Biased Technical Change and Parallel Neutrality

The Luenberger productivity indicator has many attractive features to evaluate productivity, technical and efficiency changes. Paralleling Färe et al. (1997), this paper shows that the technical change indicator can be expressed as the sum of a magnitude indicator and a bias indicator that is the sum of two bias indicators input and output oriented respectively. Using a recent concept of ``parallel neutrality'' introduced by Briec et al. (2006), some conditions under which each bias indicator makes no contribution to productivity change are established. Among the key contributions of this paper is a new linear programming model involving a graph translation homotheticity property.     

Does Environmental Protection Lead to Slower Productivity Growth in the Chemical Industry?

Efficiency and productivity growth is measured at the three-digit SIC level for six chemical industries for 1988–1993. The directional distance function is used to measure the lost chemical manufacturing output and the overproduction of toxic chemical releases. Total factor productivity growth is decomposed into a product of efficiency change and technical change. Accounting for toxic chemical releases, productivity grows at anannual rate of between 2.4% and 6.9%. We find no evidence that environmental protection measures reduce productivity growth.     

理性预期学派货币中性理论在中国的实证检验

利用中国1994年以来的经济数据,通过建立ARIMA模型和二阶段OLS模型对理性预期学派货币中性理论进行了检验。实证结果显示,短期内中国预期的货币供给冲击与非预期的货币供给冲击对产出都有显著影响,且非预期的货币供给冲击对产出影响更明显;但从长期看,预期货币与非预期货币对产出的正负效应相互抵消,中国货币政策表现为长期渐近中性。     

加拿大实现碳中和的政策部署与路径

本文根据加拿大联邦政府发布的增强版气候计划,阐述了加拿大实现碳中和的有关政策部署和路径。在围绕碳中和的新一轮全球博弈中,加拿大将减排重点放在能够显著减排的关键领域,给予有利政策和资金支持,并且将政府引导与碳定价机制相结合,从而激励相关行业企业不断革新技术,以技术创新带动绿色低碳产业的发展,进而推动加拿大在后疫情时代实现经济复苏。     

A directional distance function approach for identifying the input/output status of medical residents

Previous empirical studies examining the impact medical residents have on hospital productivity have made a priori assumptions about whether medical residents are inputs (labour providing patient care) or outputs (students receiving mandatory training under the supervision of an attending physician) when specifying their estimating equations. We shed light on the role medical residents play in hospital production by using a data-driven parametric approach based on the directional technology distance function. Our primary goal is to assess the extent to which one of the two roles of medical residents empirically dominates the other and to see whether the role varies across different types of hospital. Using the American Hospital Association data from 1994 to 2010, we find that residents are inputs in all rural and public non-teaching hospitals, but they are outputs in urban-area not-for-profit teaching hospitals. We also demonstrate that the status of residents is related to the case-mix index and can vary with hospital size.     

The reduction cost of nonperforming loan: evidence from China’s commercial bank

The nonperforming loans (NPLs) are co-generated by creating the profit in a bank, and this article build a joint production model to measure the reduction cost of nonperforming cost. By using a data set of China’s 13 commercial banks, the conclusions show that the reduction cost of NPLs is lower, which suggests that it is not a good choice for China’s commercial bank to hold the NPLs.     

中国工业的环境效率与规制研究

近年来,环境污染问题已经日益突出,文章通过引入方向性环境距离函数模型来分析非期望产出问题,选取相应指标对我国各省份在四种环境管制政策,即弱可处置性下(环境管制弱)、强可处置性下(环境管制强)、GDP:污染=3:1以及GDP:污染=1:3时的环境效率状况进行了测算并解释说明,运用Tobit模型分析了各种环境影响因素对效率值的作用机理,最后得出了相应的结论。     

Public sector transparency and countries’ environmental performance: A nonparametric analysis

Based on the theoretical background of the link between countries’ public sector transparency and environmental policy, our paper provides empirical evidence for a sample of 49 countries for the time period of 1995–2000. Assuming that countries’ environmental performance is a product of their environmental regulations and policies, we utilize a nonparametric estimator for investigating the link with public sector's transparency levels. Specifically, by applying conditional directional distance function models, we incorporate on the measurement of countries’ environmental performance the effect of their public sector transparency levels. In a second stage analysis applying local constant estimators, the results reveal an inverted ‘U’-shape relationship between countries’ public sector transparency levels and their environmental performance.     

The relationship between pollution abatement costs and environmental regulation: Evidence from the Chinese industrial sector

Since the 2000s, China has been trying to strengthen emission controls in response to increasing pollution problems. However, strict implementation of emission controls generates pollution abatement costs. Using regional data for 29 provinces in the Chinese industrial sector from 1995 to 2010, this study estimated the pollution abatement costs for each province through the measurement of environmental efficiency, by applying a directional distance function approach. Moreover, using panel data analysis, this study clarified whether there is a nonlinear relationship between pollution abatement costs and environmental regulations. The empirical results are as follows. The study confirmed that the burden of abatement costs tended not only to occur in the central and western regions but also to increase in the eastern region. Moreover, the nonlinear relationship is inverted U‐shaped; thus, pollution abatement costs increase, as a negative effect of environmental regulations, until a certain inflection point, after which they decrease.     

The temporary equilibrium method: Hicks against Hicks

Abstract

Hicks is renowned for having introduced the temporary equilibrium framework in his book Value and Capital. Subsequently, however, he partially recanted this framework by rejecting the market clearing idea while still keeping the week device. The aim of this paper is to assess whether this change was right. My answer will be broadly negative. To make my point, I will ponder on the meaning and implications of the week device, assess the validity of Hicks' claim that slow adjustment can cause market rationing, examine his claim that the possibility of market clearing depends on the prevailing market form and, finally, assess his twofold filiations towards Marshall and Walras.     

Unified efficiency evaluation of regional industries in China: a nonradial directional distance function approach

This article extends a nonradial directional distance function (DDF) to allow decision-making units to adjust inputs in two directions. Based on this nonradial DDF, we evaluate the regional industrial unified efficiency (operational efficiency and environmental efficiency) in China between 2005 and 2014. We find that East China has the highest industrial unified efficiency score, followed by the West and Central China. To avoid methodological biases, three other models are also applied to assess the unified efficiency. The results indicate that a nonradial DDF under natural and managerial disposability (our model) has a greater discriminating power than a nonradial DDF under either of the disposabilities and the radial DDF.     

Dynamic productivity growth and its determinants in the Indonesian food and beverages industry

ABSTRACT

This research investigates dynamic productivity growth and its determinants in the Indonesian food and beverages industry decomposing dynamic productivity growth into the contributions of dynamic technical inefficiency change, dynamic technical change, and dynamic scale inefficiency change. The empirical application employs unbalanced panel data of 44 subsectors in the Indonesian food and beverages industry over 1990–2014. To estimate dynamic productivity growth, this research uses a Luenberger indicator accounting for the presence of adjustment costs. The results show that dynamic productivity growth exhibits a decreasing trend. Dynamic technical inefficiency change and dynamic scale inefficiency change contribute positively to dynamic productivity growth, while dynamic technical change contributes negatively. Dynamic productivity growth is affected by the change in industrial concentration, the growth rate of capital intensity, the growth rate of exports, the growth rate of foreign direct investment, and location.     

中国工业部门的能源效率与减排潜力分析

基于全要素能源效率框架,本文通过引入方向性距离函数和数据包络分析,测算了中国工业部门2000-2009年的能源效率和CO2减排潜力。实证结果表明,以既定最优生产前沿为参考,中国工业部门的总体能源效率偏低,减排潜力较大;各行业能源效率与减排潜力存在较大差异;不同行业能源效率与减排潜力呈现差异性动态变化。本文认为政府可以通过实施差异性碳税政策、灵活利用碳市场机制、强化节能技术研发和促进可再生能源利用以及加强企业环境执法监管等举措来推动中国工业部门提高能源效率及减少CO2排放。     

Performance of private higher education institutions in Vietnam: evidence using DEA-based bootstrap directional distance approach with quasi-fixed inputs

Vietnam’s higher education has witnessed substantial improvements since the implementation of the Doi Moi (renovation) policy. One of the significant developments is the promotion of establishment and enhancement of the role of private institutions in national education systems. However, the quest to improve the overall performance of the private higher education institutions remains a big challenge for many stakeholders. We assess the performance of Vietnamese private universities using a data envelopment analysis–based bootstrap directional distance approach with quasi-fixed inputs. The results show that there was a large variation in the efficiency levels of private universities within and between academic years and between metropolitan and other private universities. Our empirical findings provide more insights for educational leaders and policy makers on the performance of private higher education institutions and the implications of privatization of the national higher education system.     

碳中和目标下基于GA-BP神经网络的碳交易定价模型及其模拟研究

系统剖析了欧盟碳排放交易体系,在厘清GA-BP神经网络原理的基础上构建了基于GA-BP神经网络的碳交易定价模型,用以刻画碳交易价格的影响因素,并结合情景设置、数值模拟不同情景下不同因素对碳交易价格的作用机理。研究结果表明GA-BP神经网络对于碳交易价格模拟具有可靠性,在不同经济发展水平和能源结构情景下碳交易价格变化较大,构建区域碳排放交易体系不仅能促进温室气体减排,还能优化能源结构,其关键在于形成与碳排放交易体系相适应、相配套的体制机制,营造契合碳中和目标的政策环境。论文旨在为我国碳交易市场运行机制优化提供理论参考,为我国碳中和与高质量发展目标的实现提供有益增补。     

节能减排约束下广东地区工业经济的可持续发展：2011—2020

本文基于方向性距离函数（DDF）模型,采用序列DEA方法测度和比较了广东省21市的工业在2011—2020年间不同节能减排情景的潜在产出变化,探索出广东工业未来可持续发展的最优节能减排情景。结果显示：对大部分地区工业而言,节能减排初始阶段会造成较大的潜在产出净损失,但最终会逐步实现潜在产出净增长;特别地,节能减排行为对经济发展水平较高的珠三角地区比经济发展水平较低的其它地区造成的损失更小。节能减排的技术进步是各地区工业环境全要素生产率增长的核心动力,当然技术效率在后期也发挥出作用,这些结果反映出各地区须进一步提高节能减排技术,最终实现工业经济的可持续发展。     

Women and Work: A Survey of Textbooks

The third Marshall–Hicks–Allen rule of elasticity of derived demand purports to show that labor demand is less elastic when labor is a smaller share of total costs. As Hicks, Allen, and then Bronfenbrenner showed, this rule is not quite correct, and actually is complicated by an unexpected negative relationship involving labor's share of total costs and the elasticity of substitution. The standard intuitive explanation for the exception to the rule presented by Stigler and referenced in many textbooks describes a situation rather different than the one described in the rule. The author presents an example that illustrates the peculiar negative impact of labor's share operating via the elasticity of substitution and then explains why the unexpected relationship between labor's share of total cost, the elasticity of substitution, and the elasticity of labor demand holds.     

How enterprise strategies are related to innovation and productivity change: an empirical study of Japanese manufacturing firms

This study analyzes the total factor productivity of 1067 Japanese manufacturing firms. In production estimation, we employ the directional distance function and Luenberger productivity indicator. Research and development strategy survey data are used to analyze the determinant factors related to improvements in innovation and productivity. Our results indicate that increasing technology and knowledge through a ‘black box’ process is related to an increase in productivity. Furthermore, the protection and management of production knowledge and expertise is a valid method of increasing global technical change.     

China and the World under the Goals of Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality: Green and Low-Carbon Transition,Green Finance,Carbon Market,and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

China has always tried to maintain multilateralism and advocated working together to deal with global climate change through multilateral mechanisms. Although China’s announcement to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 comes as no surprise, its commitment to carbon neutrality does. As the period between its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is far shorter than that in the developed countries, China’s economic and energy structures need to be adjusted toward the low-carbon and carbon-free end with unprecedented efforts. To that end, China should define the responsibilities of local authorities and industrial entities to promote the orderly accomplishment of carbon peaking in all regions and industries. To supply the huge investments needed to achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, China has an urgent need to accelerate the development of green finance and a national carbon emissions trading market, guide the rational allocation of resources, and channel resources to eco-friendly projects for green and low-carbon development. At the same time, China and the international community should strengthen dialogue and coordination, promote international cooperation on the way to carbon neutrality, formulate widely acceptable policy guidelines as soon as possible, and avoid unilateral measures that may cause conflicts.     

反倾销的经济学分析兼论中美贸易摩擦

美国对华频发反倾销调查,涉及多个行业,多数最终判决征收反倾销税,以抵消进口造成的"重大损失"。从经济学角度,从微观的消费者和生产者到宏观的需求和供给进行深入分析,认为从中国进口并未使美国受损,受损的仅是生产率较低的同类商品生产商,消费者获益更多。相反,对华反倾销不会给美国带来福利改进,由于诉讼费用、征税成本、连锁反应、报复性反倾销等因素实际福利损失往往很大。因此认为,美国对华实行自由贸易优于采取反倾销措施,减少贸易摩擦。