Who leads research productivity growth? Guidelines for R&D policy-makers

[EN] This paper evaluates to what extent policy-makers have been able to promote the creation and consolidation of comprehensive research groups that contribute to the implementation of a successful innovation system. Malmquist productivity indices are applied in the case of the Spanish Food Technology Program, finding that a large size and a comprehensive multi-dimensional research output are the key features of the leading groups exhibiting high efficiency and productivity levels. While identifying these groups as benchmarks, we conclude that the financial grants allocated by the program, typically aimed at small-sized and partially oriented research groups, have not succeeded in reorienting them in time so as to overcome their limitations. 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Return to Dollar, Generalized Distance Function and the Fisher Productivity Index

Generalized distance function, Return to dollar, Fisher and Malmquist productivity indexes, C43, C61, D24,

Drivers of changes in Spanish accessibility for the 1960–2010 period

Abstract Purpose The accessibility of a certain place can evolve either as the direct result of transport changes or as a consequence of the spatial redistribution of economic activities. These two factors are often indistinguishable—especially at regional level—since improved infrastructure stimulates relocation of activities. Moreover, infrastructure investment choices tend to follow population and economic activity patterns, distorting the cause and effect relationship between infrastructure and accessibility even further. The methodology and results presented here decompose the impact of both factors in terms of accessibility using Spanish data between 1960 and 2010. During this period, Spain experienced profound changes in transport infrastructure and economic activity. Methods We use the potential accessibility indicator and resort to index number theory to disentangle the contribution of transport infrastructure from that of land-use changes. Detailed historical data on road infrastructure and population is used to represent the transport and land-use components of accessibility. Results Our results show that changes in transport infrastructure had a relevant impact on accessibility, as expected, but changes in the spatial distribution of population had an even greater effect. This outcome may be used as an argument for sustainable accessibility, a concept that advocates integration of transport and land use planning

Maritime Shipping Industry and Productivity in Japan

The maritime shipping industry has experienced significant technological and management changes over the past several decades. This study analyses the total factor productivity of Japan’s shipping industry by applying the Luenberger productivity indicator from 1996 to 2005. This is a nonparametric frontier analysis technique, which allows for inefficiency of the production unit. We find large productivity increases in three major maritime shipping firms in Japan, although the magnitudes are different among firms and the general industry trend is declining. Maritime Economics & Logistics (2007) 9, 291–301. doi:10.1057/palgrave.mel.9100187