This study uses a stochastic frontier parametrical approach to analyze the inefficiency of firms in the water industry between 1999 and 2010. For this purpose, an unbalanced panel of data from 12 firms from all over Latin America was used. One of the main findings of the study is that companies...

The present article discusses the economic and legal effects of single-product loyalty discounts. It is clear that arguments concerning the “pro-competitive” effects of such discounts must be judged with skepticism. This applies in particular to the assumed effects of loyalty discounts...

Discussions of systemic risk after the financial crisis of 2007–09 have focused heavily on so-called “systemically important financial institutions” (SIFIs) a cohort of financial firms that is almost exclusively (but not necessarily) comprised of large, complex and heavily interconnected...

Multi-national pharmaceutical companies have long operated across national boundaries, and exercised significant leverage because of the breadth and depth of their market control. The goals of public health can be better served by redressing the imbalance in market leverage between supply and...

This paper presents theory and evidence to show that imperialism was a major factor impeding the spread of the industrial revolution during the century ending in the 1950s. Two empirical results stand out. First, analysis of historical evidence shows that most sovereign countries were...

Abstract Since long the economies of scale is mainly acknowledged in microeconomics. Alas, in macroeconomics field, the prevailing principle is the constant return to scales by rejecting the economies of scale without justifiable reasoning. But fixed costs and indivisibilities are widely present...

This paper estimates economies of scale and scope for 55 major Australian urban utilities over the period 2005/06 to 2008/09. The models used specify operating and capital costs as a function of chemical and microbiological compliance, water losses, water quality and service, water main breaks,...

The world fleet capacity has been continuously enlarged in container liner shipping. In line with the enlargement, new ship generations have been launched, especially since the 1990s.The paper concentrates on the two major issues of capacity expansion and growth of ship size in the industry....

An actual growth rate greater than 30% indicates that offshore wind is a reasonable alternative to other energy sources. The industry today is faced with the challenge of becoming competitive and thus significantly reduce the cost of electricity from offshore wind. This situation implies that...

Microeconomic applications of semi-parametric models with an endogenous variable have been largely ignored. Recognizing spatial heterogeneity captured by semi-parametric cost function models can impact economies of scale estimates. We estimate several cost function models, using panel data for...