Environmental degradation as engine of undesirable economic growth via self-protection consumption choices

We analyze growth dynamics in an economy where the well-being of economic agents depends on three goods: leisure, a free access environmental good and a private good that can be consumed as a substitute for the environmental resource. The processes of production and consumption of the private good by each agent impose negative externalities on other agents through the depletion of the environmental good.This paper shows that, in such context, the existence of private substitutes for environmental goods may fuel an undesirable economic growth process. This process is driven by the continuous increase in agents' needs for private consumption generated by the progressive reduction in free consumption of the environmental good.     

成都市环境经济系统的物质流分析

利用物质流分析方法,对2000～2007年成都市环境经济系统中物质输入与输出进行分析,结果表明：（1）在不考虑水的情况下,成都市物质输入与输出总量呈相似的增长趋势,但物质库存量有净增长;固体物质输入量的递增速率大于气体物质输入量的递增速率,物质输出量气体占主体;（2）物质输入与输出强度不断增加,而单位GDP物质输入量与输出量呈快速递减趋势,物质生产力不断上升,表明成都的资源综合利用效率明显提高,区域经济增长和环境压力正在逐步脱钩;（3）水的输入输出量呈上升趋势,但是其强度基本保持不变,用水效率稳步提高。     

A hybrid DEA-MOLP model for public school assessment and closure decision in the City of Philadelphia

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is generally used to evaluate past performance and multi objective linear programming (MOLP) is often used to plan for future performance goals. In this study, we establish an equivalence relationship between MOLP problems and combined-oriented DEA models using a direction distance function designed to account for desirable and undesirable inputs and outputs together with uncontrollable variables. This equivalence model can be effectively used to support interactive processes and performance measures designed to establish future performance goals while taking into account the preferences of decision makers (DMs). In particular, it allows DMs to consider different efficiency improvement strategies when subject to budgetary restrictions. The applicability of the proposed method and the efficacy of the procedures and algorithms are demonstrated using a case study where the performance of high schools in the City of Philadelphia is evaluated.     

Restricting Multiple-Output Multiple-Input DEA Models by Disaggregating the Output–Input Vector

One of the strengths of DEA in the measurement of technical efficiency is that it readily accommodates multiple-output multiple-input production technologies. In doing so, it assumes that each of the inputs is used jointly in the production of each output. In some applied studies, this can be undesirable. We propose a new disaggregated formulation that allows a specific output to be made independent of a specific input, while maintaining the joint production relationship for the other outputs and inputs. We demonstrate the approach by applying it to measure the technical efficiency of national rail systems in 20 countries between 1990 and 1998.JEL Classification: C6, D24, N7     

Assessing the efficiency of Turkish secondary education: Heterogeneity, centralization, and scale diseconomies

This paper begins with a historical overview of the Turkish educational system. We then use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and econometric methods to evaluate the system's efficiency. In doing so we identify scale diseconomies and relate them to underlying structural characteristics of the system. Selected suggestions on improving performance are offered. The roles of heterogeneity and centralization are also highlighted. Heterogeneity is modeled as an undesirable measure. The linkage between indicators of centralization and scale diseconomies was found to be statistically significant. The authors believe this to be the first study that investigates the impact of systemic characteristics such as heterogeneity and centralized structure on educational outcomes for Turkey. Since the country straddles the Middle East and the Balkans, culturally as well as geographically, it may be of interest to other countries in the region.     

Environmental sustainability and service quality beyond economic and financial indicators: A performance evaluation of Italian water utilities

As water utilities operate as natural monopolists and they provide essential services for human life, their activities are regulated by public authorities. The sustainable use of water resources and a specific attention on social needs should be essential goals for this kind of firms, so that the evaluation of their business should go beyond their profitability and their financial solvency. Keeping pace with the new Circular Economy paradigm and the evolution of the water regulatory framework, in this paper we suggest a global composite indicator apt to evaluate in a novel way the water utilities performance, encompassing financial and economic indexes together with environmental sustainability and service quality measures. To show its empirical implementation we evaluate the performance of Italian water utilities. The operating context is also under scrutiny focusing on specific water utility features such as size, geographical location, degree of diversification and ownership. In this light, operating in the Centre and being large are considered favourable background conditions, while the South and the medium size display a significant unfavourable influence on the water utility performance. Multi-utilities are more advantaged with respect to the mono-utilities and no significant distinction can be made among the different ownership models.     

高技术产业三阶段创新效率变动研究

将内部非期望产出纳入投入产出指标体系,运用SBM模型和EBM模型测度高技术产业技术开发、技术转化和市场化3个阶段创新效率。结果发现：①3个阶段静态效率变化趋势为先略升后下降,东部先下降后上升,西部和东北先略升后下降,中部持续下降;②技术开发阶段动态效率呈增长态势,技术转化和市场化阶段则呈持续衰退态势,东部效率一直保持领先地位,东北和西部次之,中部最后;③技术开发阶段动态效率主要受效率变动驱动,技术转化和市场化阶段由相对较强的技术变动主导,东部由技术变动推动,中部和西部受效率变动驱动,东北在技术开发和市场化阶段受效率变动拉动,而技术转化阶段则依赖于技术变动的推动作用。     

Resolving the jeopardies of consumer demand: Revisiting demarketing concepts

Demarketing is a way for managers to cope with excess and/or undesirable demand for their products or services. In this article, we revisit the original framework and modify the classification scheme of demarketing concepts introduced by Kotler and Levy to reflect more contemporary issues. Previously, general demarketing topics addressed ways to curb excess demand due to temporary shortages, chronic overpopularity, and product elimination—all from a microenvironmental perspective. Herein, we add macroenvironmental concepts of protective demarketing and preventive demarketing. Formerly, selective demarketing addressed either undesirable or unprofitable consumption of the legitimate product/service; today, however, many firms across several sectors are fighting against the undesirable consumption of illegitimate products/services, such as pirated and counterfeit goods. We thus introduce the notion of combative demarketing. We conducted personal interviews with several industry experts to provide insight regarding current demarketing tools. Our discussions highlighted various measures that managers can employ to manage consumer demand, including using smaller packaging to reduce sugar/fat content, increasing the price of water, limiting visitor access to national parks, and educating consumers to identify counterfeit goods.     

政府补贴与企业技术创新：文献综述

政府在技术创新资源配置过程中扮演的角色不可替代。政府补贴能够激励技术创新,但政府补贴与企业技术创新投入、产出及溢出之间的关系并没有获得一致的结论。对政府补贴与企业技术创新的相关研究进行梳理、归纳和述评,并提出后续研究的方向。     

Economic and environmental performance of wastewater treatment plants: Potential reductions in greenhouse gases emissions

Sanitation and wastewater treatment are essential for protecting human health and environmental sustainability. Treatment processes are not free of environmental impacts; consequently assessment of the environmental performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has gained interest in recent years. Unlike other methods, a direct approach is followed to estimate environmental performance indicators (EPIs) using data envelopment analysis (DEA), i.e. an index of overall performance is directly obtained. The present study represents pioneering work to integrate environmental impacts in the assessment of the efficiency of WWTP estimating pure (PEPI) and mixed (MEPI) environmental performance indices for a sample of 60 Spanish WWTPs. Both direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were considered as undesirable outputs. The best functioning WWTPs to be used as references were identified, and the potential for GHG reductions was quantified. A second-stage analysis was conducted to isolate factors affecting WWTP environmental performance. The results of this study are valuable for WWTP operators and policy makers, since the benchmark procedure allows support for environmental and managerial decision-making.