Specification and Estimation of Multiple-Output Production Functions
Specification and Estimation of Multiple-Output Production Functions

Author: G. Hasenkamp

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 364245481X

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This monograph is intended as a contribution to applied work in production theory by treating: a) The measurement problems involved whenever several outputs are jointly produced, and b) The (possible) econometric framework for estimating production function parameters whenever (relative) prices vary sufficiently over the observations. Thus, the "pure" theory of production, and the theory of non-linear regression is not treated in sufficient detail: for these topics we refer to the available literature~ for a comprehensive list of references we refer to Uebe (1975). Some years ago, papers by L. J. Lau and W. E. Diewert initiated my interest in duality within production theory, and then I started to appreciate R. W. Shephard's fundamental contribution to this topic. This monograph is a (minor) revision of a Ph. D. dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics, The University of Wisconsin, Madison, in August 1973. The Graduate School and the Social Systems Research Institute provided funds for the reported computer work, Lawrence R. Klein and Laurits R. Christensen provided data, and as a Graduate Student I received financial support in form of an University Fellowship~ all this is very much appreciated. With some nostalgia I think back to the enjoyable period of learning during the preparation of my diFosertation~ I appreciate the spirit within the department, and the guidance of my committee Arthur S. Goldberger, Dennis J. Aigner, and Laurits R. Christensen.

Production Economics: An Empirical Approach
Production Economics: An Empirical Approach

Author: Charles Britt Moss

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2022-02-25

Total Pages: 576

ISBN-13: 9811241279

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Production economics is that branch of microeconomics that examines producer decisions. This book focuses on the empirical estimation of these relationships using primal, dual, and differential specifications. The primal specification models production decisions based on the production function — estimation of the input/output relationship and the derivation of optimization behavior from this technical relationship. The dual approach estimates production decisions using economic information such as input and output prices. The textbook then develops the linkages between these relationships. The differential specification is an alternative approach derived from changes in the first-order conditions from cost minimizing behavior. In each case, the theoretical development is followed by different empirical specifications that can be used to estimate the producer's choice.

Organizations: Multiple Agents with Multiple Criteria
Organizations: Multiple Agents with Multiple Criteria

Author: J.N. Morse

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 519

ISBN-13: 3642455271

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The Fourth International MCDM Conference follows a tradition that began with an exploratory gathering at the University of South Carolina in 1973. The First International Conference was held in Jouy-en-Josas in 1975. The second and third were held in Buffalo (1977) and KOnigswinter (1979). We are grateful to the Office of Naval Research for years of advice and funding, and to Springer-Verlag for providing a widely dispersed series of proceedings volumes. In the case of the Delaware Conference we gratefully acknowledge new support from the corporate sector, coordinated by the University of Delaware's Development Office. Now that I have attended to the formal recognitions, I wish to place my recollection of the human side of the conference into the record. This is justi fiable because multiple criteria problem solving has been nurtured by a close-knit group of people whose interactions are not fully captured by the standard journal format. This was the conference in which an animated discussion between Dave,Bell and Paul Schoemaker caused Mathilde Stephenson to stand up and say, "Don't stop it; this is the best part of the conference. " Another sort of moment occurred when Lucas Pun was asked to explain a certain Chinese character in one of his transpar encies. He replied, "No alcohol allowed. " From Erick Duesing, speaking with an historical perspective, we had the insight that multiple criteria methods lan guished because "McCarthyism had made planning suspect.

Aggregate and Industry-Level Productivity Analyses
Aggregate and Industry-Level Productivity Analyses

Author: Ali Dogramaci

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9400981236

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1 Ali Dogramaci and Nabil R. Adam 1.1. OVERVIEW With the decline of U.S. productivity growth, interest has surged to under stand the behavior of productivity measures through time, the conceptual foundations of productivity analysis, and the linkage between productivity performance and other major forces in the economy. The purpose of this volume is to present a brief overview of some of the concepts used in aggre gate and industry-level productivity analyses and the results of some of the recent research in this field. The book is divided into three parts. Part I covers some of the methodo logical approaches used in aggregate and industry-level productivity studies. Part II deals with the movement of labor productivity measures through time. The papers in this part of the book study productivity changes as uni variate time series and analyze some of the characteristics of the patterns displayed. The papers in Part III address the issues of measurement of capi tal, the relation of capital formation to productivity growth, and the rela tion of imported intermediate inputs to U.S. productivity performance.

Information Structures in Economics
Information Structures in Economics

Author: M. Nermuth

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-03-13

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 3642464475

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This book is intended as a contribution to the theory of markets with imperfect information. The subject being nearly limitless, only certain selected topics are discussed. These are outlined in the Introduction (Ch. 0). The remainder of the book is divided into three parts. All results of economic significance are contained in Parts II & III. Part I introduces the main tools for the analysis, in particular the concept of an information structure. Although most of the material presented in Part I is not original, it is hoped that the detailed and self-contained exposition will help the reader to understand not only the following pages, but also the existing technical and variegated literature on markets with imperfect information. The mathematical prerequisites needed, but not explained in the text rarely go beyond elementary calculus and probability theory. Whenever more advanced concepts are used, I have made an effort to give an intuitive explanation as well, so that the argument can also be followed on a non-technical level (cf. e.g. the treatment of the "generic" viewpoint in Ch. 9). In the same spirit, discussion of mathematical assumptions is limited to those which have economic sig- ficance, whereas purely "technical" assumptions (like differentiability or integrability of certain functions) are usually made without comment whenever convenient. The logical interdependence of chapters is as follows: Ch. 3 . Ch. 1 /~I--=---- Ch. 4 Ch. 2 Ch. 8 ~I -=--- /"'-.... Ch.

Stochastic Frontier Analysis
Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Author: Subal C. Kumbhakar

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2003-03-10

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 1107717302

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Modern textbook presentations of production economics typically treat producers as successful optimizers. Conventional econometric practice has generally followed this paradigm, and least squares based regression techniques have been used to estimate production, cost, profit and other functions. In such a framework deviations from maximum output, from minimum cost and cost minimizing input demands, and from maximum profit and profit maximizing output supplies and input demands, are attributed exclusively to random statistical noise. However casual empiricism and the business press both make persuasive cases for the argument that, although producers may indeed attempt to optimize, they do not always succeed. This book develops econometric techniques for the estimation of production, cost and profit frontiers, and for the estimation of the technical and economic efficiency with which producers approach these frontiers. Since these frontiers envelop rather than intersect the data, and since the authors continue to maintain the traditional econometric belief in the presence of external forces contributing to random statistical noise, the work is titled Stochastic Frontier Analysis.

Effectiveness, Quality and Efficiency: A Management Oriented Approach
Effectiveness, Quality and Efficiency: A Management Oriented Approach

Author: Ephraim F. Sudit

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13: 9400918283

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This is a management oriented book about efficiency, quality and effectiveness designed for an audience of management practitioners, scholars, and students. The integrative approach developed in this book contains new ideas regarding quality and efficiency-based effective management. These ideas lend themselves to managerial applications. This work is not meant to provide an exhaustive account of the measurement, and applications of effectiveness, quality, and efficiency concepts. With the exception of the treatment of conventional productivity concepts and measurements in Chapter 2, and of production flexibility in Chapter 5, the discussion in this book is largely non-teclmical. Among management practitioners, the book may be of particular interest to managers with broad strategic orientations in the fields of production management, quality management, marketing, and management of human resources. The academic audience is likely to include scholars and students interested in strategic planning, applied productivity analysis, quality management, marketing management, and management of human resources. The book could also be used as a supplementary text to or part of the readings in basic and advanced courses in strategic management, production management, and quality management. Concepts and dimensions of efficiency, quality, and effectiveness, as used throughout this book, are introduced in Chapter 1. The intricate sets of relationships among effectiveness, quality, and efficiency are explored.

Extremal Methods and Systems Analysis
Extremal Methods and Systems Analysis

Author: A. V. Fiacco

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 554

ISBN-13: 3642464149

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The papers appearing in this Volume were selected from a collec tion of papers presented at the Internationa~ Symposium on Extrema~ Methods and Systems Ana~ysis on the Occasion of Professor A. Charnes' 60th Birthday, at the University of Texas in Austin, 13-15 September 1977. As coeditors, we have followed the normal editorial procedures of scholarly journals. We have obtained invaluable assistance from a number of colleagues who essentially performed the duties of associate editors, coordinating most of the reviews. All papers except those appearing in the Historica~ Perspectives section were refereed by at least two individuals with competency in the respective area. Because of the wide range and diversity of the topics, it would have been im possible for us to make a consistently rational selection of papers without the help of the associate editors and referees. We are indeed grateful to them. The breadth of extremal methods and systems analysis, suggested by the range of topics covered in these papers, is characteristic of the field and also of the scholarly work of Professor Charnes. Extre mal methods and systems analysis has been a pioneering and systematic approach to the development and application of new scientific theories and methods for problems of management and operations in both the pri vate and public sectors, spanning all major disciplines from economics to engineering.

Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries
Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries

Author: Silver Mugisha

Publisher: IWA Publishing

Published: 2011-05-14

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1843392577

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Utility performance, especially in developing countries is still working toward the standard necessary to deliver best practice. Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries examines performance monitoring and regulation as a prominent efficiency enhancement tool and clarifies many of the unknowns regarding the design and approach surrounding the area of utility management. Principles and practices are linked in a way that is informative and accessible, highlighting the challenges facing those who are trying to improve performance in the water sector. Operational settings are complex and unpredictable in developing countries due to inadequate infrastructure planning and this book makes clear which systems work best in these situations. Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries discusses performance monitoring in the critical areas of utility management that achieve sustainable performance goals: Performance development planning Modes of performance monitoring Provocative approaches to incentives creation Monitoring through high incentive plans Customer relations monitoring Pro-poor oriented monitoring Careful use of partial performance indicators Proposed indicators for assessing governance incentives A case study on the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda is included in the book detailing the difficulties in discerning performance progress based on partial performance indicators. It underlines disparities in basing performance conclusions on partial performance indicators on one hand and aggregate analysis using modern benchmarking toolkits on the other. This is an excellent handbook for utility monitors or regulators whose primary duty is to oversee performance management. It is a valuable resource for decision-makers, analysts, and policy-makers and can be used in capacity-building programs (both in-house and in universities) around the world.