“一带一路”背景下中俄双边贸易效率及潜力研究——基于随机前沿引力模型（SFGM）

自\"一带一路\"倡议提出以来,中国与沿线国家的经贸合作得到进一步的发展。但本文基于随机前沿引力模型的实证分析发现,中国与俄罗斯的贸易往来中依然存在非效率因素的影响。中俄双边贸易效率虽保持了较高水平,但中方对俄方出口效率明显偏低。样本期内,中方对俄方出口及进出口贸易的潜力提升空间持续扩大。中国应积极推进\"一带一路\"建设,进一步完善中俄双边对话及合作机制,重视贸易服务体系构建,开展中俄自贸区建设的可行性探讨,以充分挖掘双方贸易潜力。     

基于前沿生产函数的黑龙江省煤炭城市的技术效率研究

本论文针对黑龙江省经济增长数量很大但经济增长质量不高的现状,采用随机前沿方法,分析了黑龙江省4个煤炭城市10年的技术效率。结果表明,黑龙江省各煤炭城市的技术效率普遍不高,但都呈现稳步上升的趋势。在要素投入不变的情况下,改变经济增长方式,提高技术效率水平,将成为黑龙江省今后经济发展的一个重要方向。     

The Impact of Regulation on Cost Efficiency: An Empirical Analysis of Wisconsin Water Utilities

The impact of regulation of efforts to minimize costs has been widely discussed, but remains difficult to measure. The sophisticated regulation of water utilities in Wisconsin allows us to attempt such on assessment since different firms can be under different regulatory regimes (price cap or rate-of-return) in the same geographical area at the same time. To measure the impact of regulation on efficiency, we use a stochastic cost frontier approach defining the unobservable efficiency of a water utility as a function of exogeneous variables. Using a panel of 211 water utilities observed from 1998 to 2000, we show that their efficiency scores can be partly explained by the regulatory framework.     

Confidence statements for efficiency estimates from stochastic frontier models

This paper is an empirical study of the uncertainty associated with technical efficiency estimates from stochastic frontier models. We show how to construct confidence intervals for estimates of technical efficiency levels under different sets of assumptions ranging from the very strong to the relatively weak. We demonstrate empirically how the degree of uncertainty associated with these estimates relates to the strength of the assumptions made and to various features of the data.     

A Stochastic Frontier Production Function with Flexible Risk Properties

This paper considers a stochastic frontier production function which has additive, heteroscedastic error structure. The model allows for negative or positive marginal production risks of inputs, as originally proposed by Just and Pope (1978). The technical efficiencies of individual firms in the sample are a function of the levels of the input variables in the stochastic frontier, in addition to the technical inefficiency effects. These are two features of the model which are not exhibited by the commonly used stochastic frontiers with multiplicative error structures.An empirical application is presented using cross-sectional data on Ethiopian peasant farmers. The null hypothesis of no technical inefficiencies of production among these farmers is accepted. Further, the flexible risk models do not fit the data on peasant farmers as well as the traditional stochastic frontier model with multiplicative error structure.     

Efficiency Gains and Cost Reductions from Individual Transferable Quotas: A Stochastic Cost Frontier for the Australian South East Fishery

In this paper efficiency gains and associated cost reductions from increases in traded quota are estimated with a stochastic cost frontier for the Australian South East Trawl Fishery (SETF). Estimation of this frontier also provides key information on the relative importance of input costs in the SETF, returns to scale, variations in costs as a result of trade in quota and the economic performance of each fishing vessel, year to year. Final estimations indicate that increases in the volume of quota traded have resulted in considerable efficiency gains and cost reductions in the SETF, ranging from 1.8 to 3.5 cents per kilogram for surveyed vessels for every 1% increase in the volume of quota traded, or 1–2.4% of total variable costs, with considerable gains also accruing to crew and skipper in the form of larger share payments. Mean vessel efficiency is relatively high in the SETF, estimated at over 90%, and increases further to 92% over the sample period with increased trades in quota.Jel Classification: Q22, Q28     

Technical Efficiency and Its Determinants in China's Grain Production

Using survey data from China, frontier production functions are estimated individually for crops of rice, wheat and corn. Technical efficiencies and their determinants are analyzed. The results suggest that one cannot be optimistic about the future of China's grain sector as the scope for output growth through input injection and efficiency gain is found to be quite limited.     

基于SFA法的集装箱港口规模效率研究

为了弄清集装箱港口的最优规模,改进规模效率水平,利用随机前沿分析法(SFA)对我国珠三角的5个集装箱港口进行了实证分析,提出了改进集装箱港口规模效率的两个途径:(1)改变投入水平,(2)调整投入比例。     

Input- and Output-Oriented Technical Efficiency of Ukrainian Collective Farms, 1989–1992: Bayesian Analysis of a Stochastic Production Frontier Model

We propose estimation of a stochastic production frontier model within a Bayesian framework to obtain the posterior distribution of single-input-oriented technical efficiency at the firm level. All computations are carried out using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. The approach is illustrated by applying it to production data obtained from a survey of Ukrainian collective farms. We show that looking at the changes in single-input-oriented technical efficiency in addition to the changes in output-oriented technical efficiency improves the understanding of the dynamics of technical efficiency over the first years of transition in the former Soviet Union.     

增进利润表信息的相关性——试探利润表列报的改进

利润是否具有持续性和可重复性是判断一个企业经营成果质量的关键,然而现实中许多非正常因素形成的损益扰乱了利润的持续性和可重复性,大大降低了利润信息的相关性。因此,笔者建议对利润表列报进行改进:对费用(损失)和收益的划分应以持续性和经营相关性为出发点,将年度利润划分为正常活动损益和特别损益两大类别;正常活动损益分为经营活动损益和投融资活动损益;特别损益分为非正常损益和偶发损益。     

Productive Efficiency of the Swine Industry in Hawaii: Stochastic Frontier vs. Data Envelopment Analysis

Improving productive efficiency is an increasingly important determinant of the future of the swine industry in Hawaii. This paper examines the productive efficiency of a sample of swine producers in Hawaii by estimating a stochastic frontier production function and the constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) output-oriented DEA models. The technical efficiency estimates obtained from the two frontier techniques are compared. The scale properties are also examined under the two approaches. The industry's potential for increasing production through improved efficiency is also discussed.     

Measuring Cost Efficiency in European Banking: A Comparison of Frontier Techniques

This paper investigates the consistency of efficiency frontier methods on European banking samples. We measure the cost efficiency of banks from five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland) with three approaches: stochastic frontier approach, distribution-free approach, and data envelopment analysis. We compare means, correlation coefficients, two public policy issues, and the correlation with standard measures of performance. In general, we conclude in favor of the lack of robustness between approaches, even if there are some similarities in particular between parametric approaches. We do, however, observe some correlation between all frontier approaches and standard measures of performance.     

融资约束、代理成本与企业研发效率——基于中国工业上市公司的实证研究

本文以2004~2012年我国工业上市公司中已披露研发费用的企业为样本,采用随机前沿分析方法研究融资约束和代理成本对企业研发效率的影响,主要得出以下结论:融资约束对企业研发效率有显著的正向影响;而代理成本与企业研发效率之间呈现出显著的负向关系;企业的融资约束可以缓解代理成本对企业研发效率的负向作用。此外,本文的实证结果还表明,国有控股企业的研发效率低于非国有控股企业的研发效率,而且企业研发并没有随着研发强度的提高而产生规模效应。     

An Average Derivative Estimation of Stochastic Frontiers

This paper utilizes the average derivative estimation of Stoker (1986) and the pesudo-likelihood estimation of Fan, Li, and Weersink (1996) to estimate a semiparametric stochastic frontier regression, y = g(x) + , where the function g(.)is unknown and is a composite error in a standard setting. The proposed semiparametric method of estimation is applied to data on farmers' credit unions in Taiwan. Empirical results show that the banking services of the farmers' credit unions is subject to economies of scale, but high degree of cost inefficiency in operation.     

The opportunity cost of duality

A dual representation of a technology, e.g., a cost function, may not contain all of the technological information, but it will contain all of the information about input vectors that would be chosen by a cost-minimizing firm. At least this much is clear for deterministic technologies. The main question addressed in this paper is whether the same can be said about stochastic technologies and their dual representations. Despite some pessimism expressed in the stochastic frontier literature on this question, we argue that there is no extra cost imposed in the stochastic case. Thus, the conclusion of this paper is: Just dual it!     

Relative Performance of U.S. and Japanese Electricity Distribution: An Application of Stochastic Frontier Analysis

This paper estimates and compares the technical efficiency of the U.S. and Japanese electric utilities during the period 1982–1997 using a stochastic frontier analysis. Our focus is on electricity distribution services of major investor-owned utilities. We employ translog input distance functions to represent the technology of electricity distribution. Empirical results show that after controlling for environmental variables, on average, the Japanese electric utilities are more efficient. It is shown, however, that some U.S. utilities are as efficient as the most efficient Japanese utilities, indicating that the estimated frontier is not necessarily dominated by Japanese utilities.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Cultivation Arrangements and the Cost Efficiency of Rice Farming in Taiwan

In this paper, a switching regression model is developed to analyze farmers' choice behavior and cost efficiency in field plowing arrangement in Taiwan. We find that the decision on the choice of plowing arrangement is determined by a cost comparison between self-plowing and hired-service, and other non-cost considerations, such as the availability of family labor and machinery, education level, non-farm income, age, and regional effects. Across a spectrum of farmer characteristics, empirical results indicate a potentially substantial cost-savings by hiring service for field plowing than by self-plowing. Self-plowing farmers also subject to a significant level of cost inefficiency.