Accounting for Pairwise Heterogeneity in Bilateral Trade Flows: A Stochastic Varying Coefficient Gravity Model

This paper suggests an alternative way for estimating the gravity equation that takes into consideration country-pair heterogeneity in bilateral trade flows. Specifically, a stochastic varying coefficient gravity model based on Hildreth and Houck’s (1968) random coefficient regression is proposed, that eliminates heterogeneity bias inherent in standard econometric methods. The results indicate that the standard gravity estimates can differ substantially from what is obtained when heterogeneity is accounted for.bilateral trade, gravity equation, stochastic varying coefficient gravity model.

Decomposing Partial Factor Productivity in the Presence of Input-Specific Technical Inefficiency: A Self-Dual Stochastic Production Frontier Approac

The present paper provides a theoretical framework for the decomposition of partial factor productivity in the presence of input-specific technical inefficiency. Based on Kuroda’s dual approach and using the theoretical foundations developed by Kopp, we decompose the growth rate of partial factor productivity into five sources, namely, changes in input-specific technical efficiency, substitution effect, technical change, the effect of scale economies and a homotheticity and input biased technological effect. The empirical model is based on a generalized self-dual Cobb-Douglas stochastic production frontier and on the methodological approach for measuring orthogonal input-specific technical efficiency suggested by Reinhard, Lovell and Thijssen. The model is applied to a panel data set of 723 cereal farms in Greece observed during the 1994-2003 cropping period obtained from FADN. The empirical results suggest that the labor productivity of cereal farms has been increased by 2.89 per cent annually. Technical change was found to be the main source of labor productivity (70.4%), while changes in technical efficiency also contributed significantly over the period analyzed (34.7%). On the other hand, substitution effect was found to affect negatively the rate of labor productivity (-14.2%).labor efficiency and productivity growth, multilateral production frontier

EXPLAINING OUTPUT GROWTH WITH A HETEROSCEDASTIC NON-NEUTRAL PRODUCTION FRONTIER: THE CASE OF SHEEP FARMS IN GREECE

This paper extends the primal decomposition of TFP changes to the case of non-neutral production frontiers. Output growth is decomposed into input growth (size effect), changes in technical efficiency, technical change, and the effect of returns to scale. Within the proposed formulation, however, technical efficiency changes are attributed not only to autonomous changes (i.e., passage of time) but also to changes in input use and in the not-so-fixed farm characteristics. The empirical model is based on a heteroscedastic non-neutral production frontier and an unbalanced panel data set of sheep farms in Greece for the period 1989-92. The technical efficiency change effect is found to be the main source of TFP growth, followed by technical change and the scale effect, which has caused a 0.35% output slowdown The not-so-fixed farm characteristics have been the most important determinant of technical efficiency changes, followed by changes in input use.

Decomposition of Labor Productivity Growth: A Multilateral Production Frontier Approach

This paper develops a parametric decomposition framework of labor productivity growth relaxing the assumption of labor-specific efficiency. The decomposition analysis is applied to a sample of 52 developed and developing countries from 1965-90. A generalized Cobb-Douglas functional specification is used taking into account differences in technological structures across group of countries to approximate aggregate production technology using Jorgenson and Nishimizu (1978) bilateral model of production. Measurement of labor efficiency is based on Kopp�s (1981) orthogonal non-radial index of factor-specific efficiency modified in a parametric frontier framework. The empirical results indicate that the weighted average annual rate of labor productivity growth was 1.43 per cent over the period analyzed. Technical change was found to be the driving force of labor productivity, while improvements in labor efficiency and human capital account approximately for the 22 per cent of that productivity growth.labor efficiency and productivity growth, multilateral production frontier

On the Growth-Maximizing Allocation of Public Investment

In this paper we present an endogenous growth model to analyze the growth maximizing allocation of public investment among N different types of public capital. Using this general model of public capital formation, we analyze the stability of the long-run equilibrium and we derive the growth-maximizing values of the shares of public investment allocated to the different types of public capital, as well as the growth-maximizing tax rate (amount of total public investment as a share of GDP). The empirical implication of the modelis that both the effects of the shares of public investment and the tax rate on the long-run growth rate are non-linear, following an inverse U-shaped pattern.

A Flexible Time-Varying Specification of the Technical Inefficiency Effects Model

The temporal pattern of technical efficiency in the technical inefficiency effects model, as initially modeled by Battese and Coelli (1995), is rather restrictive. Specifically, it a priori imposes a common pattern upon all firms in the sample, which in addition is monotonic over time. Obviously this is an undesirable implication of the model especially when there is evidence of strong firm heterogeneity and/or a long time span. To overcome this shortcoming, the present paper incorporates the Cornwell, Sickless and Schmidt (1990) flexible specification of the temporal pattern of technical efficiency into technical inefficiency effects model. The proposed formulation is then applied to the agricultural sector of the EU and US, during the period 1973-1993. The empirical result support the proposed formulation as quite different temporal patterns of technical efficiency have been found for the ten countries included in the analysis.

SELF-DUAL STOCHASTIC PRODUCTION FRONTIERS AND DECOMPOSITION OF OUTPUT GROWTH: THE CASE OF OLIVE-GROWING FARMS IN GREECE

This paper provides a decomposition of output growth among olive-growing farms in Greece during the period 1987-1993 by integrating Bauer's (1990) and Bravo-Ureta and Rieger's (1991) approaches. The proposed methodology is based on the use of self-dual production frontier functions. Output growth is attributed to the size effect, technical change, changes in technical and input allocative inefficiency, and the scale effect. Empirical results indicate that the scale and the input allocative inefficiency effects, which were not taken into account in previous studies on output growth decomposition analysis, have caused a 7.3% slowdown and a 11.0% increase in output growth, respectively. Technical change was found to be the main source of TFP growth while both technical and input allocative inefficiency decreased over time. Still though, a 56.5% of output growth is attributed to input growth.Production Economics,

Parametric Measurement of Time-Varying Technical Inefficiency: Results from Competing Models

This paper provides an empirical comparison of time-varying technical inefficiency measures obtained from the econometric estimation of different specifications of the stochastic production frontier model. Specifically, ten different frontier model specifications, which are most widely used in empirical applications, are estimated using a balanced panel data set from the Greek olive-oil sector, consisting of 100 farms observed during 1987-93 period. The empirical results indicate that both the magnitude and individual ranking of technical efficiency estimates differs considerably across models.Agricultural and Food Policy,

EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTIVITY AND OUTPUT GROWTH: AN INTER-REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF GREEK AGRICULTURE

Output growth decomposition of the Greek olive-oil sector under technical and allocative inefficiencies, economies of scale and technical change, is performed. The stochastic production frontier model is extended to panel data and FGLS estimation. Conventional inputs are main source of growth: TFP increased in slow rate during the study period.Crop Production/Industries, Industrial Organization,

Total Factor Productivity Growth and the Environment: A Case for Green Growth Accounting

We examine whether the use of the environment, proxied by CO2 emissions, as a factor of production contributes, in addition to con- ventional factors of production to output growth, and thus it should be accounted for in total factor productivity growth (TFPG) mea- surement and deducted from the ‘residual’. A theoretical framework of growth accounting methodology with environment as a factor of production which is unpaid in the absence of environmental policy is developed. Using data from a panel of 23 OECD countries, we show that emissions’growth have a statistically signi…cant contribution to the growth of output, that emission augmenting technical change is present along with labor augmenting technical change, and that part of output growth which is traditionally attributed to technical change should be attributed to the use of the environment as a not fully com- pensated factor of production. Our results point towards the need for developing a concept of Green Growth Accounting.Solow Residual, Total Factor Productivity Growth, Growth, Environment, Green Growth Accounting.