Product-specific Economies Of Scale Research Articles

Scale and Scope Economies in Banking: A Case Study of the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan

This paper examines the scale and scope efficiency of the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan. Using the production approach to measuring bank outputs and costs, a translog cost function is estimated to provide an assessment of the bank’s scale and scope efficiency, and to quantify the extent to which its production costs are sensitive to size and output mix. Our results show that the bank enjoys both overall and product-specific economies of scale and, therefore, there exists scope for the bank to expand its operations at declining average cost. We show that even though bank branches in all size categories enjoy economies of scale, the extent of such economies is larger for branches operating at a smaller scale of production. This implies that as the bank branches grow larger in size in terms of both loan and deposit accounts, they move closer to attaining constant returns to scale. It is also shown that the marginal costs of servicing both loan and deposit accounts decline as bank branches grow larger in size in terms of either the number of loans or the number of deposits. This confirms that branches operating at a larger scale of production have attained greater cost efficiency in terms of servicing the loan and deposit accounts. As regards economies of scope, our results show that the bank’s production technology is characterised by cost complementarity, which gives rise to cost savings through the joint production of loan and deposit accounts.

Efficiency, and economies of scale and scope in Japanese agricultural cooperatives

The purpose of this study is to investigate regional differences in the business characteristics of Japanese agricultural cooperatives (JAs), which have been widely criticized for depending on non-agricultural activities, contradictory to cooperative principles. We construct a panel data set over 2004–2019 from the financial statements of JAs’ prefectural-level federations and use a stochastic meta-frontier cost function model, which enables the decomposition of meta-frontier efficiency into two components: technical efficiency and technology gap ratios. The operational differences between JAs in urban and rural areas are investigated by comparing their efficiency and economies of scale and scope. The main results are summarized as follows: first, the meta-cost efficiency scores of JAs in urban areas are, on average, larger than those in rural areas, which reflects the differences in technology gap ratios. Second, JAs exhibit overall economies of scale in both areas; however, the product-specific economies of scale differ between financial and nonfinancial outputs. Finally, JAs in rural areas exhibit relatively larger economies of scope than those in urban areas. These findings indicate clear distinctions between urban and rural areas in cost-reduction effects. Finally, financial activities bring higher efficiency for JAs in urban areas, while benefits from simultaneous production are larger for those in rural areas.

Scale and scope economies in small household rice farming in Vietnam

The Vietnamese agricultural sector has experienced a dramatic structural change based on increased specialization in rice cultivation. However, small-scale rice-farmers have continued to grow multiple crops, especially in less developed provinces. While the literature advocates crop diversification for reasons of both economic and ecological sustainability, there lacks empirical evidence as to whether crop diversification brings efficiency and productivity gains to small farms. The present study is the first applications of the input-oriented stochastic distance function approach in estimating scale and scope economies using data of multi-crop farming households in Vietnam. We find strong evidence of product-specific economies of scale. Scope economies are also present for rice, vegetable, and other annual crop production. This suggests that crop diversification enhances efficiency and productivity. However, there still exists significant technical inefficiency in crop production, indicating opportunities to expand farm output at the existing level of inputs and technologies. More specifically, our empirical results indicate that it is desirable to expand vegetable and other annual crop production in mountainous areas while rice cultivation can be further expanded in delta and coastal regions.

Http://op.niscpr.res.in/index.php/JSIR/article/view/43565

This paper aims to examine how the cost structure of certified public accountant firms changed after the accounting reform of 2005. Korea enacted various accounting reform acts adopting Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2005. Our sample comprises 1,230 firm-year observations from 1997 to 2012. The sample period is decomposed into two sub-periods: pre-reform (1997–2004) and post-reform (2005–2012) periods. We estimate a multi-product translog cost function to determine whether there are significant changes in the economies of scale during the pre- and post- reform periods. The estimated cost function suggests that overall and product-specific economies of scale prevailed during the full sample, pre- and post-reform periods. However, overall economies of scale lessened after the accounting reform and the economies of scale seemed to be depleted for the larger firms during the full and post-reform periods. As for product-specific scale economies after the reform, the marginal costs of producing Audit and Accounting increased, whereas those of producing Tax services declined. The economies of scale in business advisory services remained constant before and after the accounting reform. The results gleaned from this study may provide CPA firms with managerial implications regarding the changes in cost structure after the accounting reform.

A comparison of parametric and nonparametric estimation methods for cost frontiers and economic measures

ABSTRACTThis article examines the empirical performance of alternative frontier estimators’ ability to replicate a known underlying technology and economic measures such as multi-product and product-specific economies of scale, and economies of scope. A cross sectional Monte Carlo procedure to simulate data is used to evaluate a two-sided error system, an OLS system restricting errors to be above the cost frontier, the stochastic frontier method, and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The data are generated assuming a half-normal distribution, and a uniform distribution. Data were also simulated with single and two output firms. The DEA estimator was most robust in estimating the “true” cost frontier and associated economic measures including data sets without single output firms and less effected by distributional assumptions.

Is a Single Product Cost Function Appropriate for Institutions of Higher Education? Empirical Evidence From China’s Research Universities

Many studies exist in the literature of scale and scope economies in institutions of higher education employing multi-product cost functions of quadratic, constant elasticity substitution (CES), or hybrid translog form. A single product cost function is normally considered inadequate and yield distorted results. Both quadratic and single product cost functions have been applied to university data from China’s Ministry of Education (MOE). This study compares those two methods and their statistical results and finds that ray economies of scale from these two cost functions are quite similar though the single product cost function which can not be used to calculate product-specific economies of scale or economies of scope.

Scale and scope economies of distance education in Australian universities

Despite compelling qualitative arguments for scale and scope economies in university-level distance education, as distinct from traditional class-based face-to-face instruction, there is little rigorous quantitative evidence in support. In this paper, we explore the scale and scope economies of distance education using a multiplicatively separable cost function and a sample of 37 Australian public universities over the 10-year period from 2003 to 2012. The results suggest strong overall scale and scope economies and product-specific scale economies for distance education. Further, the economies of scope for distance education are increasing with mean output, suggesting an increasing cost benefit of producing distance education in conjunction with traditional class-based face-to-face teaching. This provides an important implication: when allocating places for different modes of attendance or considering further expansion of student numbers, there should be a priority on distance education as a means of achieving significant cost savings.

Role of off-balance sheet operations on bank scale economies: Evidence from China's banking sector

This paper investigates product-specific scale economies of banks with respect to off-balance sheet operations. The cost benefits from the non-separability of outputs available to banks that imply the role of OBS activities on bank scale economies are also examined. We further test whether the role of OBS operations on bank scale economies changes across heterogeneous banks. Results suggest that banks can realize more scale economies by increasing OBS operations and that scale economies can be reaped particularly for non-state-owned banks. Therefore, diversification and deregulation should be included in the policy agenda for the subsequent marketization reform of China's banking sector.

Economies of scale and scope in Australian urban water utilities

This paper estimates economies of scale and scope for 55 major Australian urban utilities over the period 2005/06 to 2008/09. The models used specify operating and capital costs as a function of chemical and microbiological compliance, water losses, water quality and service, water main breaks, total connected properties, and urban water supplied. The input variables used to help determine water utility costs include the density of properties served and the sourcing of water from bulk suppliers, groundwater, recycling and surface water. In terms of economies of scale, the evidence suggests strong economies of scale at relatively low levels of output (50–75% of current mean output). In terms of product-specific economies of scale (increasing the scale of a specific output in isolation), there is substantially stronger evidence that the operating costs of urban water utilities would benefit from increasing scale with regard to chemical compliance, water quality and service complaints, and the number of connected properties. In contrast, capital costs would benefit from scale increases with regard to the management of water losses and water main breaks. For economies of scope, it is clear that there are substantial cost benefits from the joint production of treated quality water delivered across a network with minimal water losses and main breaks. The main cost advantage at all levels of output is decreasing water losses, and this would benefit both operating and capital costs.

Cost economies in the presence of marketing contracts

We examine the impact of marketing contracts on farm cost structure and implied scale and scope economies for large samples of dairy, corn and wheat farms. We consider a multi-product, multi-market technology to examine returns from diversifying marketing schemes. Allowing for risk preferences under price uncertainty, we estimate the contract adoption decision, risk preferences and structural parameters simultaneously. We derive measures of economies for both contracting and noncontracting farms. Each industry exhibits significant scope and multi-output scale economies but vary in product-specific scale economies. We find that marketing contracts improve returns to corn and wheat farms, but not to dairy farms.

Economies of Scale and Scope in Australian Urban Water Utilities

This paper estimates economies of scale and scope for 55 major Australian urban utilities over the period 2005/06 to 2008/09. The models used to specify operating and capital costs as a function of chemical and microbiological compliance, water losses, water quality and service, water main breaks, total connected properties, and urban water supplied. The input variables used to help determine water utility costs include the density of properties served and the sourcing of water from bulk suppliers, groundwater, recycling and surface water. In terms of economies of scale, the evidence suggests strong economies of scale at relatively low levels of output (50-75% of mean output). In terms, of product-specific economies of scale (increasing an output in isolation), there is substantially stronger evidence that the operating costs of urban water utilities would benefit from increasing chemical compliance, reducing water quality and service complaints, and increasing the number of connected properties, while capital costs would benefit from reducing water losses and the number of water 15 main breaks. For economies of scope, it is clear that there are substantial cost benefits from the joint production of treated quality water delivered across a network with minimal water losses and main breaks. The main cost advantage at all levels of output is decreasing water losses, and this would appear to benefit both operating and capital costs.

The cost structure of higher education in further education colleges in England

This paper examines the cost of the increased provision of higher education courses within further education colleges in England. We believe this to be the first attempt to fit a cost function specifically to the further education sector. Cost functions for a sample of 96 colleges over a 2-year period, from 2000 to 2002, are fitted using a panel data methodology as well as stochastic frontier analysis. We compare and contrast our findings with a sample of 959 US colleges. Our findings indicate that most further education colleges are able to benefit from economies of scale. Results from both methodologies suggest the presence of product-specific economies of scale, substantial ray economies of scale and indicate that higher education classroom-based courses, such as business studies, as well as vocational courses display substantial economies of scope.

Impact of nontraditional activities on scale and scope economies: A case study of Japanese regional banks

The recent financial deregulation in Japanese banking has enabled regional banks to engage in trust businesses. This paper examines the impact of such nontraditional banking activities on cost structure by measuring economies of scale and scope. A generalized translog cost function, which can take zero outputs into consideration, is employed to simultaneously investigate entrants and non-entrants. While ray scale economies are observed for trust businesses, product-specific scale economies are not. Further, cost complementarities are not observed in almost all the pairwise combinations of the products. Thus, entering into the trust business yields no cost reduction for Japanese regional banks.

Estimating economies of scope and scale under price risk and risk aversion

This study uses duality to examine the effects of excluding output price risk and risk aversion on cost structures. Using data for Kansas wheat and beef-cow operations, a dual risk model was used to determine multi-product and product-specific scale economies, and economies of scope. Estimates for these measures were compared with those obtained from a deterministic model. The results show that product-specific scale economies are over-estimated and economies of scope and multi-product scale economies are under-estimated for the deterministic model compared to the risk model.

Scale and scope economies of international tourist hotels in Taiwan

Based on the survey data of Taiwan's international tourist hotels in 2000, this paper applies Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression technique to a simultaneous system of a translog multi-product cost function and its corresponding factor share equations to investigate the extents of scale and scope economies of Taiwan's international tourist hotels. The empirical results show that product-specific scale economies exist for accommodation, food and beverage, as well as other services. Ray scale economies are significantly present. Economies of scope exist in providing food and beverage and other services jointly, as well as accommodation and food and beverage services jointly. However, economies of scope may not be present when accommodation and other services are jointly provided.

Scale and scope economies of international tourist hotels in Taiwan

Based on the survey data of Taiwan's international tourist hotels in 2000, this paper applies Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression technique to a simultaneous system of a translog multi-product cost function and its corresponding factor share equations to investigate the extents of scale and scope economies of Taiwan's international tourist hotels. The empirical results show that product-specific scale economies exist for accommodation, food and beverage, as well as other services. Ray scale economies are significantly present. Economies of scope exist in providing food and beverage and other services jointly, as well as accommodation and food and beverage services jointly. However, economies of scope may not be present when accommodation and other services are jointly provided.

Metodologia de avaliação de custos nas universidades públicas: economias de escala e de escopo

Este artigo avaliou a existência de economias de escala e de escopo na Universidade de São Paulo, por meio da estimação da função custo multi-produto - ensino de graduação, pós-graduação, títulos de pós-graduação outorgados e publicações - a partir das informações referentes ao período 1996 a 1999 de 35 unidades de ensino e pesquisa da Universidade. Estimou-se, deste modo, um modelo para dados em painel. Os resultados indicaram claramente a existência de economias de escala produto-específicas apenas para os produtos ensino de graduação e de pós-graduação. A produção de teses e dissertações bem como de publicações apresentou retornos constantes de escala. Em termos da existência de economias de escopo, é interessante notar que no caso da USP, foram identificadas em todos produtos analisados, indicando que o modelo de universidade de pesquisa, em que se produzem conjuntamente ensino e pesquisa, também é o mais eficiente em termos de custos. Finalmente, verificou-se que o custo marginal de produção da atividade de ensino de graduação é R$ 14,23, do ensino de pós-graduação é de R$ 64,79, da produção de dissertações e teses é de aproximadamente R$ 24.206,96 e o da produção de trabalhos publicados em periódicos e livros nacionais e internacionais é de R$ 3.976,02.

Cooling system of char in coal gasification apparatus : Fujikawa, A. and Egashira, T. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho JP 2002 302, 683 (Cl. C10J3/46), 18 Oct 2002, Appl. 2001/107,720. (In Japanese)

In contrast to most empirical investigations of the efficiency of multiproduct financial institutions, which either estimate scale and scope economies with a given state of technology, or only analyse technical change in the presence of overall scale economies, this study estimates overall scale economies, product-specific scale economies and scope economies in the presence of both neutral and non-neutral technical change. Also, in contrast to most other empirical studies in this area, standard errors are computed for all relevant statistics. The findings indicate diseconomies of scope; overall diseconomies of scale; product-specific economies are decreasing for investments and increasing for loans; in addition to substantial neutral technical change, biased technical change is labour- and capital-saving and deposits-using in character.

Scale and scope economies in nursing homes: a quantile regression approach.

Nursing homes vary widely between facilities with very few beds and facilities with several hundred beds. Previous studies, which estimate nursing home scale and scope economies, do not account for this heterogeneity and implicitly assume that all nursing homes face the same cost structure. To account for heterogeneity, this paper uses quantile regression to estimate cost functions for skilled and intermediate care nursing homes. The results show that the parameters of nursing home cost functions vary significantly by output mix and across the cost distribution. Estimates show that product-specific scale economies systematically increase across the cost distribution for both skilled and intermediate care facilities, with diseconomies of scale in the lower deciles and no significant scale economies in the higher deciles. As for ray scale economies, estimates show economies of scale in the lower deciles and diseconomies of scale or no significant scale economies at higher deciles. The estimates also show that scope economies exist in the lower cost deciles and that no scope economies exist in the higher cost deciles. Additionally, the degree of scope economies monotonically decreases across the deciles.

A Multi-Product Cost Study of the U.S. Life Insurance Industry

This paper reports estimates of overall and product specific economies of scale, as well as, economies of scope for the main outputs of the life insurance industry. In addition, the paper presents a number of structural tests of the production technology. The results indicate that the estimated cost function satisfies the regularity conditions, that the industry exhibits overall and product specific economies of scale, and that there are significant economies of scope between the main lines of business.