Cost Constrained Industry Inefficiency

In this paper a definition of industry inefficiency in cost constrained production environments is introduced. This definition uses the indirect directional distance function and quantifies the inefficiency of the industry in terms of the overall output loss, given the industry cost budget. The industry inefficiency indicator is then decomposed into sources components: reallocation inefficiency arising from sub-optimal configuration of the industry; firm inefficiency arising from a failure to select optimal input quantities (given the prevalent inputs prices); firm inefficiency due to lack of best practices. The method is illustrated using data on Ontario electricity distributors. These data show that lack of best practices is only a minor component of the overall inefficiency of the industry (less than 10 percent), with reallocation inefficiency accounting for more than 75 percent of the overall inefficiency of the system. An analysis based on counter-factual input prices is conducted in order to illustrate how the model can be used to estimate the effects of a change in the regulation regime

Efficiency decomposition for multi-level multi-components production technologies

This paper addresses the efficiency measurement of firms composed by multiple components, and assessed at different decision levels. In particular it develops models for three levels of decision/production: the subunit (production division/process), the DMU (firm) and the industry (system). For each level, inefficiency is measured using a directional distance function and the developed measures are contrasted with existing radial models. The paper also investigates how the efficiency scores computed at different levels are related to each other by proposing a decomposition into exhaustive and mutually exclusive components. The proposed method is illustrated using data on Portuguese hospitals. Since most of the topics addressed in this paper are related to more general network structures, avenues for future research are proposed and discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Dynamic of Technological Capabilities of Countries: A Dual Approach Using Composite Indicators & Data Envelopment Analysis

One of the main characteristics of the technological capabilities of countries has always been their uneven distribution across the countries. This paper explores the dynamic of technological capabilities for a sample of 42 countries over the period 1995-2007 introducing some methodological novelties. The results suggest that a process of convergence of technological capabilities has occurred to some extent. However, this has not been complete as some countries are still unable to reach a balanced growth in the different components of technological capabilities. We conclude by arguing that the production of technology can no longer be considered a privilege of a few advanced countries. This is going to bear consequences in the global arena in terms of trade, international division of labour and technological specializatio

The Dynamic of Technological Capabilities of Countries: A Dual Approach Using Composite Indicators & Data Envelopment Analysis

One of the main characteristics of the technological capabilities of countries has always been their uneven distribution across the countries. This paper explores the dynamic of technological capabilities for a sample of 42 countries over the period 1995-2007 introducing some methodological novelties. The results suggest that a process of convergence of technological capabilities has occurred to some extent. However, this has not been complete as some countries are still unable to reach a balanced growth in the different components of technological capabilities. We conclude by arguing that the production of technology can no longer be considered a privilege of a few advanced countries. This is going to bear consequences in the global arena in terms of trade, international division of labour and technological specializatio

The quality and efficiency of public service delivery in the UK and China

The quality and efficiency of public service delivery in the UK and China, Regional Studies. This paper examines the efficiency of public service delivery at a regional level in both the UK and China using a method based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) that measures aggregate country-level inefficiency. This country-level inefficiency is then decomposed into three components: (1) lack of best practices at a regional level; (2) quality of the public service delivery; and (3) potential efficiency gains realizable via reallocation of expenditure across regions. The empirical results indicate that most UK inefficiency comes from the reallocation effect, while most Chinese inefficiency is attributable to lack of best practices; quality explains more of the expenditure variations in the UK relative to China. The paper speculates about fiscal (de)centralization as a possible explanation for such differences

A valorização da paisagem lacustre pelo turismo: um estudo comparativo entre a laguna dos patos, no Brasil, e o lago de Aiguebelette, na França (Edição 486)

O artigo aborda a relação entre os temas paisagem, patrimônio e água, para refletir a renovação do interesse social pelas práticas turístico-recreativas nos espaços lacustres. Com base na abordagem geográfica do Turismo, parte-se das práticas espaciais dos indivíduos nos locais turísticos, e de uma noção integradora da paisagem, para interrogar: qual é o papel que as paisagens lacustres ocupam nos processos de ativação turística? O objetivo é refletir sobre a valorização do patrimônio paisagístico lacustre pelo turismo nas sociedades contemporâneas, e identificar os desafios atuais à gestão pública. É realizado um estudo comparativo, de base empírica, entre dois corpos lacustres: a Laguna dos Patos, no Brasil e o Lago de Aiguebelette, na França. A pesquisa tem abordagem qualitativa, de caráter exploratório-descritivo, com dados coletados durante o período 2016-2017, através da observação em campo, entrevistas e pesquisa em materiais turísticos e sites oficiais. Os resultados permitem tecer aproximações e divergências nos processos de valorização do patrimônio paisagístico lacustre pelas sociedades e sua representação pelo turismo nos contextos estudados. A emergência de conflitos, reinvindicações e problemáticas acerca da função turístico-recreativa das paisagens lacustres permite repensar as relações entre natureza e cultura, cidadãos e paisagens de água na contemporaneidade.Palavras-chave: Turismo. Paisagem. Lago. Laguna. Gestão Pública