Using the directional distance function we study a cross section of 110 countries to examine the efficiency of management of the tradeoffs between pollution and income. The DEA model is reformulated to permit 'reverse disposability' of the bad output. Further, we interpret the optimal solution...

The Indian textiles industry is now at the crossroads with the phasing out of quota regime that prevailed under the Multi-Fiber Agreement (MFA) until the end of 2004. In the face of a full integration of the textiles sector in the WTO, maintaining and enhancing productive efficiency is a...

A two-stage procedure is employed to evaluate non-bank financial institution cost efficiency. In the first stage, data envelopment analysis is used to calculate technical, allocative and cost efficiency indices using a sample of two hundred Australian credit unions. The results indicate that a...

Credit unions are small, co-operative, not-for-profit institutions; facts which usually distinguish them from other financial intermediaries. Whilst respecting the unique organisational and institutional features of credit unions, the present study also accepts the need for rigorous efficiency...

A two-stage procedure is employed to evaluate the determinants of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in Australian credit unions over the period 1992/1993 to 1994/1995. In the first stage, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to calculate technical and scale efficiency indices for a sample...

Data envelopment analysis is used to calculate pure technical, scale, allocative and cost efficiency indices for a sample of forty-six Australian general insurers. The inputs used are labour, physical capital (in the form of both information technology and plant and equipment) and financial...

A two-part process is employed to analyse the role of efficiency in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in Australian credit unions during the period 1993 to 1997. The measures of efficiency are derived using the nonparametric technique of data envelopment analysis. The first part uses panel...

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to measure the technical and scale efficiency of the domestic waste management function in 103 New South Wales’ local governments. After allowance is made for nondiscretionary environmental factors which may affect the provision of these local public...

We extend data envelopment analysis (DEA) to decompose the economic efficiency of a sample of ethanol plants into internal (technical and allocative) and boundary (marketing) sources. This decomposition allows us to evaluate the channels through which different plant characteristics affect plant...

In the corn ethanol industry, the ability of plants to obtain favorable prices through marketing decisions is considered important for their overall economic performance. Based on a panel of surveyed of ethanol plants we extend data envelopment analysis (DEA) to decompose the economic efficiency...