Using data from the EPA's EGRID and Clean Air Markets databases, we investigate the energy (technical) and emissions (ecological) efficiencies of 437 of the largest U.S. electricity generators. We focus on fossil-fuel based electricity generating plants because of their significant impact on...

This paper investigates the link between competition and efficiency for the Hungarian corporate sector during various phases of the transition process. We employ frontier production functions for exploring differences among groups of firms, and for identifying the typical adjustment process of...

We propose a nonparametric methodology for intertemporal production analysis that accounts for durable as well as storable inputs. Durable inputs contribute to the production outputs in multiple consecutive periods. Storable inputs are non-durable and can be stored in inventories for use in...

Results of assessments of total labor factor productivity TFP showed improvements where it recorded higher rate of 73.5% compared to previous periods. However, that was related with constant rate of returns as compared with variable rate of return. When technical efficiency was compared with...

This paper investigates the link between competition and efficiency for the Hungarian corporate sector during various phases of the transition process. We employ frontier production functions to explore differences among groups of firms, and to identify the typical adjustment process of each...

We propose a novel nonparametric method for the structural identification of unobserved technological heterogeneity in production. We assume cost minimization as the firms' behavioral objective, and we model unobserved heterogeneity as an unobserved productivity factor on which firms condition...

From an empirical perspective, this paper critically examines the concepts of returns to scale (RTS) and economies of scale (EOS), and argues that the concept of EOS is more relevant and broader enough to exhibit proper scale economies behavior of firms. Two approaches, i.e., production function...

We discuss the nonparametric approach to profit efficiency analysis at the firm and industry levels in the absence of complete price information, and propose two new insights. First, choosing one commodity (whose price is known) as a numeraire good enables us to measure profit inefficiency in...

Forest fuel defined as branches and tops (GROT) of harvested trees represents a large share of forest biomass and is increasingly viewed as a potential energy source. This study assesses the economic potentials of forest bioenergy production in Swedish forests, using a network data envelopment...

This paper examined technical efficiency of small-scale batik production in the Ghanaian economy. A sample of 400 Batik producers was interviewed for the purpose from the Central Region of Ghana. The Stochastic Frontier approach was used in determining the levels of technical efficiency of the...