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A comparison of the technical efficiency of accounting firms among the US, China, and Taiwan under the framework of a stochastic metafrontier production function

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  • Bao-Guang Chang
  • Tai-Hsin Huang
  • Chun-Yi Kuo

Abstract

This study employs the newly developed stochastic metafrontier production function by Huang et al. (A new approach to estimating the metafrontier production function based on a stochastic frontier framework. Working paper, Vanderbilt University, National Cheng-chi University, Taiwan, 2012 ) to compare the technical efficiencies of accounting firms (AFs) among the US, China, and Taiwan, operating under different technologies. Although AFs play an important role in a nation’s capital market, the accounting industry has not attracted much attention to academic researchers. The main difference between the stochastic metafrontier function and the one proposed by Battese et al. (J Prod Anal 21:91–103, 2004 ) and O’Donnell et al. (Empir Econ 34:231–255, 2008 ) lies in the second step, where the stochastic frontier approach (SFA) is recommended instead of programming techniques. Taiwan’s AFs are found to have the highest average metafrontier technical efficiency (MTE) and AFs in the US have the highest technology gap ratio (TGR). Nonetheless, the average TGR and MTE values of American AFs are closer to those of Taiwan. The low performance of Chinese AFs may be attributed to government regulations and the lack of market competition. However, the programming technique suggests reverse results for AFs in Taiwan and the US and larger variances for TGR and MTE. Then these three countries’ AFs show decreasing returns to scale, indicating that mergers and acquisitions may not be advantageous for expanding their production scale. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Bao-Guang Chang & Tai-Hsin Huang & Chun-Yi Kuo, 2015. "A comparison of the technical efficiency of accounting firms among the US, China, and Taiwan under the framework of a stochastic metafrontier production function," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 337-349, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jproda:v:44:y:2015:i:3:p:337-349
    DOI: 10.1007/s11123-014-0397-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Khalid Maman Waziri, 2017. "Generalized Glass Ceilings in the United States – A Stochastic Metafrontier Approach," Working Papers halshs-01569834, HAL.
    5. Toba Stephen Olasehinde & Fangbin Qiao & Shiping Mao, 2023. "Impact of Improved Maize Varieties on Production Efficiency in Nigeria: Separating Technology from Managerial Gaps," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-14, March.
    6. John N. Ng’ombe, 2017. "Technical efficiency of smallholder maize production in Zambia: a stochastic meta-frontier approach," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(4), pages 347-365, October.
    7. Lizhan Cao & Zhongying Qi & Junxia Ren, 2017. "China’s Industrial Total-Factor Energy Productivity Growth at Sub-Industry Level: A Two-Step Stochastic Metafrontier Malmquist Index Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-22, August.
    8. Chi‐Chuan Lee & Tai‐Hsin Huang, 2019. "What Causes The Efficiency And The Technology Gap Under Different Ownership Structures In The Chinese Banking Industry?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(2), pages 332-348, April.
    9. Tai-Hsin Huang & Yi-Chun Lin & Kuo-Jui Huang & Yu-Wei Liao, 2022. "Comparing Cost Efficiency Between Financial and Non-financial Holding Banks and Insurers in Taiwan Under the Framework of Copula Methods and Metafrontier," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 29(4), pages 735-766, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Accounting firms; Technical efficiency; TGR; Stochastic metafrontier approach; M41; C51; D24;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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