Measuring efficiency of Tunisian schools in the presence of quasi-fixed inputs: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis approach

The objective of this paper is to measure the efficiency of high schools in Tunisia. We use a statistical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-bootstrap approach with quasi-fixed inputs to estimate the precision of our measure. To do so, we developed a statistical model serving as the foundation of the Data Generation Process (DGP). The DGP is constructed such that we can implement both smooth homogeneous and heterogeneous bootstrap methods. Bootstrap simulations were used to estimate and correct the bias, and to construct confidence intervals for the efficiency measures. The simulation results show that the efficiency measures are subject to sampling variations. The adjusted measure reveals that high schools with residence services would have to give up less than 12.1 percent of their resources on average to be efficient.Educational economics; Efficiency; Productivity; Data Envelopment Analysis; Bootstrap; Quasi-fixed inputs

Measuring efficiency of Tunisian schools in the presence of quasi-fixed inputs: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis approach

The objective of this paper is to measure the efficiency of high schools in Tunisia. We use a statistical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-bootstrap approach with quasi-fixed inputs to estimate the precision of our measure. To do so, we developed a statistical model serving as the foundation of the Data Generation Process (DGP). The DGP is constructed such that we can implement both smooth homogeneous and heterogeneous bootstrap methods. Bootstrap simulations were used to estimate and correct the bias, and to construct confidence intervals for the efficiency measures. The simulation results show that the efficiency measures are subject to sampling variations. The adjusted measure reveals that high schools with residence services would have to give up less than 12.1 percent of their resources on average to be efficient.Educational economics; Efficiency; Productivity; Data Envelopment Analysis; Bootstrap; Quasi-fixed inputs

Measuring efficiency of Tunisian schools in the presence of quasi-fixed inputs: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis approach

The objective of this paper is to measure the efficiency of high schools in Tunisia. We use a statistical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-bootstrap approach with quasi-fixed inputs to estimate the precision of our measure. To do so, we developed a statistical model serving as the foundation of the Data Generation Process (DGP). The DGP is constructed such that we can implement both smooth homogeneous and heterogeneous bootstrap methods. Bootstrap simulations were used to estimate and correct the bias, and to construct confidence intervals for the efficiency measures. The simulation results show that the efficiency measures are subject to sampling variations. The adjusted measure reveals that high schools with residence services would have to give up less than 12.1 percent of their resources on average to be efficient

Measuring efficiency of Tunisian schools in the presence of quasi-fixed inputs: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis approach

The objective of this paper is to measure the efficiency of high schools in Tunisia. We use a statistical Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-bootstrap approach with quasi-fixed inputs to estimate the precision of our measure. To do so, we developed a statistical model serving as the foundation of the Data Generation Process (DGP). The DGP is constructed such that we can implement both smooth homogeneous and heterogeneous bootstrap methods. Bootstrap simulations were used to estimate and correct the bias, and to construct confidence intervals for the efficiency measures. The simulation results show that the efficiency measures are subject to sampling variations. The adjusted measure reveals that high schools with residence services would have to give up less than 12.1 percent of their resources on average to be efficient

A generalized procedure to recover the first derivatives of a production function when the firm is a profit maximizer

Profit, Generalized inverse, Marginal product, Additional constraints, D21, D24, L50,

α-returns to scale with quasi-fixed inputs: an application to Québec hospitals

This paper focuses on the determination and estimation of the optimal size of hospitals. To determine the optimal size of a production unit, we use the measurement of returns to scale (RTS) at the decision-making unit level. When the RTS are constant, the unit is deemed of optimal size as the average total cost is at its minimum. As we deal with public service in a non-market environment, we have to take into account the fact that hospitals may not operate efficiently. To estimate the required production frontier we adapt the α-returns to scale method (a DEA type algorithm compatible with non-convexity of the production set) to include quasi-fixed factors. This methodology is applied to Québec hospitals at different points in time in order to capture the effect of the restructuring of the public health system over the last three decades. We conclude that by relying more on larger institution the scale efficiency of the public system has increased. However, in spite of the large reduction in the number of small hospitals and their replacement by very large structures, the movement may have gone too far, as most of the large institutions tend to exhibits decreasing returns to scale

Investment and regulation: the case of Canadian air carriers

We investigate the causes of increasing concentration in the Canadian air carriers industry over the last four decades, and assess possible links with deregulation and investment decisions. We measure the technology of firms in a dynamic framework that includes regulation. The model is tested with data on seven air carriers operating between 1960 and 1999. Traditional technological parameters are recovered: marginal factor productivity, returns to scale, and technical change. We conclude that deregulation only had a slight positive impact on productivity and that it may have contributed to increasing concentration by allowing firms to expand and fully capture returns to scale.Technology Air carriers Canadian Regulation Investment

Measuring efficiency of Tunisian schools in the presence of quasi-fixed inputs: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis approach

The objective of this paper is to measure the efficiency of high schools in Tunisia. We use a statistical data envelopment analysis (DEA)-bootstrap approach with quasi-fixed inputs to estimate the precision of our measure. To do so, we developed a statistical model serving as the foundation of the data generation process (DGP). The DGP is constructed such that we can implement both smooth homogeneous and heterogeneous bootstrap methods. Bootstrap simulations were used to estimate and correct the bias, and to construct confidence intervals for the efficiency measures. The simulation results show that the efficiency measures are subject to sampling variations. The adjusted measure reveals that high schools with residence services would have to give up less than 12.1% of their resources on average to be efficient.Educational economics Efficiency Productivity Data envelopment analysis Bootstrap Quasi-fixed inputs

La demande de facteurs de production dans le secteur manufacturier québecois: une approche dynamique avec attentes rationnelles

The purpose of this study is to estimate the production structure and the adjustement dynamics in the manufacturing sector of Québec between 1962 and 1983. A dynamic model with adjustement costs and rational expectations is estimated by the generalized method of moments. The results indicate increasing returns to scale in the manufacturing sector of Québec. The marginal adjustement costs are about 40 cents on a dollar for capital and 20 cents on a dollar for white collar workers. Capital and intermediate inputs are complements whereas all other pairs of inputs are substitutes.

Introducing regulation in the measurement of efficiency, with an application to the Canadian air carriers industry

This paper proposes a method to measure efficiency in highly regulated capital-intensive industries in the presence of state-owned enterprises. We generalize the data envelopment analysis method to include regulation in the model, as well as the quasi-fixed nature of capital and its links with the firms' investment decisions. The framework is then applied to the Canadian air carriers industry to study the impact of regulation changes on the efficiency of the various carriers, between 1960 and 1999. Our results show that deregulation explains a large part of the measured inefficiency.Data envelopment analysis Investment Regulation Airlines Productivity Competitiveness