IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/edecon/v19y2011i5p487-499.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Differences in cost structure and the evaluation of efficiency: the case of German universities

Author

Listed:
  • Geraint Johnes
  • Astrid Schwarzenberger

Abstract

A multiproduct cost function is estimated for German higher education institutions using a panel of data from recent years. The use of panel data allows a random parameter stochastic frontier model to be estimated, and this delivers new insights on the extent to which differences in costs between institutions producing similar vectors of outputs may be due to different cost structures, on the one hand, and efficiency, on the other. The approach used here therefore resembles in some respects the non‐parametric methods of efficiency evaluation, since different loss functions attach to different universities. We report also on measures of average incremental cost of provision and on returns to scale and scope.

Suggested Citation

  • Geraint Johnes & Astrid Schwarzenberger, 2011. "Differences in cost structure and the evaluation of efficiency: the case of German universities," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(5), pages 487-499, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:19:y:2011:i:5:p:487-499
    DOI: 10.1080/09645291003726442
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/09645291003726442
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/09645291003726442?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Baumol, William J, 1982. "Contestable Markets: An Uprising in the Theory of Industry Structure," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 72(1), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Efthymios G. Tsionas, 2002. "Stochastic frontier models with random coefficients," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(2), pages 127-147.
    3. Susanne Warning, 2007. "The Economic Analysis of Universities," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4167.
    4. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    5. Greene, William, 2005. "Reconsidering heterogeneity in panel data estimators of the stochastic frontier model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 126(2), pages 269-303, June.
    6. Jondrow, James & Knox Lovell, C. A. & Materov, Ivan S. & Schmidt, Peter, 1982. "On the estimation of technical inefficiency in the stochastic frontier production function model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 233-238, August.
    7. Johnes, Geraint & Johnes, Jill, 2009. "Higher education institutions' costs and efficiency: Taking the decomposition a further step," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 107-113, February.
    8. Cohn, Elchanan & Rhine, Sherrie L W & Santos, Maria C, 1989. "Institutions of Higher Education as Multi-product Firms: Economies of Scale and Scope," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(2), pages 284-290, May.
    9. Geraint Johnes, 2004. "A Fourth Desideratum: The CES Cost Function and the Sustainable Configuration of Multiproduct Firms," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 329-332, October.
    10. Aigner, Dennis & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Peter, 1977. "Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 21-37, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lee, Boon L. & Worthington, Andrew C., 2016. "A network DEA quantity and quality-orientated production model: An application to Australian university research services," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 26-33.
    2. Kristof De Witte & Laura López-Torres, 2017. "Efficiency in education: a review of literature and a way forward," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 68(4), pages 339-363, April.
    3. Laureti, Tiziana & Secondi, Luca & Biggeri, Luigi, 2014. "Measuring the efficiency of teaching activities in Italian universities: An information theoretic approach," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 147-164.
    4. Gralka, Sabine & Wohlrabe, Klaus & Bornmann, Lutz, 2017. "The Completion Shift of German Universities of Applied Sciences," MPRA Paper 82794, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Wohlrabe, Klaus & Bornmann, Lutz & de Moya Anegon, Felix, 2017. "Wie effizient sind Universitäten in Deutschland, deren Zukunftskonzepte im Rahmen der Exzellenzinitiative ausgezeichnet wurden? Ein empirischer Vergleich von Input- und Output-Daten zur Forschung [," MPRA Paper 76218, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Johnes, Jill, 2015. "Operational Research in education," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 243(3), pages 683-696.
    7. Gralka, Sabine, 2018. "Stochastic frontier analysis in higher education: A systematic review," CEPIE Working Papers 05/18, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    8. Klaus Wohlrabe & Lutz Bornmann & Sabine Gralka & Felix de Moya Anegon, 2018. "Wie effizient forschen Universitäten in Deutschland, deren Zukunftskonzepte im Rahmen der Exzellenzinitiative ausgezeichnet wurden?," ifo Working Paper Series 253, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    9. Tommaso Agasisti & Sabine Gralka, 2019. "The transient and persistent efficiency of Italian and German universities: a stochastic frontier analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(46), pages 5012-5030, October.
    10. Sabine Gralka, 2018. "Persistent inefficiency in the higher education sector: evidence from Germany," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 373-392, July.
    11. Mehdi Rhaiem, 2017. "Measurement and determinants of academic research efficiency: a systematic review of the evidence," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(2), pages 581-615, February.
    12. Lutz Bornmann & Klaus Wohlrabe & Sabine Gralka, 2019. "The graduation shift of German universities of applied sciences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, January.
    13. Marvin A. Titus & Adriana Vamosiu & Kevin R. McClure, 2017. "Are Public Master’s Institutions Cost Efficient? A Stochastic Frontier and Spatial Analysis," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 58(5), pages 469-496, August.
    14. Klaus Wohlrabe & Sabine Gralka & Lutz Bornmann, 2019. "Zur Effizienz deutscher Universitäten und deren Entwicklung zwischen 2004 und 2015," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 72(21), pages 15-21, November.
    15. Liang-Cheng Zhang & Andrew C. Worthington, 2018. "Explaining Estimated Economies of Scale and Scope in Higher Education: A Meta-Regression Analysis," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(2), pages 156-173, March.
    16. Vanesa D’Elia & Gustavo Ferro, 2019. "Empirical Efficiency Measurement in Higher Education: An Overview," CEMA Working Papers: Serie Documentos de Trabajo. 708, Universidad del CEMA.
    17. Manuel Salas‐Velasco, 2020. "Assessing the performance of Spanish secondary education institutions: Distinguishing between transient and persistent inefficiency, separated from heterogeneity," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 88(4), pages 531-555, July.
    18. Sabine Gralka & Klaus Wohlrabe & Lutz Bornmann, 2018. "How to Measure Research Efficiency in Higher Education? Research Grants vs. Publication Output," CESifo Working Paper Series 7055, CESifo.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:lan:wpaper:4358 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. T Agasisti & G Johnes, 2009. "Cost Structure, Efficiency and Heterogeneity in US Higher Education: An Empirical Analysis," Working Papers 599308, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    3. repec:lan:wpaper:4487 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:lan:wpaper:4792 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Gralka, Sabine, 2018. "Stochastic frontier analysis in higher education: A systematic review," CEPIE Working Papers 05/18, Technische Universität Dresden, Center of Public and International Economics (CEPIE).
    6. Johnes, Geraint & Johnes, Jill, 2009. "Higher education institutions' costs and efficiency: Taking the decomposition a further step," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 107-113, February.
    7. Geraint Johnes & Ana S. Camanho & Maria S. Portela, 2008. "Assessing Efficiency Of Portuguese Universities Through Parametric And Non-Parametric Methods," Portuguese Journal of Management Studies, ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, vol. 0(1), pages 39-66.
    8. repec:lan:wpaper:1120 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. repec:lan:wpaper:1057 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Johnes, Geraint & Johnes, Jill & Virmani, Swati, 2022. "Performance and efficiency in Indian universities," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Sabine Gralka, 2018. "Persistent inefficiency in the higher education sector: evidence from Germany," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 373-392, July.
    12. Geraint Johnes, 2015. "Evaluating the efficiency of public services," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 196-196, October.
    13. Marvin A. Titus & Adriana Vamosiu & Shannon Hayes Buenaflor & Casey Maliszewski Lukszo, 2021. "Persistent Cost Efficiency at Public Community Colleges in the US: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(8), pages 1168-1197, December.
    14. G. Johnes, 1997. "Costs in UK Higher Education: A System-Wide Perspective," CERT Discussion Papers 9707, Centre for Economic Reform and Transformation, Heriot Watt University.
    15. Kristof De Witte & Laura López-Torres, 2017. "Efficiency in education: a review of literature and a way forward," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 68(4), pages 339-363, April.
    16. Agasisti, Tommaso & Barra, Cristian & Zotti, Roberto, 2016. "Evaluating the efficiency of Italian public universities (2008–2011) in presence of (unobserved) heterogeneity," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 47-58.
    17. Antti Saastamoinen, 2015. "Heteroscedasticity Or Production Risk? A Synthetic View," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 459-478, July.
    18. Kuosmanen, Timo & Saastamoinen, Antti & Sipiläinen, Timo, 2013. "What is the best practice for benchmark regulation of electricity distribution? Comparison of DEA, SFA and StoNED methods," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 740-750.
    19. Li, Hong-Zhou & Kopsakangas-Savolainen, Maria & Xiao, Xing-Zhi & Tian, Zhen-Zhen & Yang, Xiao-Yuan & Wang, Jian-Lin, 2016. "Cost efficiency of electric grid utilities in China: A comparison of estimates from SFA–MLE, SFA–Bayes and StoNED–CNLS," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 272-283.
    20. repec:lan:wpaper:4471 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Barros, Carlos Pestana & Williams, Jonathan, 2013. "The random parameters stochastic frontier cost function and the effectiveness of public policy: Evidence from bank restructuring in Mexico," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 98-108.
    22. Badunenko, Oleg & Galeotti, Marzio & Hunt, Lester C., 2021. "Better to grow or better to improve? Measuring environmental efficiency in OECD countries with a Stochastic Environmental Kuznets Frontier," FEEM Working Papers 316226, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    23. Bill Greene with Antonio Alvarez (Univ. of Oviedo) & Carlos Arias (Univ. of Leon), 2004. "Accounting For Unobservables In Production Models: Management And Inefficiency," Econometric Society 2004 Australasian Meetings 341, Econometric Society.
    24. Subal Kumbhakar & Efthymios Tsionas, 2008. "Scale and efficiency measurement using a semiparametric stochastic frontier model: evidence from the U.S. commercial banks," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 585-602, June.
    25. Tommaso Agasisti & Giuseppe Munda, 2017. "Efficiency of investment in compulsory education: An Overview of Methodological Approaches," JRC Research Reports JRC106681, Joint Research Centre.
    26. Shukhrat Kholmuminov & Robert E Wright, 2017. "Cost efficiency analysis of public higher education institutions in Uzbekistan," Working Papers 1704, University of Strathclyde Business School, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:19:y:2011:i:5:p:487-499. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CEDE20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.