An application of data envelopment analysis to evaluate the efficiency level of the operational cost of Brazilian electricity distribution utilities

This paper shows efficiency indices for 60 Brazilian electricity distribution utilities. The efficiency scores are gauged by three DEA models. For both models, these quantities are evaluated under different contexts. One treats with respect to the regulator perspective. The others examine an alternative approach based on cluster analysis and restrictions on factor weights. It is worth pointing out that these developments can reduce the information asymmetry and improve the regulator's skill to compare the performance of the utilities, a fundamental in incentive regulation schemes.     

Natural disasters,growth and institutions: A tale of two earthquakes

We examine the impact of natural disasters on GDP per capita by applying the synthetic control approach and using a within-country perspective. Our analysis encompasses two large-scale earthquakes that occurred in two different Italian regions in 1976 and 1980. We show that the short-term effects are negligible in both regions, though they become negative if we simulate the GDP that would have been observed in absence of financial aid. In the long-term, our findings indicate a positive effect in one case and a negative effect in the other, largely reflecting divergent patterns of the TFP. Consistent with these findings, we offer further evidence suggesting that a quake and related financial aid might either increase technical efficiency via a disruptive creation mechanism or reduce it by stimulating corruption, distorting the markets and deteriorating social capital. Finally, we show that the bad outcome is more likely to occur in regions with lower pre-quake institutional quality. As a result, our evidence suggests that unanticipated local shocks are likely to change long run growth rates, exacerbating territorial disparities.     

Money,random matching and endogenous growth: A quantitative analysis

In this study, we develop a search-and-matching monetary growth model to analyze the effects of inflation on economic growth and social welfare by introducing endogenous economic growth via capital externality into a two-sector search-and-matching model. We find that the channel through which inflation affects economic growth in the search-and-matching model is different from the traditional cash-in-advance model. To facilitate the calibration, we obtain an empirical estimate of the effects of inflation on economic growth using panel regressions. In the simulation analysis, we quantitatively evaluate the welfare effect of inflation in the search-and-matching endogenous growth model and compare it to a search-and-matching exogenous growth model. We find that the welfare effect of inflation is nonlinear in the endogenous growth model whereas it is linear in the exogenous growth model. Furthermore, we find that the welfare cost of inflation under endogenous growth is up to four times as large as the welfare cost of inflation under exogenous growth.     

Economic convergence: Policy implications from a heterogeneous agent model

In this paper we study the effectiveness of different types of cohesion policies with respect to convergence of regions. A two-region agent-based macroeconomic model is used to analyze short-, medium- and long-term effects of policies improving human capital and fostering adoption of technologies in lagging regions. With fully integrated labor markets the human capital policy positively affects the economically stronger region but reduces production in the targeted weaker region. Subsidies for high technology investment in the weaker region have a positive local output effect and a negative effect on the neighboring region, thereby fostering convergence. When labor markets are not integrated both policies support convergence.     

Industrialization and environmental externalities in a Solow-type model

In this paper we examine the role played by environmental externalities in shaping the dynamics of an economy with two sectors (a farming sector and an industrial one), free inter-sectoral labor mobility and heterogeneous agents (workers/farmers and industrial entrepreneurs). We find that, in the presence of the environmental pressure of the economic activity of the industrial sector, the stability properties of the equilibria and their features in terms of environmental preservation, welfare outcomes and sectoral allocation of labor are sensitive to the level of carrying capacity. We show that an endogenous process of industrialization associated with a reduction in farmers/workers׳ welfare can emerge.     

北京市与周边中小城市的区域经济合作研究

深化北京与周边中小城市的区域经济合作有利于增强整体竞争力,推动京津冀一体化发展.目前,北京与周边中小城市主要在产业、科技、房地产、旅游、生态环境和交通等领域合作,但在合作中也存在很多问题.鉴于北京与周边中小城市的区域比较优势资源和发展需求,应从经济--生态合作机制、总部经济、旅游、转化基地和农业等途径深化合作,建立区域...     

西北地区铁路沿线经济带经济联系强度比较与分析——以兰新、包兰、西陇海、兰青铁路沿线为例

铁路干线在我国空间经济发展中占有极为重要的地位,已成为我国经济布局的重要轴线.西北地区铁路沿线经济带是中国西北部重要的经济增长区域,未来发展前景十分广阔.基于点一轴发展理论,以西北地区兰新、包兰、西陇海、兰青四大铁路干线为发展主轴,以各铁路干线沿线经过的25座节点城市为研究对象,利用城市流强度模型,测度并比较了四大铁路...     

略论经济利润对传统会计利润的挑战

同会计利润相比，经济利润考虑了股权投资的机会成本，因而是一个更为全面地衡量经济效益的指标。现代企业财务战略管理的核心是价值管理，而价值管理则是一套以经济利润为核心分析指标、包含了公司战略制定、组织架构建设和管理流程重组的完整的战略性管理体系。可见，经济利润对于企业价值管理和财务战略管理具有重要意义。     

中国农村土地制度变迁:一个产权的视角

农地制度历来是中国农村变革的关键,其要义在于产权。本文从产权角度对建国后中国农地制度变迁作了简要分析。作者认为,产权的界定与实施决定着产权的经济绩效。土地改革以来各种农地制度创新形式的不同经济绩效都与产权清晰程度和实施机制有关。     

康芒斯的法经济学思想及其贡献

作为现代西方法经济学的伟大先驱,康芒斯非常重视法律制度在经济发展中的作用。他批评传统经济学把法律制度排除在研究之外的做法。在其著作中,康芒斯通过“交易”这一基本单位把法律、经济学和伦理学联结在一起。康芒斯的法经济学思想主要体现在他的集体行动理论、利益和谐理论和“法制决定论”之中。他对“财产”与“财产权利”的区分及对“交易”概念的一般化都深深影响到法经济学的奠基者——罗纳德·哈里·科斯。而康芒斯将法律制度看成是协调冲突的规则体系的观点,也对现代法经济学中的制度学派产生了深刻的影响。