In a previous work, Forner and Marhuenda (2001) find that the contrarian strategy, thatis, the forming of a zero-investment portfolio that buys the stocks that have performed poorly inthe past (losers) and sells those that have performed well (winners), does not yield abnormallypositive returns...

This paper tests the different hypotheses explaining profitability in the generic framework of hypotheses of collusion versus efficiency, presenting as its main contribution the use of a direct measurement of efficiency. This measurement is obtained by applying frontier techniques using the...

The objectives of this paper are, in first place, to analyze the equity of the Spanish scholarship system for all levels of education, assuming that in a fair system grants are given mainly to families with unfavourable economic conditions. A second element, also related to equity and which...

The aim of this paper is to analyse the efficiency of the travel agencies operatingin Spain, and to examine the determining factors of such efficiency, in terms of verticalintegration, market concentration, size and performance. The methodology employed is based on different techniques for the...

This study analyzes the links between efficiency and the decentralization of competencies among Spanish local governments for years 1995 and 2000. The aim is pursued by considering a two-stage activity analysis model in which the performance of eachmunicipality is first evaluated against other...

Several studies have shown that the contrarian strategy, or the forming of a zeroinvestmentportfolio that buys the stocks that have performed poorly in the past (losers) andsells those that have performed well (winners), creates abnormally positive returns in thefuture. Many hypotheses have been...

The aim of this paper is to analyse the role of human capital in the productivity gains of the countries of the OECD in the period 1965-90, breaking down the productivity gains into technicalchange and gains in efficiency. For this purpose we use both a stochastic frontier production function...

The aim of this study is to analyse the efficiency in costs and in profits of the Spanish banking sector (SBS) in the period 1985-96 using a non-parametric approach. The results obtained show the existence of profit efficiency levels well below those corresponding to cost efficiency, alternative...

This paper examines the reaction of the Spanish continuous market to the announcement of securitisation operations by listed banks in the period 1993-2003. Results indicate the existence of positive and significant abnormal returns on the day immediately following the announcement date. The...

The aim of this study is to analyze labor productivity convergence in the countries of the OECD over the period 1965-90. A non-parametric frontier approach is used to calculate the Malmquist productivity index. By breaking it down, the contribution to the growth of labor productivity of...