multi-factor agricultural productivity,efficiency and convergence in Botswana, 1981–1996

This paper applies the sequential Malmquist index to calculate multi-lateral, multi-factor productivity (MFP) indices for agriculture in the 18 districts and the commercial sector of Botswana from 1981 to 1996. The MFP index grew at an average rate of 1.7% per annum, led by the regions that specialize in livestock, which grew at well over 3% per annum. This growth was powered by technological change at 4% per year, but offset by technical efficiency falling at 2.4% per annum, as the commercial sector and the better regions exploited new technologies and infrastructure, whereas the less productive areas fell further behind the best practice frontier. Thus, convergence tests show that the gap between the more productive and the poorer regions widened.     

Considering endogeneity and heterogeneity–a hierarchical random parameters approach to measuring efficiency

Modelling efficiency in healthcare with stochastic production frontiers (SPF) is complicated because of the immeasurable elements, quality of care and casemix as well as complex data structures. This analysis considers a SPF approach to estimating efficiencies for organizations in the Republic of Ireland that supply GP services outside of normal working hours. These organizations are run out of a number of primary care centres. The daily payroll for the centre is the output in the SPF and the services offered by these centres enter the production function as inputs. It is argued that these services are exogenous variables and are determined by patient characteristics and reported conditions and not the staff within the centre. A characteristic of the data used is a two-tier structure emanating from a centre lying within a co-op. To account for this tier structure the analysis considers a random parameters approach. The analysis also considers proxies for quality of care and casemix and incorporates them into the SPF. The sensitivity of efficiency values to the excluding the random parameters, quality of care and casemix variables is examined by estimating three reduced forms of the model which ignore each of these elements.     

Identification and analysis of underdeveloped resource-rich regions in China

This paper analyzes the existence of developmental views and compares the results of previous studies for underdeveloped regions.In view of the limitations of previous studies,this study details regional unit,expands index system,applies factor-analysis to structure index system,uses the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model to improve analytic hierarchy process,and identifies the economic developmental levels of 384 regions,including 4 municipalities,333 cities at prefecture level,and 47 counties under the jurisdiction of province.The levels of the 47 counties are identified by dividing the rank of comprehensive values of more than 337 regions unit into five equal graduations and then matching the 47 counties with the five-graduation results.This study provides the distribution of resources-rich region in China qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of coal,oil gas and other 14 kinds of metal mineral resources.Finally,by matching the two parts of results,this study identifies the distribution of underdeveloped resource-rich regions （URRRs）.URRRs are mainly distributed in Shaanxi,Shanxi,Guizhou,Yunnan,Sichuan,He ＇nan,Shandong,Guangxi and Gansu provinces,which accounts for 78.57% of the total in China.To a certain degree,the result of this paper proves that ＂resources curse ＂ existing in the national stratification plane in later 20^th century still takes places in some cities in China,especially in the counties of these cities ＇jurisdiction.     

R&D efficiency and heterogeneity – a latent class application for the OECD

Expenditures devoted to research and development (R&D) are scarce and thus need to be used as efficiently as possible given the financial constraints countries are facing. This article assesses the relative efficiency of R&D expenditures for 26 OECD member countries and two nonmember countries. As countries differ in their national innovation systems and states of economic development and industrialization, e.g. transition economies in Eastern Europe versus Asian countries versus Anglo-Saxon countries, the measurement of R&D efficiency needs to consider differences in the technology of knowledge production. By means of a latent class model for stochastic frontiers, we relax the assumption of a homogeneous technology frontier and model technological differences in knowledge production among countries. Empirical evidence suggests the existence of different classes stressing the importance of accounting for countries’ disparities within R&D efficiency analysis.     

Comparison of indicators of women’s labour between Turkey and EU member states by employing multidimensional scaling analysis and clustering analysis

At present, because of social, cultural and economic changes, women support the economies of their countries by their status as workers. In this research, we aim at comparing the status of Turkey in terms of indicators of women in the labour force with that of EU countries, thereby revealing the similarities and differences. The variables indicating women in the labour forces of the 28 EU countries and Turkey were analysed utilizing multidimensional scaling analysis (MDSA) and clustering analysis (CA).

According to the MDSA, the countries form three different groups in two-dimensional space. The clusters formed by the CA are congruent with the groups formed according to the MDSA. When compared with EU members, Turkey has very low values, particularly in terms of the ratio of working women, the ratio of jobless females who are primary or secondary school graduates and the ratio of women who are senior high school graduates.     

Economic reform and informal wage—a general equilibrium analysis

We attempt to trace the consequences of liberal economic policies on informal wage in a general equilibrium model with formal informal labor markets, wage-differential, vertical linkage and restricted capital movement. In particular, we show that the informal wage, representing income for a vast segment of unskilled labor may actually increase even if more people are employed in the informal segment. This also confirms that a contraction in the formal sector employment and the consequent expansion in the informal segment do not necessarily imply impoverishment of the existing set of informal workers.     

Price leadership and firm size asymmetry: an experimental analysis

We use laboratory experiments to examine the effect of firm size asymmetry on the emergence of price leadership in a price-setting duopoly with capacity constraints. Independent of the level of size asymmetry, the unique subgame perfect equilibrium of our timing game predicts that the large firm is the price leader. Experimental data show that price leadership by the large firm is frequent, but simultaneous moves are also often observed. Profit outcomes in the previous period affect the subjects’ decisions to announce or wait in a way that hampers convergence to the equilibrium. Furthermore, while both small and large firms display a strong tendency to wait to announce their price when firm size asymmetry is low, they often set prices early when size asymmetry is high. Prices are higher when price setting is sequential rather than simultaneous and when firm size asymmetry is high. Hence, price leadership by either type of firm has an anti-competitive effect that is more pronounced when the size difference between firms is large.     

Game analysis on Huaihe River anti-pollution administration mechanism and policy research

Based on the literature review of environmental anti-pollution researches, this paper analyzes the administrative mechanism of Huaihe River anti-pollution with game theory. Based on the quantitative analysis on three corresponding game models with four players including local residents, enterprises, local governments and competent authorities at higher levels, this paper demonstrates four main shortcomings of current administrative mechanism of Huaihe River anti-pollution system, including low emission cost, low connivance cost, overemphasis on heavy fine of the enterprises, neglect of the punishment on the local departments and intersected administrative mechanism. This paper sets up antipollution administrative mechanism, combining economic method with noneconomic method, government control with market mechanism, and introducing public participation. At last, this paper proposes policies, such as implementing emissions trading system, reforming public participation system, and reforming government＇s environmental protection mechanism to promote law enforcement.     

Econometric analysis of China’s GDP growth and industrial structure

Since the Reform and Opening-up in 1978,China’s economy,society and other fields have developed very rapidly.Economic growth has achieved leapfrog development,and the three industries have achieved great development,but the overall industrial structure needs to be improved.At present,China’s economy has entered the “New Normal”.In order to achieve “Sound and Rapid” economic development,it is imperative to transform the industrial structure.Using econometric analysis and based on China’s economic...