The Malmquist index has become extensively used in international comparisons of agricultural productivity since it does not require prices for its estimation, which are normally not available. However, the DEA approach used to estimate this index still uses implicit price information. This...

The estimated parameters of output distance functions frequently violate the monotonicity, quasi-convexity and convexity constraints implied by economic theory, leading to estimated elasticities and shadow prices that are incorrectly signed, and ultimately to perverse conclusions concerning the...

In project appraisal of infrastructure projects, cost benefit analysis has an important role. One of the central concerns is to adjust the distortions in markets to provide a better guide to a more effective allocation of scarce resources. The objectives of this thesis are : to establish the...

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...