Causes Of Inefficiency Research Articles

The influence of the technological regime on the performance of Italian innovative start-ups

ABSTRACT Entrepreneurship scholars interested in the performance of innovative start-ups mainly focus on the internal factors related to innovation processes. In the present paper, the research perspective used to study the performance of innovative start-ups is broadened by also considering the influence of the context – more specifically, the technological regime, defined as the state of the art of the technological environment resulting from technological changes/upgrades. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate if and to what extent the technological regime can affect the performance of innovative start-ups. Statistical elaborations for about 11,760 Italian innovative start-ups (data are retrieved from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development website and are current up to January 2021) are carried out through the estimation of a stochastic frontier analysis: a parametric model. This methodology identifies the causes of inefficiency and disentangles random from technical inefficiency of the model. The results reveal that the technological regime affects performance but, unexpectedly, does not boost the impact of internal factors (related to innovation processes) on performance. The main conclusion is that internal innovation-related factors and the technological regime do not benefit each other when innovation processes are managed in innovative start-ups.

Benchmarking of academic departments using data envelopment analysis (DEA)

PurposeThe main objective of the paper is to develop an investment model using data envelopment analysis (DEA) that provides a decision-making framework to allocate resources efficiently, such that the relative efficiency is improved within an available investment budget.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, DEA models are used to evaluate the efficiency of the departments relative to their peers and providing benchmarks for the less efficient departments. Secondly, the inefficiencies in departments are identified. Finally, for the less efficient departments, a decision-support system is introduced for optimizing resource allocation to improve efficiency.FindingsFive of the 18 academic departments were determined to be inefficient, and benchmark departments were found for those departments. The most prevalent causes for inefficiency were the number of undergraduate students per faculty and the number of graduate students. Results from the investment model for department 12 suggest increasing the number of faculty by 2 units and H-Index by 0.5 units, thereby, improving the relative efficiency of the department by 6.8% (88%–94%), using $290,000 out of $500,000 investment budget provided.Originality/valueWhen an investment budget is available, no study has used DEA to develop a decision-support framework for resource allocation in academic departments to maximize relative efficiency.

Starch adsorption on hematite surfaces: Evidence of the adsorption mechanism dependence on the surface orientation

In this study, the adsorption mechanism of amylopectin molecules on the hematite (112¯0), (11¯00) and (0001) single-crystal surfaces were investigated by surface-sensitive techniques. Our results show evidence of preferential adsorption on the hematite surface planes in the order of (112¯0) > (11¯00) > (0001). Based on these findings, we propose that distinct singly and triply coordinated oxygen atoms on the surface react in pairs by a multisite complexation mechanism to promote the attachment of amylopectin molecules. These results demonstrate the pivotal role of the exposed hematite surface structure–reactivity relationship in starch adsorption and the possible causes of inefficiencies in industrial flotation processes, as well as biomedical and environmentally friendly technologies based on hematite nanoparticles.

A rail-road transshipment yard picture

We develop a methodology for measuring the expected operational performance of the transshipment yard of a rail-road terminal. This includes the derivation of closed-form expressions for quantifying the expected crane cycle time and its variance under completely randomized operations of gantry cranes within its dedicated region. We also provide a method to measure the expected truck waiting times under cranes considering priority rules for truck service. An analysis of the performance measures shows the causes of inefficiencies and congestion sources. Our results show that non-synchronized operations have a notorious impact on transshipment yard performance, handling capacity and congestion.

Entropy generation analysis in supercapacitor modules based on a three-dimensional coupled thermal model

Efficient and sustainable thermal management systems are crucial to ensure thermal stability and a long lifespan of supercapacitors. In this work, an entropy generation analysis based on an improved coupled model is implemented for the first time, with the aim to facilitate the design and optimization of the supercapacitor thermal management systems. Entropy generation analysis accurately quantifies the irreversibilities due to heat transfer and fluid friction of the supercapacitor module, allowing for direct identification of the causes of inefficiency that cannot be achieved by the conventional energy analysis. The improved coupled model incorporates a one-dimensional electrochemical model and three-dimensional thermal models at cell and module levels. The optimal thermal management scheme of the supercapacitor module is obtained by the multiparametric optimization based on four evaluation criteria derived from the coupled energy and entropy generation analyses. Results indicate that the supercapacitor module with lower entropy generation and higher heat transfer rate can be achieved with the geometry of transverse pitch equal to longitudinal pitch twice the diameter with the 293.15 K cooling water. This work provides the advanced fundamental and computational frameworks for the development of next-generation, energy-smart thermal management systems for clean and renewable energy conversion and storage modules.

Evaluating the Impact of (WASH) Program on Education in the New Juaben North Municipal of Ghana: Evidence from SDA College Demonstration Basic Schools

The study assessed the causes of inefficiencies in the WASH programme at the Demonstration Basic Schools in the New Juaben North Municipal Assembly; examined the effects of the inefficiencies on the learners at the schools, and suggested appropriate strategies to improve the WASH programme. The researcher employed a qualitative approach to achieve these objectives. The population included headteachers, teachers and learners for the study. The study used purposive sampling technique to select 8 participants. This comprised three head teachers, two teachers and three learners from the school. The findings of the study showed that challenges that confront the WASH programme at the schools were inadequate water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene systems, lack of adequate handwashing points, unclean and not properly maintained toilets, lack of quality toilet facilities, lack of menstrual hygiene management (MHM), inadequate sanitary materials, and unhygienic toilet conditions. It is recommended that the government and authorities should improve the WASH system in the school. Moreover, adequate WASH facilities should be provided considering the various guidelines for WASH to ensure that facilities are adequate, sufficient, accessible, and safe for use by learners. Also, the Ghana Education Service should infuse sanitation education into the new or existing curriculum.

Heterogeneity, Transient and Persistent Production Efficiencies of Major Crops in Southern Ethiopia

Agricultural productivity is a cornerstone for the economy of Ethiopia to ensure rural transformation. However, the increment of productivity of crops has slow progress. Hence, this study undertook to separate farm heterogeneity, short-run and long-run inefficiencies of productivity in southern Ethiopia. The study used the models of decomposing technical efficiency through various techniques like 4-random error components of stochastic frontier panel data models to distinguish between time-invariant farm-heterogeneity, persistence, and short-run inefficiencies. Thus, models used for the analysis have shown different estimates of overall efficiency levels. Fixed-effect and Kumbhakar-Heshmati models did not separate unobserved persistent efficiency from farm-heterogeneity efficiency. The estimated efficiency by the Kumbhakar-Lien-Hardaker model (0.4449) is significantly higher than the mean of the fixed-effect model with much lower variations. Mean transient efficiencies gleaned from true-fixed-effect, consistent true-fixed-effect, and Kumbhakar-Lien-Hardaker models become nearly equal except, the Kumbhakar-Heshmati model indicated that farmers faced severe persistent productivity inefficiency problems. Average technical change in 2011/12 was 20.67% and declined much more to 9.44% and 5.82% in 2013/14 and 2015/16, sequentially. According to the estimation of overall technical efficiency, it is possible to capture about 39% to 99% of the untapped production in the crop subsector of Southern Ethiopia. Therefore, there was a decline in the growth rate of fertilizer used and land size covered by considered crops in the area. Land covered was declined by 3.06% for the considered crops from 2013/14 to 2015/16 production period. In the mean summary of technical efficiency at the zonal level, the aggregate persistent efficiency is lower than the transient one for all the zones. It confirmed that inefficiency varies from zone to zone between zones and household to household within the zone during the survey years. Thus, the policymaker should pinpoint the causes of inefficiencies separated in the time factors to improve the productivity of considered crops in the study area. A policy point that treats the persistent, transient, and farm-specific inefficiency enhancing conditions has to be set separately in each zona of Southern Ethiopia. Moreover, the greater focus of the policy is to alleviate the persistent inefficiency increasing factors in the study area.

Терапия хронической герпесвирусной инфекции у часто болеющих детей. Возможные причины неэффективности

Background: therapy for frequently ill children (FIC) with chronic herpesvirus infection includes antivirals and immunomodulators as these patients are considered immunocompromised. According to our data based on the prevalence of diseases and the viral replication activity, therapy may fail in 22% of cases. Aim: to identify a spectrum of rare genetic variants associated with primary immunodeficiency (PID) detected in FIC with stable, active persistence of herpesvirus infections that were resistant to repeat courses of antiviral and immunotropic therapy Patients and Methods: DNA samples of 33 frequently ill children with chronic herpesvirus infection who did not respond to therapy were analyzed using targeted high-throughput multigene sequencing to identify mutations in PID-associated genes. Results: pathogenic variants matching the potential diagnosis of PID were identified in two (6.1%) children. Rare genetic variants associated with the development of autoinflammatory diseases were found in 54.5% of cases. The p.Gln705Lys NLRP3 gene variant was the most common finding — it was detected in 5 (15.2%) children. Rare variants of the MEFV gene (MEFV p.Thr767Ile and MEFV p.Lys695Arg) were found in three (9.2%) children. In seven (21.2%) children rare variants of the NOD2 gene were identified, in four of them (12.2%) it was NOD2 p.Leu1007fs. Conclusions: the inefficiency of therapy in frequently ill children with chronic herpesvirus infection could be associated with characteristics of the innate immune system. Such children should be referred to immunology consultant and undergo molecular genetic testing. The detection of rare genetic variants associated with autoinflammatory diseases in more than half of the patients indicates that frequent (occurring every month) diseases with fever may mimic hidden or sometimes typical autoinflammatory diseases, despite the detection of the markers of viral and bacterial agents in a child KEYWORDS: frequently ill children, chronic herpesvirus infection, rare genetic variants, primary immunodeficiency. FOR CITATION: Levina A.S., Babachenko I.V., Skripchenko N.V. et al. Therapy of chronic herpesvirus infection in frequently ill children. Possible causes of inefficiency. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2022;5(4):332–339 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430- 2022-5-4-332-339.

Efficiency evaluation of the pension funds: Evidence from India

The purpose of this article is to investigate the technical efficiency of Indian pension funds using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and to assess the reasons of inefficiency if any. This article analyzes the efficiency performance of all the pension funds available to Indian subscribers from the year 2015–2019 using radial measurers (BCC) of DEA based on secondary data collected from the annual reports of New Pension System Trust. Findings indicate that the average efficiency of Indian pension funds was 75.38% and this sector experienced overall stability in the average efficiency levels during the study period. Almost 40% of the pension funds operated efficiently in one or more years during the study period. The minimum slack was found in the input “expense ratio.” This confirms that risk associated with investments is the cause of inefficiency and not the expense ratio in the Indian pension sector. Tobit regression is applied to explore the main drivers of efficiency in the India pension funds. The study finds that fund size has positive association with the efficiency of the pension funds. Public sector funds were more efficient than the private sector funds. This study is first of its kind that has assessed the efficiency of Indian pension funds. The study brings into light the operating characteristics and efficiencies of the Indian pension funds for the period 2015–2019 and therefore holds important insights for policy makers, practitioners, and decision‐makers.

Economic efficiency versus social equity: The productivity challenge for rice production in a ‘greying’ rural Vietnam

Increasing agricultural productivity is often deemed necessary to enhance rural income and ultimately narrow the urban–rural disparity in transitional economies. However, the objectives of social equity and economic efficiency can contradict each other, especially in the context of fierce competition for resources between agriculture and non-agricultural sectors and given the inherently and largely redundant and unskilled aging rural population that often occurs during the economic transition to a market economy. We investigate the case of Vietnam during its high growth period (2000–2016), over which the country introduced policies to increase efficiency in rice production and income for farmers. Contrary to expectations, we find a substantial fall in the terms of trade for rice, indicating a regression in farm income. This fall in the terms of trade did not enhance technical change, as seen in other countries, and only marginally improved technical efficiency in most regions. The reason stems from Vietnam’s limited investment in scientific research and development and policies that restrict farmers’ decision-making power in production, among others. We further examine the causes of inefficiency using data from two household surveys in 2004 and 2014 (with plot-level information) and semi-structured interviews with farmers in 2016–2017. The high ratio of aging farmworkers who are unable to find alternative employment during the transition emerges as an essential impediment to increases in rice productivity, in addition to previously documented land-use-related issues. This demographic feature, along with government equity-targeting measures, hinders the farm amalgamation progress, further limiting efforts to enhance efficiency. Thus, the goals of economic efficiency and social equity do indeed appear to be contradictory features of Vietnam’s rice policies, posing a significant development challenge for the country’s current and likely future progress.

Cassava Production Efficiency in Southern Ethiopia: The Parametric Model Analysis

Due to capital constraints and land scarcity in developing countries, introducing new technology to boost productivity is difficult. As a result, working to improve cassava production efficiency is the best option available. Cassava is increasingly being used as a food source as well as an industrial raw material in the production of economic goods. This study estimates cassava production efficiency and investigates the causes of inefficiency in southern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data from 158 households were collected using a systematic questionnaire. The Cobb-Douglas (CDs) stochastic frontier production model was used to calculate production efficiency levels. The computed mean result showed technical efficiency (TE), allocative efficiency (AE), and economic efficiency (EE) levels of 74, 90, and 66%, respectively. This demonstrated that existing farm resources could increase average production efficiency by 26, 10, and 34%, respectively. The study found that land size, urea fertilizer application, and cassava planting cut all had a positive and significant effect on cassava production. It was discovered that TE was more important than AE as a source of benefit for EE. Inefficiency effects modeled using the two-limit Tobit model revealed that household head age, level of education, cassava variety, extension contact, rural credit, off-farm activities involvement to generate income, and farm size were the most important factors for improving TE, AE, and EE efficiencies. As a result, policymakers in government should consider these factors when addressing inefficiencies in cassava production. It is especially important to provide appropriate agricultural knowledge through short-term training, to provide farmers with access to formal education, to access improved cassava varieties, and to support agricultural extension services.

Understanding the performance of county health service delivery in Kenya: a mixed-method analysis.

To better understand the wide variation of performance among county health systems in Kenya, this study investigated their performance determinants. We selected five counties with varied performance and examined their performance across five domains containing 10 thematic areas. We conducted a stakeholder analysis, consisting of focus group discussions and key informant interviews, and administered a quantitative survey to quantify the magnitude of inefficiency. The study found that a shortage of funding was one of the most common complaints from counties, leading to inefficiency in the health system. Another major reason for inefficiencies was the delay in disbursing funding to health facilities, which affected the procurement of medical supplies and commodities essential for delivering healthcare to the population. In addition, lack of autonomy in procuring commodities and equipment was repeatedly mentioned as a barrier to delivering quality health services. Other reported common concerns contributing to the performance of county health systems were the lack of lab tests and equipment, low willingness to join health insurance, rigid procurement policies and lengthy procurement process, lack of motivation and incentives for service delivery, and poor economic status. Despite the common concerns among the five counties, they differed in some schematic areas, such as the county’s commitment to health and community mobilization. In summary, this study suggests various factors that determine county health system performance. Given the multifaceted nature of inefficiency drivers, it is necessary to adopt a holistic approach to address the causes of inefficiencies and improve the county health systems

Industrial SO2 technical efficiency, reduction potential and technology heterogeneities of China's prefecture-level cities: A multi-hierarchy meta-frontier parametric approach

Excessive emission of industrial SO2 has seriously restricted the sustainable development in China. Therefore, in this paper, considering the heterogeneities of resources endowments, and regional development levels, a multi-hierarchy meta-frontier parametric approach was proposed to evaluate the industrial SO2 technical efficiency (STE) of China's cities from the year of 2003 to 2016, which was further divided into structural, technical and management efficiency. Moreover, the statistical noises in linear programming parameters were taken into account by following the bootstrap approach. Furthermore, the “resource curse” and “regional development imbalance” in China were discussed, and the industrial SO2 reduction potential was estimated according to the sources of inefficiency. The conclusions are drawn as follows: (1) The STE values in most of the cities of China have greatly improved and the cities with efficiency improved more than twice were mainly located in central and western China. Meanwhile, the average STE in the mainland China showed an upward trend, from 0.43 in 2003 to 0.81 in 2016. (2) The average STE and structural efficiency in non-resource cities were greater than those of resource-based cities, which reflected significant production technology heterogeneity between both types of cities. (3) Irrespective of both types of cities, the industrial production technology showed distinct spatial gradient characteristics. Meanwhile, due to the relatively high management efficiency, the industrial input of resources in eastern cities could be more rationally allocated. (4) By optimizing industrial structure, narrowing the technical gaps, and promoting market-oriented reforms and strengthening environmental regulations, China's industry SO2 emissions could have been reduced by about 1800 kt. And the specific SO2 emissions reduction strategies and pathways for the non-resource and resource-based cities were proposed according to the causes of inefficiency.

Evaluating the Service Operating Efficiency and Its Determinants in Global Consulting Firms: A Metafrontier Analysis

Knowledge consulting services are one of the fastest growing fields in the knowledge service industry since the 2010s and have been emerging as a core area of the knowledge economy. Accordingly, consulting services are actively sought and provided in various fields, including business strategy and management, accounting, and ICT, and global consulting firms have experienced rapid growth. However, previous research evaluating the performance or service quality of knowledge consulting services is relatively scarce. In particular, there are barely any studies that apply the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to measure the relative operating efficiencies of consulting firms in the global consulting service field. This study measured the operating efficiency of 27 global consulting firms using DEA. As global consulting firms are managed differently depending on the characteristics of the country in which they operate, the 27 global consulting firms were classified into three groups by region (USA, Europe, Asia) to measure their meta-efficiency (ME), group efficiency (GE), and technology gap ratio (TGR) and identify the causes of inefficiency at global consulting firms. The contextual variables within consulting firms that affect efficiency were analyzed using Tobit regression. Based on the analysis results, this study suggests strategies for enhancing the operating efficiency and realizing sustainable growth in global consulting firms.

Efficiency of Public R&D Management Agency and Its Improvement toward Open Innovation

R&D management agencies have been taking on key roles in the national R&D ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to suggest ways to improve the role of R&D management agencies for R&D planning and evaluation. It analyzed the regulatory system and relative efficiency of the current use of planning and evaluation cost. Data-collection sources included documents, surveys, and interviews with staff members in agencies responsible for national R&D management. By using DEA models, relative efficiency was measured. Based on the analysis results, we present suggestions for improvement in three areas: (a) establishment of institutional basis; (b) improvement of budget process; (c) improvement measures depending on the causes of inefficiency. Finally, future directions and the limits of this study are discussed.

Effects of Spatial Boreal Forest Harvesting Practices on Efficiency through a Benchmarking Approach in Eastern Canada

In eastern Canada, harvesting practices and spatial organization of harvested sites are modulated according to ecosystem forest management objectives. We determined how spatial organization affects efficiency by evaluating wood procurement costs. A comparative analysis of efficiency was presented using a non-parametric technique, i.e., data envelopment analysis (DEA), which allows multiple variable analyses of different factors. A database of 50 harvested sites during the period 2015–2018, located along a north-south latitudinal gradient between 46° to 50°, was constructed with variables describing spatial organization (roads and dispersion of patches) and operational aspects (wood procurement costs). The evaluated financial efficiencies show high values greater than 70%. The causes of inefficiency were dispersion of the patches, distance to the mill, and the number of kilometers of built roads. When efficiency values were arranged by latitudinal location, northern sites exhibited a lower value of overall and scale efficiency due to the high values in the wood harvested, and developed road density of the zone.

Analyzing factors affecting the technical efficiency of small-scale seaweed farms using a two-stage double bootstrap DEA approach

ABSTRACT Low productivity in seaweed farms in the Philippines is due to issues ranging from lack of training, weather damage, and prevalence of pest and diseases. This study sampled 63 small-scale seaweed farmers in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, as part of a development project. Technical Efficiency (TE) scores were calculated using the two-stage double bootstrap Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to investigate the causes of inefficiencies and external factors affecting small-scale production. Bias-corrected TE scores reveal that input use can be reduced by 55% to produce the same level of output, suggesting significant efficiency gaps. Factors such as primary occupation, number of farms, access to credit, farm location, and type of product sold had significant effect on technical efficiency. Extending government loan facilities to include seaweed farmers can lead to a reduction in inefficiency. Government initiatives to encourage seaweed farming, choosing the right farm location, and providing information can positively impact efficiency.

An Evaluation of the Operational Performance and Profitability of the U.S. Airlines

Since 2008, a series of mega-mergers has dramatically changed the U.S. airline industry. Despite the presence of fewer airlines in the market, the competition remains intense, which forces airlines to continually search for ways to increase their efficiency to maintain survival and financial sustainability. To evaluate airline performance and disentangle the causes of inefficiency, this paper applied a two-stage network data envelopment analysis approach and a truncated regression to investigate the performance of nine U.S.-based airlines from 2015 to 2019. Our empirical results reveal that during the sample period, airlines’ operating efficiency steadily improved, but the efficiency in the profitability stage stagnated. Therefore, strategic resource allocations are needed for airlines to see further advances in their overall efficiency. On average, airlines operating in the low-cost business model yielded higher efficiency scores than their peers operating in the full-service framework. While an airline’s size, measured in terms of total assets, has a positive influence on operating efficiency, a larger number of full-time employee equivalents hinders efficiency outcomes, which indicates the importance of enhancing labor efficiency among carriers.

ANALISIS EFISIENSI KOPERASI PEGAWAI NEGERI REPUBLIK INDONESIA DI KABUPATEN JEMBRANA

Cooperatives are economic institutions of the people who move the economy in promoting the welfare of the people of society. The main purpose of this study is to determine the level of efficiency and performance and cooperation of civil servants existing in Jembrana district. Data used in this research is secondary data obtained from PKPRI. KPRI population in Jembrana, while the number of samples used is 5 KPRI taken by simple random sampling. The research method used is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Capital cost, management, number of managers as variable input, whereas Sisa Hasil Usaha (SHU) as output variables. Results of analysis states that KPRI-KPRI cause of these inefficiencies derived from inputs that do not conform with the needs/going waste. Cost management becomes the biggest cause of inefficiency in the cooperative that is equal to 2,65 %, followed by the number of managers amounted to 0,81% and 0,81% of capital. There were 1 of 5 KPRI KPRI samples were low, There were 1 of 5 KPRI samples that have not been efficient, there are: Shad Karya KPRI: 95,93%. Suggestion for KPRI is not efficient should pay more attention to the use of inputs in order to achieve maximum output, especially the allocation of operational costs so that more attention, use of employees' needs and improve its work, and reduce the use of funds derived from loans and optimize the rotation of capital and refers to other KPRI has achieved efficiently.

Temporal efficiencies of soil bioengineering techniques to mitigate geo-hydrological risks

Natural hazards such as landslides, soil erosion and floods are increasingly affecting many regions of the world in relation to ongoing climate change and the abandonment of rural areas. In the last decades, the need to mitigate such phenomena and preserve natural resources, including landscapes, has motivated a number of local and national authorities to promote the use of soil bioengineering techniques. Consequently, these techniques have been increasingly used with variable success rates. This study analysed the efficiencies of different bioengineering structures to mitigate geo-hydrological risks by examining the interventions installed between 2007 and 2013 in the Avellino Province southern Italy. To this end, a specific project consistency analysis and functionality classification were carried out and the causes of inefficiencies were identified. The analysis showed that after a few years, only a small number of the installed bioengineering structures were fully functional and efficient. Overall, the installed structures were generally affected by maintenance issues and in many cases they suffered from design and execution issues, inducing a generally lower degree of efficiency, with most of them classified as ‘not very efficient’. The conclusions of this work are that i) the long-term efficiency of a bioengineering structure is related to its correct design, installation, and maintenance; ii) the design of a bioengineering structure should account for the geological, geotechnical and hydrological characteristics of the area of interest, and iii) maintenance must not affect the short-term efficiency of a structure, but may affect the long-term efficiency.