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Economies of Scale and Scope in Australian Telecommunications

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  • Harry Bloch
  • Gary Madden
  • Scott Savage

Abstract

This paper employs a composite cost function to examine the cost structure of Australian telephone services. The composite cost model combines the log-quadratic input price structure of the translog model with a quadratic structure for multiple outputs. Quadratic output structures permit the measurement of economies of scale, economies of scope, and subadditivity without prejudging their presence. Model estimates, on Telstra system data from 1926 to 1991, show that the production of Australian telephone services exhibits economies of scope but no ray economies of scale.
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Suggested Citation

  • Harry Bloch & Gary Madden & Scott Savage, 2001. "Economies of Scale and Scope in Australian Telecommunications," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 18(2), pages 219-227, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:revind:v:18:y:2001:i:2:p:219-227
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1007839802268
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    Cited by:

    1. Kox, Henk L.M. & Leeuwen, George van & Wiel, Henry van der, 2010. "Competitive, but too small - productivity and entry-exit determinants in European business services," MPRA Paper 24389, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Hajargasht, Gholamreza & Coelli, Tim & Rao, D.S. Prasada, 2008. "A dual measure of economies of scope," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 185-188, August.
    3. Bottasso, Anna & Conti, Maurizio & Vannoni, Davide, 2019. "Scale and (quasi) scope economies in airport technology. An application to UK airports," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 150-164.
    4. Elisabetta Ottoz & Marina Di Giacomo, 2012. "Diversification strategies and scope economies: evidence from a sample of Italian regional bus transport providers," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(22), pages 2867-2880, August.
    5. Piacenza, Massimiliano & Vannoni, Davide, 2004. "Choosing among alternative cost function specifications: an application to Italian multi-utilities," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(3), pages 415-422, March.
    6. Byoung-Kuk Ju & Seung-Hoon Yoo & Chulwoo Baek, 2022. "Economies of Scale in City Gas Sector in Seoul, South Korea: Evidence from an Empirical Investigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, April.
    7. Giovanni Fraquelli & Massimiliano Piacenza & Davide Vannoni, 2004. "Scope and scale economies in multi-utilities: evidence from gas, water and electricity combinations," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(18), pages 2045-2057.
    8. Kox, Henk L.M. & Van Leeuwen, George & Van der Wiel, Henry, 2011. "Being numerous does not yield efficiency - Productivity and entry-exit determinants in European business services," MPRA Paper 106166, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Sep 2011.
    9. Kwon, Oh Sang & Yun, Won-Cheol, 2003. "Measuring economies of scope for cogeneration systems in Korea: a nonparametric approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 331-338, July.
    10. Chavas, Jean-Paul & Kim, Kwansoo, 2010. "Economies of diversification: A generalization and decomposition of economies of scope," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(2), pages 229-235, August.
    11. Mancuso, Paolo, 2012. "Regulation and efficiency in transition: The case of telecommunications in Italy," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 762-770.
    12. Takeshi Nishimura, 2015. "Optimal design of scoring auctions with multidimensional quality," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 19(2), pages 117-143, June.
    13. Bruno, Clementina & Manello, Alessandro, 2015. "Benchmarking and effects of reforms in the fixed telecommunications industry: A DDF approach," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 127-139.
    14. Alem, Habtamu1 & Lien, Gudbrand1 & Kumbhakar, Subal C1 & Hardaker, J. Brian, 2017. "Economies Of Scale And Scope In The Norwegian Agriculture," 2017 International Congress, August 28-September 1, 2017, Parma, Italy 260907, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Russell Pittman, 2003. "Vertical Restructuring (or Not) of the Infrastructure Sectors of Transition Economies," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 5-26, March.
    16. Kwansoo Kim & Donghwan An, 2015. "Nonparametric Evaluation of Economies of Scope in the Context of Technical Efficiency: The Case of Rice and Vegetable Farms in Korea," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 285-301, September.
    17. Russell Pittman, 2001. "Vertical Restructuring of the Infrastructure Sectors of Transition Economies," Industrial Organization 0111002, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Telecommunications; production; scale; scope; Australia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications

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