Applications of data envelopment analysis (DEA) models show that inadequate results may arise in some cases, two of these inadequacies being: (1) too many efficient units may appear in some DEA models; (2) a DEA model may show an inefficient unit from the point of view of experts as an efficient...

This paper examines changes in the labor productivity, efficiency, technology, and physical and human capital experienced by different regions in Italy between 1980 and 2006. Cobb-Douglas and translog production specifications are not supported by the data. Thus, non-parametric methods are used...

This paper considers the provision of some important municipal services and applies the non-parametric double bootstrap Simar and Wilson (J Econ 136(1):31–64, <CitationRef CitationID="CR106">2007</CitationRef>) model based on a truncated-regression to estimate the effect of a group of relevant factors, which include the political sign of...</citationref>

Sensitivity of the returns to scale (RTS) classifications in data envelopment analysis is studied by means of linear programming problems. The stability region for an observation preserving its current RTS classification (constant, increasing or decreasing returns to scale) can be easily...

Weextend Free Disposable Hull (FDH) efficiency analysis towardsthe general directional distance function framework. The profitinterpretation of directional distance functions is extendedto the non-convex FDH technologies. In addition, we derive anefficient enumerative algorithm for computing...

This paper compares the efficiencies across firm ownership types in China. Empirical results show that the non-state-owned enterprises are more efficient than the state-owned enterprises, which provides evidence to support the continued shifting of industry structure from state-owned enterprises...

Policy recommendations concerning optimal scale of production units may have serious implications for the restructuring of a sector. The piecewise linear frontier production function framework (DEA) is becoming the most popular one for assessing not only technical efficiency of operations, but...