This paper develops a non-linear stochastic frontier (SF) model. The main advantage of this model over standard SF models is that the model does not need an assumption for the distributional form of the inefficiency component. Another advantage of the developed model is that it can be used to...

Stochastic frontier models all need an assumption on the distributional form of the efficiency component. Generally this efficiency component is assumed to be half normally, truncated normally, or exponentially distributed. This paper shows that the exponential distribution is, just like the...

Standard methods for optimal allocation of shares in a financial portfolio are determined by second-order conditions which are very sensitive to outliers. The well-known Markowitz approach, which is based on the input of a mean vector and a covariance matrix, seems to provide questionable...

By integrating Battese and Coelli's (1995) model and the spatial autoregressive model (SAR), a spatial autoregressive stochastic frontier model for panel data is developed. The main feature of this frontier model is a spatial lag term of explained variables and the joint structure of a...

Wheat production is dominated by a subsistence smallholder production system. Additionally, more than 4.7 million smallholder farmers are engaged in wheat production. However, poverty is chronic and pervasive among smallholder farmers. Hence, targeting the efficiency of wheat production is the...

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...