We apply the stochastic frontier of translog production function to estimate the efficiencies of Chinese coal-fired power plants, using a survey sample of 300 power plants over 5 years from 2004 to 2008 for estimation. By taking into account, the ages of generators and a technological factor...

The main purpose of this paper is to define indicators of sustainable development which take into account the economic constraints imposed by the laws of thermodynamics. Firstly, a survey of some essential work about the relationships between economics and thermodynamics is proposed. Secondly,...

Markowitz portfolio theory (1952) has induced research into the efficiency of portfolio management. This paper studies existing nonparametric efficiency measurement approaches for single period portfolio selection from a theoretical perspective and generalises currently used efficiency measures...

The dynamics of industrial growth in Jevons' The Coal Question is developed in two directions. Malthus' dynamics of the supply of subsistence and population growth is transposed into one between coal supply and economic growth. A second influence lies with the dynamic evolution of Ricardian...

The objective of operations on futures markets may be either hedging or speculation. In this paper, we wish to give a desciption of futures markets with two groups of operators with heterogeneous expectations: hedgers-speculators, and pure speculators. The existence of carry-over costs is taken...