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Global and local scale characteristics in convex and nonconvex nonparametric technologies: A first empirical exploration

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  • Cesaroni, Giovanni
  • Kerstens, Kristiaan
  • Van de Woestyne, Ignace

Abstract

The purpose of this contribution is to empirically implement and supplement the proposals made by Podinovski (2004b) to explore the nature of both global and local returns to scale in nonconvex nonparametric technologies. In particular, we both propose a simplified method to compute the global returns to scale and employ some secondary data sets to investigate the frequency of the special case of global sub-constant returns to scale. Furthermore, when determining global returns to scale using both convex and nonconvex technologies, we verify how often the resulting information is concordant or conflicting. Finally, besides comparing the FDH and DEA evolution of ray-average productivity for some typical individual observations, we introduce in the literature two original methods for the determination of local returns to scale in nonconvex technologies.

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  • Cesaroni, Giovanni & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Van de Woestyne, Ignace, 2017. "Global and local scale characteristics in convex and nonconvex nonparametric technologies: A first empirical exploration," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 259(2), pages 576-586.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:259:y:2017:i:2:p:576-586
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2016.10.030
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    3. Yuan, Qianqian & Baležentis, Tomas & Shen, Zhiyang & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2021. "Economic and environmental performance of the belt and road countries under convex and nonconvex production technologies," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    4. Chen, Xiaoqing & Kerstens, Kristiaan & Tsionas, Mike, 2024. "Does productivity change at all in Swedish district courts? Empirical analysis focusing on horizontal mergers," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    5. Mehdiloo, Mahmood & Podinovski, Victor V., 2019. "Selective strong and weak disposability in efficiency analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 276(3), pages 1154-1169.
    6. Walter Briec & Kristiaan Kerstens & Ignace Van de Woestyne, 2022. "Nonconvexity in Production and Cost Functions: An Exploratory and Selective Review," Springer Books, in: Subhash C. Ray & Robert G. Chambers & Subal C. Kumbhakar (ed.), Handbook of Production Economics, chapter 18, pages 721-754, Springer.
    7. Delnava, Haleh & Khosravi, Ali & El Haj Assad, Mamdouh, 2023. "Metafrontier frameworks for estimating solar power efficiency in the United States using stochastic nonparametric envelopment of data (StoNED)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 195-204.
    8. Xiaoqing Chen & Kristiaan Kerstens & Qingyuan Zhu, 2021. "Exploring Horizontal Mergers in Swedish District Courts Using Convex and Nonconvex Technologies: Usefulness of a Conservative Approach," Working Papers 2021-EQM-05, IESEG School of Management.
    9. Xiao, Helu & Zhou, Zhongbao & Ren, Teng & Liu, Wenbin, 2022. "Estimation of portfolio efficiency in nonconvex settings: A free disposal hull estimator with non-increasing returns to scale," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    10. Cesaroni, Giovanni, 2020. "Technically and cost-efficient centralized allocations in data envelopment analysis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    11. Giovanni Cesaroni & Kristiaan Kerstens & Ignace Van de Woestyne, 2017. "Estimating scale economies in non-convex production models," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 68(11), pages 1442-1451, November.
    12. Podinovski, Victor V. & Bouzdine-Chameeva, Tatiana, 2019. "Cone extensions of polyhedral production technologies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 276(2), pages 736-743.

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