This paper analyses from an empirical point of view the technology underlying the Water industry. First, we study the impact of environmental and quality factors on the production process. Second, different functional forms are analysed in order to represent the technology. Overall results show...

The analysis regarding the results of firms privatized mainly during the Eighties within competitive sectors confirms the superiority of private control. The comparison between suitable control samples shows an improvement in profitability associated to a clear progress in labour productivity....

This work aims at investigating the changes in technical efficiency following the privatization of 39 Italian medium-sized firms operating in competitive sectors. Using Data Envelopment Analysis over a period of 10 years we highlight that, apart from acquisitions by foreign groups, there have...

Nel processo di riorganizzazione del servizio idrico italiano, imposto dalla "Legge Galli", il Comitato per la Vigilanza sull’uso delle Risorse Idriche presso il Ministero del Tesoro ha proposto la formulazione di un metodo normalizzato per la determinazione della tariffa. Il presente lavoro...

[This paper analyses the technological characteristics of a sample of Italian electric municipal firms. The standard partial productivity approach is integrated with total factor productivity measures based on Data Envelopment Analysis. Main results can be summarised as follows: i) small firms...

The analysis of the technology and costs of the gas distribution networks highlights that the number of customers is more important than the amount of gas delivered, as well as the absence of economies of scale, the presence of economies of density and the significant role of the morphologic and...

The Italian electric supplying activity has been concentrated in the hands of a State company (ENEL) since 1963, when private firms were nationalised. Since then, for nearly three decades the sector has been nm tmder a nearly absolute monopoly. Tue first innovations were approved in 1982,but...

This paper assesses the role of competition in explaining the efficiency in the Italian manufacturing. Technical efficiency differentials have been measured by applying Data Evelopment Analysis (D.E.A.) methods on a panel of 420 firms from 32 industries at 3- digit level, over the period...

The gas distribution in Italy is nowadays subjected to a deep process of deregulation, aimed to strengthen the competitive rules. In the same time, this industry is undergoing intensive regulation constraints, particularly in the definition of service prices. The mentioned deregulation process...

The aim of the present study is to provide fresh evidence about the characteristics of cost structure of public transit systems in Italy. The analysis is carried out by comparing the productive performance (average costs and productivity) of small, medium and large-sized companies providing both...