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Performance evaluation of e-commerce firms in China: Using three-stage data envelopment analysis and the Malmquist productivity index

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  • Sufang Zheng
  • Rabnawaz Khan

Abstract

As a new business form of international trade and electronic commerce, e-commerce has been a controversial topic that has attracted the attention of scholars and industry professionals. This study estimated the operating efficiency and total factor productivity (TFP) of listed e-commerce firms in China from 2015 to 2019. Three related methodologies were applied: data envelopment analysis (DEA), the Malmquist TFP index, and stochastic frontier analysis. The DEA analysis results showed that environmental variables exerted a substantial effect on technical efficiency. Most firms demonstrated effective technical efficiency after adjustment for input variables. Business-to-business firms had the highest operating efficiency, followed by business-to-consumer and production-to-consumer firms. Technical progress and scale were identified as two major factors affecting improvement in TFP. Hence, e-commerce firms should make full use of advanced technology and aim to achieve economies of scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Sufang Zheng & Rabnawaz Khan, 2021. "Performance evaluation of e-commerce firms in China: Using three-stage data envelopment analysis and the Malmquist productivity index," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(8), pages 1-26, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0255851
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255851
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