Infrastructure Operation Efficiency and Influential Factors in Developing Countries: Evidence from China

Xiao Wei,Jianlong Li,Beiqi Zhang,Haicheng Xu

doi:10.3390/su11030655

Abstract

The development of sustainable infrastructure has been identified as one of the seventeen sustainable development goals by the United Nations. Keeping the operation of infrastructure sustainable in terms of economy becomes a major challenge in developing countries. The objective of this research is to evaluate the operation efficiency of the expressway and explore the key influential factors. This research took expressway mileage as the physical output and evaluated the operation efficiency of the expressway companies based on the super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model; additionally, we analyzed the influential factors on the basis of the fixed-effects regression model. The results showed the following: (1) The average value of operation efficiency of China’s expressway companies from 2007 to 2017 was 0.904. In general, the operation of expressways was efficient. However, the differences in operation efficiency among the eleven expressway companies were significant, and some companies were seriously inefficient. (2) The asset–liability ratio, the scale, and the structure of property rights in the companies were shown to be the main factors affecting the operation efficiency. These results indicate that the development of innovative financing modes and optimization of the scale of each company are the key directions for infrastructure reform, which could eventually narrow the differences in operation efficiency and allow the development of sustainable infrastructure.

Highlights

Building green, ecological, and sustainable development infrastructure has become a heavily researched topic worldwide
(2) The asset–liability ratio, the scale, and the structure of property rights in the companies were shown to be the main factors affecting the operation efficiency. These results indicate that the development of innovative financing modes and optimization of the scale of each company are the key directions for infrastructure reform, which could eventually narrow the differences in operation efficiency and allow the development of sustainable infrastructure
On the basis of operation efficiency calculated by the super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model, the influential factors can be analyzed using a regression model

Summary

Introduction

Ecological, and sustainable development infrastructure has become a heavily researched topic worldwide. The Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in 2015 and 2016 listed infrastructure as a key field of sustainable development for all countries. It is critical to keep the operation stage sustainable in terms of the economy. Sustainable operation of infrastructure can obtain a positive risk-adjusted return and provide quality, reliable services for society and promote high-quality economic development in the long run. Wang et al identified the emerging trends of the impacts of transportation infrastructure on sustainable development based on a scientometric review; they found that cost overrun and Sustainability 2019, 10, x performance of infrastructure have been the key issues in recent years [2]. Amnasnaargeetdal[.5s].taAtendsatrhaet palo.osrtagtoedvetrhnaatnpcoeoorfginofvrearsntraunccteuoref infvreassttmruecntut rheasinlvedesttomseenrtiohuasselceodntoomsiecriaonuds fiencoanocimalicfrangdilitfyiniannCcihalinfara[g6i]l.itQyiinneCt hali.narg[6u]e. dQtinhaetttahle

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion