BAM: a bounded adjusted measure of efficiency for use with bounded additive models

A decade ago the Range Adjusted Measure (RAM) was introduced for use with Additive Models. The empirical experience gained since then recommends developing a new measure with similar characteristics but with more discriminatory power. This task is accomplished in this paper by introducing the Bounded Adjusted Measure (BAM) in connection with a new family of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) additive models that incorporate lower bounds for inputs and upper bounds for outputs while accepting any returns to scale imposed on the production technology.     

Trauernde begleiten

Von guten M?chten wunderbar geborgen - Wut und Emp?rung, Resignation und Verzweiflung, Zynismus und Apathie – oft dient Trauer dazu, den erlittenen Verlust seelisch zu bew?ltigen. Allein sind Trauernde dazu nur selten in der Lage. Daher sind professionelle Pflegekr?fte bei der Begleitung Trauernder heute weitaus st?rker als früher gefordert, sich pers?nlich einzulassen. Doch sie müssen die Grenzen der eigenen Belastbarkeit kennen.     

Marginal Rates and Elasticities of Substitution with Additive Models in DEA

Marginal rates and elasticities of substitution are derived from the optimal slack values obtained from modified versions of additive DEA models. Projection formulas are used to ensure that all points are on the efficient frontier as required for conformance with assumptions in micro-economics. The models used differ from standard versions in that slack values are allowed to be negative as well as positive in these additive models. This makes movement possible on efficiency frontiers, where improvement in some inputs or outputs requires worsening other inputs or outputs. A new definition is therefore introduced in which efficiency is attained only if the value of the worsenings is exactly offset by the value of the improvements. This includes, but is not restricted to, the case in which all slacks must be zero for full attainment of efficiency—as in standard versions of additive models.     

Productivity change of Portuguese municipalities after local reforms

This article examines the impact of the reforms introduced in the structure of the Portuguese local administration after the bailout agreement in 2011 on the efficiency and productivity of municipalities. In order to determine a measure of productivity change, we apply the global Malmquist productivity index to assess the performance of the 278 Portuguese mainland municipalities for the recent 6-year period 2009–2014. The overall results reveal that there was a decrease in the global productivity until 2013 followed by a notable increase in 2014 basically due to technological changes, thus it seems that the reforms have had a positive effect on the productivity of municipalities.     

CUBA: The Blocked Transition

MOCT-MOST: Economic Policy in Transitional Economies -     

European Integration and Inequality among Countries: A Lifecycle Income Analysis

This paper analyzes the effects of the enlargements of the European Union on inequality using an approach based on individuals' lifecycle incomes. This allows one to consider the effect of different rates of growth and survival rates. Inequality in terms of permanent income was substantially less than in current per capita income at the time of all the enlargements except those of the last 10 years. The results point to the key role of policies that stimulate growth in the less developed countries. With an annual β‐convergence of 2% in current income, inequality in permanent income would be less than one third of what it is now.     

European Bank Performance Beyond Country Borders: What Really Matters?

The paper analyzes bank performance in the context of the integrated EuropeanUnion market and its member countries. First, the paper investigates the technicalefficiency of banks in each country sample using a Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) model incorporating only banking variables. Then, a second DEA modelis defined incorporating environmental factors together with banking variables inorder to standardize the country-specific environmental conditions. Based on thesemodels, the paper systematically analyzes the efficiency position for each of theEuropean banking industry if average banks decide to operate in any other country.The results indicate that adverse (advantageous) environmental conditions are apositive (negative) factor for the home banking industry and being technicallyefficient appears to be a significant deterrence to foreign competition.