A generalized Malmquist productivity index

In 1953 Sten Malmquist, a Swedish economist and statistician, published inTrabajos de Estadística the foundations of a productivity index which now bears his name. In this paper we generalize the Malmquist productivity index. We show that (i) the generalized Malmquist productivity index can be expressed as the product of a Malmquist productivity index and a Malmquist scale index; (ii) the generalized Malmquist productivity index can also be expressed as the ratio of a Malmquist output quantity index to a Malmquist input quantity index; (iii) the geometric mean of a pair of Malmquist scale indexes is equal to the reciprocal of the Törnqvist scale index, which implies that (iv) the geometric mean of a pair of generalized Malmquist productivity indexes is equal to a Törnqvist productivity index.     

A cost Malmquist productivity index

This paper develops a productivity index applicable when producers are cost minimisers and input prices are known. The index is inspired by the Malmquist index as extended to productivity measurement. The index developed here is defined in terms of input cost rather than input quantity distance functions. Hence, productivity change is decomposed into overall efficiency and cost technical change. Furthermore, overall efficiency change is decomposed into technical and allocative efficiency change and cost technical change into a part capturing shifts of input quantities and shifts of relative input prices. These decompositions provide a clearer picture of the root sources of productivity change. They are illustrated here in a sample of hospitals; results are computed using non-parametric mathematical programming.     

A circular global profit Malmquist productivity index in data envelopment analysis

To remove the difficulty caused by different profit frontiers in different periods of time for calculating profit efficiency changes and its components, this paper proposes a circular global profit Malmquist productivity index. This index is applicable when the input costs and output prices are known and when producers seek to maximize the total profit of their decision making units (DMUs). To this end, first, two methods are introduced to obtain the common costs and prices with or without the decision maker’s preferences, and then, a common profit efficient frontier is obtained. The proposed index can be decomposed into several circular components, viz., profit efficiency change, profit technical change, technical efficiency change, allocative efficiency change, technical change, and cost/price change. The proposed index is then generalised to compare the productivity of two different units at two different points in time. The global profit Malmquist productivity index developed here is unique and is computed using nonparametric linear programming model known as data envelopment analysis (DEA), and there is no need to resort to the geometric mean in the calculation. To illustrate the proposed index and its components, numerical examples at three successive periods of time are given.     

基于定向技术距离函数的投入产出型Malmquist指数

本在分析了基于产出距离函数的Malmquist指数的局限性后，定义了在t时期上的定向技术距离函数，提出了修正的Malmquist指数(简称ARD，AGL)，并用线性规划给出了求解方法。同时运用修正后的Malmquist指数对技术进步、技术效率变化和规模效率三方面进行了分解，并辅以经济解释。     

On the inconsistency of the Malmquist–Luenberger index

Apart from the well-known weaknesses of the standard Malmquist productivity index related to infeasibility and not accounting for slacks, already addressed in the literature, we identify a new and significant drawback of the Malmquist–Luenberger index decomposition that questions its validity as an empirical tool for environmental productivity measurement associated with the production of bad outputs. In particular, we show that the usual interpretation of the technical change component in terms of production frontier shifts can be inconsistent with its numerical value, thereby resulting in an erroneous interpretation of this component that passes on to the index itself. We illustrate this issue with a simple numerical example. Finally, we propose a solution for this inconsistency issue based on incorporating a new postulate for the technology related to the production of bad outputs.     

Malmquist生产率指数评析结果——技术变动的新诠释

为了判断创新活动是否有利于技术进步,预测技术变动的发展趋势,将Malmquist生产率指数评价结果进一步分解,挖掘技术变动的深层次知识,并将之应用于我国电子行业的技术创新活动分析。研究表明,运用经济学中的等产量曲线的分析原理,能够获取Malmquist生产率测算结果中技术变动指数各个构成部分所包含的管理信息,并可以判断决策单元的技术变动方向是否有利,最后对我国电子行业技术创新活动的实证研究发现我国电子行业创新活动总体上朝着有利于技术进步的方向发展。     

基于生态学视角的科技人才效能发展程度和产出效率研究——来自我国30个省市的数据

基于生态学视角构建了科技人才效能评价指标体系,通过运用生态位模型和Malmquist指数分析了我国30个省市的科技人才效能的发展程度和产出效率,结果表明,第一,我国东部和中西部地区之间的科技人才效能呈现较为明显的区域性差异;第二,技术进步效率对我国30个省市科技人才效能全要素生产率具有较明显的影响,应该引起重视;第三,从分区域全要素生产率指数的变动情况来看,全要素生产率最高的为中部地区,其次为东部地区和东北地区,最低为西部地区.     

Nonparametric measurement of productivity and efficiency in education

Nondiscretionary environmental inputs are critical in explaining relative efficiency differences and productivity changes in public sector applications. For example, the literature on education production shows that school districts perform better when student poverty is lower. In this paper, we extend the nonparametric approach to decompose the Malmquist Productivity Index suggested by Färe et al. (American Economic Rewiew 84:66–83, 1994) into efficiency, technological and environmental changes. The approach is applied to analyze educational production of Ohio school districts. Applying the extended approach in an analysis of the educational production of 604 school districts in Ohio, we find changes in environmental harshness are the primary drivers in productivity changes of underperforming school districts, while technical progress drives the performance of top performing school districts.     

Productivity breakdown of the information and computing technology industries across countries

In this paper, we measure productivity growth of the information and computing technology (ICT) industries in 14 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries over the 13-year period of 1978–1990. The ICT industries are the providers of essential information technology (IT) capital goods. This macro-level analysis seeks to find out how productively such IT capital goods are provided. The basic unit of analysis employed is the Malmquist Total Factor Productivity (TFP) index. The Malmquist TFP index is then decomposed into three constituent elements accounting for different sources of productivity growth: technological progress, efficiency change, and change in economies of scale. The approach of measurement is based on the concept of distance functions and employs the non-parametric frontier method of data envelopment analysis. Our results indicate that each country's ICT industry manifests its own particular patterns in various performance measures. Among the 14 countries examined, 10 had witnessed productivity growth in their ICT industries. Overall, these ICT industries are found more productive than other industries when compared with previous research. Further analyses reveal that (1) most of the productivity growth measured is due to technological progress; (2) efficiency change exerts a relatively small positive effect on productivity growth; and (3) the change in scale economies unfavourably affects productivity for most countries. Finally, practical implications for formulating IT policy are drawn from our results, and topics are identified for future research.     

环境约束下中国地区物流业全要素生产率重估及收敛性研究

利用基于方向距离函数的Malmquist-Luenberger(ML)生产率指数方法对环境约束下中国1997-2009年30个省级地区物流业全要素生产率增长及其成分进行了重新估算,并通过技术创新者研究,分析了推动生产可能性边界外移的地区.研究发现:忽视非期望产出的传统Malmquist指数方法会低估物流业技术效率水平、高估物流业技术进步指数和全要素生产率指数.环境约束下我国物流业ML生产率指数年均增长率呈现下降趋势,下降的原因一方面是由于技术效率偏低阻碍了生产率的增长,另一方面是我国物流业技术进步的动力不足所致,物流环境技术创新主要集中于东部和西部地区个别省份,中部地区技术创新水平较低.收敛性检验表明,研究样本期内,全国以及三大地区物流业全要素生产率均存在显著的收敛趋势.     

Combining the assumptions of variable and constant returns to scale in the efficiency evaluation of secondary schools

Our paper reports on the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) for the assessment of performance of secondary schools in Malaysia during the implementation of the policy of teaching and learning mathematics and science subjects in the English language (PPSMI). The novelty of our application is that it makes use of the hybrid returns-to-scale (HRS) DEA model. This combines the assumption of constant returns to scale with respect to quantity inputs and outputs (teaching provision and students) and variable returns to scale (VRS) with respect to quality factors (attainment levels on entry and exit) and socio-economic status of student families. We argue that the HRS model is a better-informed model than the conventional VRS model in the described application. Because the HRS technology is larger than the VRS technology, the new model provides a tangibly better discrimination on efficiency than could be obtained by the VRS model. To assess the productivity change of secondary schools over the years surrounding the introduction of the PPSMI policy, we adapt the Malmquist productivity index and its decomposition to the case of HRS model.     

Chinese regional energy efficiency change and its determinants analysis: Malmquist index and Tobit model

China becomes the largest energy consumer in 2010 but its energy productivity is well below the world average. To meet China’s fast growing energy using, energy efficiency should be especially emphasized under China’s energy policy. This paper focuses on the regional level of energy efficiency change in China. And we analyze total factor energy efficiency for 30 Chinese provinces over the period 1998–2009 using Malmquist index method and Tobit analysis. The Malmquist estimation results suggest there is a dropping change trend of energy productivity growth. Chinese energy efficiency still faces with huge regional disparity, but the energy technical efficiency reflects convergence in the nationwide and west region. As a result of Tobit regression, we find that industrial structure, energy consumption structure and institutional factor have different influences on energy efficiency.     

Technical change and the von Neumann coefficient of uniform expansion

We study technical change for multi-product technologies to examine its effect on economic growth for 27 OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries during 1951–2014. We review the Malmquist index and reexamine von Neumann’s model of an expanding economy. We estimate the coefficient of uniform expansion via DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) and use it to measure technical change via a Solow residual and an alternative von Neumann technical change index which equals the difference between the growth rates of the slowest growing output and the fastest growing input. We also exploit a property of constant returns to scale in order to examine technical change of the average technology. During 2005–2014 the Solow residual shows relatively fast technical change. In contrast, the Malmquist, average technology and alternative von Neumann technical change indexes show negative or stagnant technical change.     

Measuring sectoral productivity across time and across countries

This paper examines the problem of measuring the evolution of productivity changes over time and across the 14 countries included in the OECD's International Sectoral Data Base of two sectors considered essential to the economic growth of any nation, namely manufacturing and services. The basic units of analysis are generalized Malmquist productivity indices. These in turn can be decomposed into several components, associated to the various sources of productivity change. Included here are productivity fluctuations due to economies of scale, being constant or variable, to technical change and technical efficiency change. The computational procedure is based upon the concept of distance function, computed through the use of variations of data envelopment analysis.     

A global cost Malmquist productivity index using data envelopment analysis

This paper proposes a global cost Malmquist productivity index, new cost Malmquist productivity index, that is circular and that gives a single measure of productivity change. The index is inspired by the global Malmquist productivity index as extended to productivity measurement. Decomposition of the proposed cost Malmquist productivity index is presented. Numerical results are presented for an example taken from the literature to illustrate the proposed algorithm.     

我国跨境电商上市企业经营效率研究——基于三阶段DEA-Malmquist指数方法

以33家跨境电商上市企业为研究对象,基于三阶段DEA和Malmquist指数模型从静态和动态两个角度出发,对2013-2018年我国跨境电商上市企业的综合效率、全要素生产效率指数及两者的分解效率进行测度并对比分析,同时分析了宏观经济环境、政府干预和企业自身经营情况等因素对经营效率的影响.结果表明:样本企业经营效率存在个体差异,且外部环境对其经营效率具有显著影响;纯技术效率和规模效率参差不齐是导致综合技术效率分化严重的主要原因.基于此,跨境电商上市企业应积极配合政策变化,加强营销能力,及时调整经营规模,以防范宏观经济风险,提高企业经营效率.     

Efficiency and total quality management in health care organizations: A dynamic frontier approach

This paper analyses hospital performance using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist productivity index. We follow two approaches to quantify movements in productivity: (1) the traditional approach that only considers output and input variables; and (2) a more comprehensive approach that incorporates movements in quality and restricts some achievements, if quality is reduced. On the premise that the indicator for quality (nosocomial infections) is equivalent to a bad output, we explore the characteristics of, and compare the results of, the different technological ways to incorporate quality (good or bad attributes, strong or weak disposability technological assumptions). After discussing the virtues and limitations of the existing possibilities, the paper presents a better formulation that allows the preservation of TQM postulates. The decomposition in the Malmquist productivity index shows an improvement in productivity and a positive technical change, especially when quality is introduced. This paper forms part of a more extensive research work, financed by the Spanish Science and Technology Ministry (ref. SEC2003-047707).     

Estimating technical and allocative efficiency in the public sector: A nonparametric analysis of Dutch schools

Public sector output provision is influenced not only by discretionary inputs but also by exogenous environmental factors. In this paper, we extended the literature by developing a conditional DEA estimator of allocative efficiency that allows a decomposition of overall cost efficiency into allocative and technical components while simultaneously controlling for the environment. We apply the model to analyze technical and allocative efficiency of Dutch secondary schools. The results reveal that allocative efficiency represents a significant 37 percent of overall cost efficiency on average, although technical inefficiency is still the dominant part. Furthermore, the results show that the impact of environment largely differs between schools and that having a more unfavorable environment is very expensive to schools. These results highlight the importance of including environmental variables in both technical and allocative efficiency analysis.     

Productivity change and innovation in Norwegian electricity distribution companies

Regulators of electricity distribution networks have typically applied Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to cross-section data for benchmarking purposes. However, the use of panel data to analyse the impact of regulatory policies on productivity change over time is less frequent. The main purpose of this paper is to construct a Malmquist productivity index to examine the recent productivity change experienced by Norwegian distribution companies between 2004 and 2007. The Malmquist index is decomposed in order to explore the sources of productivity change, and to identify the innovator companies that pushed the frontier forward each year. The input and output variables considered are those used by the Norwegian regulator. In order to reflect appropriately the exogenous conditions where the companies operate, the efficiency model used in this paper incorporates geography variables as outputs of the DEA model. Unlike the model used by the regulator, we included virtual weight restrictions in the DEA formulation to correct the biases in the DEA results that may be associated to a judicious choice of weights by some of the companies.     

Productivity change in the water industry in England and Wales: application of the meta-Malmquist index

This paper uses a meta-Malmquist index for measuring productivity change of the water industry in England and Wales and compares this to the traditional Malmquist index. The meta-Malmquist index computes productivity change with reference to a meta-frontier, it is computationally simpler and it is circular. The analysis covers all 22 UK water companies in existence in 2007, using data over the period 1993–2007. We focus on operating expenditure in line with assessments in this field, which treat operating and capital expenditure as lacking substitutability. We find important improvements in productivity between 1993 and 2005, most of which were due to frontier shifts rather than catch up to the frontier by companies. After 2005, the productivity shows a declining trend. We further use the meta-Malmquist index to compare the productivities of companies at the same and at different points in time. This shows some interesting results relating to the productivity of each company relative to that of other companies over time, and also how the performance of each company relative to itself over 1993–2007 has evolved. The paper is grounded in the broad theory of methods for measuring productivity change, and more specifically on the use of circular Malmquist indices for that purpose. In this context, the contribution of the paper is methodological and applied. From the methodology perspective, the paper demonstrates the use of circular meta-Malmquist indices in a comparative context not only across companies but also within company across time. This type of within-company assessment using Malmquist indices has not been applied extensively and to the authors’ knowledge not to the UK water industry. From the application perspective, the paper throws light on the performance of UK water companies and assesses the potential impact of regulation on their performance. In this context, it updates the relevant literature using more recent data.