IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cee/wpcepe/07-59.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Economies of Scale and Scope in the Swiss Multi-Utilities Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Mehdi Farsi

    (Center for Energy Policy and Economics CEPE, Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Aurelio Fetz

    (Center for Energy Policy and Economics CEPE, Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Massimo Filippini

    (Center for Energy Policy and Economics CEPE, Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

This paper explores the economies of scale and scope in the electricity, gas and water utilities. These issues have a crucial importance in the actual policy debates about unbundling the integrated utilities into separate entities, a policy which has often been supported by the ongoing reforms in the deregulation of network industries. This paper argues that the potential improvements in efficiency through unbundling should be assessed against the loss of scope economies. Several econometric specifications including a random-coefficient model have been used to estimate a cost function for a sample of utilities distributing electricity, gas and/or water to the Swiss population. The estimates of scale and scope economies have been compared across different models and the effect of heterogeneity among companies have been explored. While indicating considerable scope and scale economies overall, the results suggest a significant variation in scope economies across companies due to unobserved heterogeneity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehdi Farsi & Aurelio Fetz & Massimo Filippini, 2007. "Economies of Scale and Scope in the Swiss Multi-Utilities Sector," CEPE Working paper series 07-59, CEPE Center for Energy Policy and Economics, ETH Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:cee:wpcepe:07-59
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.cepe.ethz.ch/publications/workingPapers/CEPE_WP59
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pulley, Lawrence B & Humphrey, David B, 1993. "The Role of Fixed Costs and Cost Complementarities in Determining Scope Economies and the Cost of Narrow Banking Proposals," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(3), pages 437-462, July.
    2. Pulley, Lawrence B & Braunstein, Yale M, 1992. "A Composite Cost Function for Multiproduct Firms with an Application to Economies of Scope in Banking," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(2), pages 221-230, May.
    3. E. Martínez-Budría & S. Jara-Díaz & F. Ramos-Real, 2003. "Adapting Productivity Theory to the Quadratic Cost Function. An Application to the Spanish Electric Sector," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 213-229, September.
    4. Beatriz Tovar & Sergio Jara-Díaz & Lourdes Trujillo, 2007. "Econometric estimation of scale and scope economies within the Port Sector: a review," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 203-223, June.
    5. Cameron,A. Colin & Trivedi,Pravin K., 2005. "Microeconometrics," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521848053.
    6. Chamberlain, Gary, 1982. "Multivariate regression models for panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 5-46, January.
    7. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Tretheway, Michael W, 1980. "Flexible Cost Functions for Multiproduct Firms," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 62(3), pages 477-481, August.
    8. Panzar, John C., 1989. "Technological determinants of firm and industry structure," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: R. Schmalensee & R. Willig (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 1, pages 3-59, Elsevier.
    9. Allen M. Featherstone & Charles B. Moss, 1994. "Measuring Economies of Scale and Scope in Agricultural Banking," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(3), pages 655-661.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Reto Foellmi & Urs Meister, 2005. "Product-Market Competition in the Water Industry: Voluntary Non-discriminatory Pricing," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 115-135, June.
    13. A. Yatchew, 2000. "Scale economies in electricity distribution: a semiparametric analysis," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(2), pages 187-210.
    14. Mehdi Farsi & Aurelio Fetz & Massimo Filippini, 2007. "Economies of Scale and Scope in Local Public Transportation," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 41(3), pages 345-361, September.
    15. Sing, Merrile, 1987. "Are Combination Gas and Electric Utilities Multiproduct Natural Monopolies?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 69(3), pages 392-398, August.
    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. Carvalho, Pedro & Marques, Rui Cunha & Berg, Sanford, 2012. "A meta-regression analysis of benchmarking studies on water utilities market structure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 40-49.
    2. Eva Lieberherr & Lea Fuenfschilling, 2016. "Neoliberalism and sustainable urban water sectors: A critical reflection of sector characteristics and empirical evidence," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(8), pages 1540-1555, December.
    3. 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.
    4. Luis Ferney Moreno Castillo & Luis Bustos, 2020. "Las Asociaciones Público Privadas (APP) en el Sector Minero-Energético: Experiencia Nacional e Internacional," Books, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Derecho, number 1260, October.
    5. Fetz, Aurelio & Filippini, Massimo, 2010. "Economies of vertical integration in the Swiss electricity sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1325-1330, November.
    6. Zakaria, Muhammad & Noureen, Rabia, 2016. "Benchmarking and regulation of power distribution companies in Pakistan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1095-1099.
    7. Nisar, Arsalan & Ruiz, Felipe & Palacios, Miguel, 2013. "Organisational learning, strategic rigidity and technology adoption: Implications for electric utilities and renewable energy firms," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 438-445.
    8. Bottasso, Anna & Conti, Maurizio & Piacenz, Massimiliano & Vannoni, Davide, 2011. "The appropriateness of the poolability assumption for multiproduct technologies: Evidence from the English water and sewerage utilities," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 112-117, March.
    9. 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.

    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. Fetz, Aurelio & Filippini, Massimo, 2010. "Economies of vertical integration in the Swiss electricity sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1325-1330, November.
    2. Massimo Filippini & Martin Koller & Urs Trinkner, 2010. "Do opening hours and unobserved heterogeneity affect economies of scale and scope in postal outlets?," Quaderni della facoltà di Scienze economiche dell'Università di Lugano 1007, USI Università della Svizzera italiana.
    3. Farsi, Mehdi & Filippini, Massimo, 2009. "An analysis of cost efficiency in Swiss multi-utilities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 306-315, March.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Ogunyinka, Ebenezer & Featherstone, Allen M., 2003. "On The Choice Of Functional Forms In The Measurement Of Scale And Scope Economies: Generalized Box-Cox And Composite Cost Functions," 2003 Annual Meeting, February 1-5, 2003, Mobile, Alabama 35057, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    7. Graziano Abrate & Fabrizio Erbetta & Giovanni Fraquelli & Davide Vannoni, 2014. "Cost function estimation of multi-service firms. Evidence from the passenger transport industry," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 380, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    8. Gugler, Klaus & Liebensteiner, Mario & Schmitt, Stephan, 2017. "Vertical disintegration in the European electricity sector: Empirical evidence on lost synergies," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 450-478.
    9. Abrate, Graziano & Erbetta, Fabrizio & Fraquelli, Giovanni & Vannoni, Davide, 2016. "Bet big on doubles, bet smaller on triples. Exploring scope economies in multi-service passenger transport companies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 81-88.
    10. Bottasso, Anna & Conti, Maurizio & Piacenz, Massimiliano & Vannoni, Davide, 2011. "The appropriateness of the poolability assumption for multiproduct technologies: Evidence from the English water and sewerage utilities," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 112-117, March.
    11. Thomas P. Triebs & David S. Saal & Pablo Arocena & Subal C. Kumbhakar, 2016. "Estimating economies of scale and scope with flexible technology," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 173-186, April.
    12. Mydland, Ørjan & Kumbhakar, Subal C. & Lien, Gudbrand & Amundsveen, Roar & Kvile, Hilde Marit, 2020. "Economies of scope and scale in the Norwegian electricity industry," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 39-46.
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Massimiliano Piacenza & Davide Vannoni, 2009. "Vertical And Horizontal Economies In The Electric Utility Industry: An Integrated Approach," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 80(3), pages 431-450, September.
    16. Sergio Jara-Díaz & Francisco Ramos-Real, 2011. "The effect of output specification on the optimal policy design for electric utilities," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 62-81, August.
    17. Harimaya, Kozo, 2008. "Impact of nontraditional activities on scale and scope economies: A case study of Japanese regional banks," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 175-193, March.
    18. J. David Cummins & Mary A. Weiss, 1998. "Analyzing Firm Performance in the Insurance Industry Using Frontier Efficiency Methods," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 98-22, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania.
    19. Karolis Andriuškevičius & Dalia Štreimikienė, 2021. "Developments and Trends of Mergers and Acquisitions in the Energy Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-14, April.
    20. Giovanni Fraquelli & Massimiliano Piacenza & Davide Vannoni, 2005. "Cost Savings From Generation and Distribution with an Application to Italian Electric Utilities," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 289-308, November.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L95 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Gas Utilities; Pipelines; Water Utilities

    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:cee:wpcepe:07-59. 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: Carlos Ordas (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepetch.html .

    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.