Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-12-14T13:49:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gedielson Ozório Pinto_.pdf: 1509977 bytes, checksum: 57669947b8ee5dd3d0b7d9e539addc15 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-14T13:49:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gedielson Ozório Pinto_.pdf: 1509977 bytes, checksum: 57669947b8ee5dd3d0b7d9e539addc15 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-20 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Um dos principais desafios de produtores de soja é a conciliação entre bons desempenhos econômicos de curto prazo com bons desempenhos ambientais e econômicos a longo prazo. Sendo assim, é imprescindível pensar na sustentabilidade das empresas agrícolas levando em conta o aspecto temporal. Neste sentido, verifica-se que a necessidade por apresentar bons resultados imediatos pode acabar induzindo o produtor rural a ignorar algumas práticas conservacionistas importantes no cultivo da soja que podem gerar resultados positivos tanto ambientais quanto econômicos ao longo do tempo. Sendo assim, este trabalho buscou realizar uma análise da relação entre as práticas conservacionistas utilizadas na produção da soja e as tensões intertemporais referentes à sustentabilidade inerentes à atividade agrícola. Para isto, foi estimado o nível de eficiência que uma amostra de 40 produtores de soja obtivera na safra de 2016/2017 através da análise envoltória de dados (DEA), bem como, foram identificadas algumas práticas gerenciais dos produtores benchmark e analisados os alvos e folgas dos produtores ineficientes. Através do teste Mann-Whitney, foi verificado o comportamento dos escores de eficiências obtidos para cada produtor de soja mediante a adoção de práticas conservacionistas. Foi possível observar que a eficiência técnica daqueles produtores que adotaram as práticas conservacionistas foi significativamente superior à aqueles que não adotaram estas práticas em seu processo de produção. Deste modo, os achados deste trabalho podem sinalizar que, através do uso destas práticas conservacionistas na produção da soja, é possível reduzir as tensões existentes entre decisões de curto e de longo prazo, visto que, além dos resultados econômicos e ambientais, existe a possibilidade de aumentar significativamente o nível de eficiência técnica na produção da soja, reduzindo insumos e minimizando impactos ambientais de longo prazo, maximizando, assim, os resultados econômicos de curto prazo. / One of the main challenges for soy producers can be the reconciliation between good short-term economic performance with good long-term environmental and economic performance. Therefore, it is essential to think about the sustainability of agricultural companies considering the temporal aspect. In this way, it is verified that the necessity to present good immediate results can carry through inducing the rural producer to ignore some important conservation practices in the cultivation of the soybean, that can generate positive results both environmental and economic over time. Thus, this project searched to analyze the relationship between conservation practices used in soybean production and the intertemporal tensions related to sustainability inherent to agricultural activity. For this, it was estimated the level of efficiency that 40 soybean producers worked in the 2016/2017 harvest through the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). From the Mann-Whitney test, it was verified the behavior of the efficiency scores obtained for each soy producer through the adoption of conservation practices. It was possible to observe a significantly greater difference in the technical efficiency of those producers who adopted conservation practices than those who did not adopt these practices in their production process. Thus, the findings of this project may indicate that through the use of these conservation practices in the production of soybeans it is possible to reduce the tensions existing between short and long term decisions, given that, besides the economic and environmental results, there is a possibility to increase significantly the level of technical efficiency in soy production, reducing inputs and minimizing long-term environmental impacts, thus maximizing short-term economic results.

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux questions de soutenabilité dans le financement de la santé au sein des pays à revenus faible et intermédiaire. Elle est articulée autour de quatre chapitres. Les deux premiers chapitres proposent respectivement d’explorer les déterminants de l’efficience technique des dépenses de santé et de leur niveau par habitant dans les pays à revenus faible et intermédiaire. Le premier chapitre analyse l’effet de l’ouverture commerciale sur l’efficience technique des dépenses de santé. Le second chapitre étudie l’effet de la pollution de l’air sur les dépenses de santé. Dans les deux derniers chapitres, nous nous focalisons sur les pays d’Afrique subsaharienne. Le troisième chapitre étudie le rôle que joue le financement prépayé de la santé pour l’amélioration de la santé dans les ménages tandis que le quatrième chapitre se fixe pour objectif d’analyser les déterminants des dépenses prépayées de santé en se focalisant plus particulièrement sur l’instabilité politique. / This thesis focuses on the sustainability issues in health financing in low-and middle –income countries. It is articulated around four chapters. The two first chapters propose to respectively explore the determinants of technical efficiency of health expenditures and their level per capita in low-and middle –income countries. The first chapter analyzes trade openness effect on the technical efficiency of health expenditures. The second chapter investigates air pollution effect on health expenditures. In the two last chapters, we focus on Sub-Saharan African countries. The third chapter studies the role that plays prepayment health financing for health improvement in households whereas the fourth one sets the goal to analyze the determinants of prepayment health expenditures, by particularly focusing on political instability.

A cadeia produtiva do setor sucroenergético é de grande importância para o desenvolvimento do país, chegando a representar quase 2% do PIB. Uma importante contribuição do setor sucroenergético para a economia brasileira atual é relativa à produção de energia renovável. Na matriz energética primária do Brasil, a energia renovável participa com uma importante parcela de 46,9% comparado com 6,1% que os países participantes da Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE) consomem, e ainda, é maior que a parcela de energia renovável consumida no mundo (13,2%). Do total de 46,9% da energia consumida brasileira, 18,8% é derivada da cana-de-açúcar, seguida por 13,9% de energia hidrelétrica e 10,2% de carvão. O aumento da eficiência técnica é um relevante fator para a competitividade do setor e, apesar de o Brasil ocupar uma posição de destaque na produção de bioenergia, as usinas de açúcar e etanol vêm enfrentando uma grave crise, culminando com uma retração da produção e o fechamento de diversas plantas industriais. A eficiência técnica industrial é o principal indicador de desempenho de uma usina de açúcar e etanol, podendo ser traduzida como a porcentagem dos açúcares da cana que são recuperados e transformados em açúcar, etanol e outros produtos. Desta forma, dada a crise atual do setor, do aumento da concorrência e da otimização da produtividade, as unidades produtivas necessitam aumentar sua eficiência em relação ao uso de insumos. Com o intuito de contribuir para a melhoria da eficiência e competitividades das usinas de açúcar e etanol, definiu-se como objetivo geral desta tese a proposta de boas práticas de operação que colaborem para o aumento eficiência técnica das usinas. Para tanto, os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados envolveram uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Na primeira etapa, foi utilizada a técnica Análise Envoltória de Dados (DEA), em conjunto com a análise de quintil e regressão multilinear truncada, para que fosse possível realizar uma análise das informações oriundas da base de dados utilizada e fornecida por uma empresa da região de Piracicaba. Em um segundo momento, foi realizado um estudo de caso em uma usina tida como eficiente na região de Ribeirão Preto, no estado de São Paulo, e uma entrevista com dois especialistas em processos de produção de açúcar e etanol visando entender o porquê de determinadas usinas serem mais eficientes do que outras. Por fim, as informações advindas de ambas as etapas foram cruzadas e analisadas, chegando-se à proposta de boas práticas operacionais, que provavelmente podem gerar aumento da eficiência técnica e, consequentemente, ganhos de competitividade às usinas de açúcar e etanol. / The productive chain of the sugar-energy sector is of great importance to the development of the country, reaching almost 2% of PIB. An important contribution of the sugar-energy sector to the current Brazilian economy is relative to the production of renewable energy. In Brazil\'s primary energy matrix, renewable energy accounts for an important 46.9% share compared to 6.1% that the OCDE countries consume, and is even larger than the share of renewable energy consumed in the world (13.2%). Of the 46.9% of Brazilian energy consumed, 18.8% is derived from sugarcane, followed by 13.9% hydroelectric power and 10.2% coal. The increase in technical efficiency is a relevant factor for the competitiveness of the sector and, although Brazil occupies a prominent position in the production of bioenergy, the sugar and ethanol mills have been facing a crisis culminating with a retraction of the production and the closing of several industrial plants. Industrial technical efficiency is the main performance indicator of a sugar and ethanol plant, and can be translated as the percentage of cane sugar that is recovered and processed into sugar, ethanol and other products. Thus, given the current crisis of the sector, increased competition and optimization of productivity, productive units need to increase their efficiency in relation to the use of inputs. In order to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency and competitiveness of the sugar and ethanol plants, the general objective of this thesis was to propose a good operating practice that will contribute to increase the technical efficiency of the plants. To that end, the methodological procedures used involved a quantitative and qualitative approach. In the first step, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique was used, together with the quintile analysis and truncated multilinear regression, so that it was possible to perform an analysis of the information from the database used and provided by a company in the region of Piracicaba. In a second moment, a case study was carried out at a mill considered efficient in the region of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, and an interview with two experts on sugar and ethanol production processes aimed at understanding why certain plants are more efficient than others. Finally, the information from both stages was cross-referenced and analyzed, leading to the proposal of good operational practices, which are likely to increase technical efficiency and consequently increase competitiveness in the sugar and ethanol plants.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sunao Leonardo Koga.pdf: 866799 bytes, checksum: c898550a07acad94b755c6904e850d23 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-19 / Organizational performance is the result of constant analysis for organizations and their managers to evaluate the level of performance that can be translated into the creation of shareholder value and Steakholders, within the government, the performance can be explained in relation to the services offered as effective management, cost savings and benefits to the customer / user / citizen. The analysis of the performance of institutions in the public scope is essential condition for the decision making as well as endogenous and exogenous in the formulation and implementation of effective public policies. The nonparametric model of data envelopment analysis ( DEA ) can effectively translate this positioning within the context of technical efficiency , scale and allocative to identify efficient and inefficient production units. This article seeks to contribute to the discussion of efficiency of Units Foundation Hemominas in Minas Gerais making a classification efficiency using data envelopment analysis. We also tried to verify the degree of parity between operational efficiency and financial efficiency. For the analysis of operational efficiency through the approach of data envelopment analysis used as inputs the total volume of blood collected , number of employees and the expense inputs , outputs and full use of blood products produced , full of blood discarded and total clinical services performed. For financial efficiency, the inputs used were the total expenditure less personnel expenses, personnel expenses divided by the number of employees, the products use the revenue collected and expenditure budget executed. The results demonstrate a relationship with weak statistical significance between operational efficiency and financial efficiency. One Hopes that the results serve as a substrate for analysis and discussion by the managers of the units investigated and Hemominas Foundation regarding the use, allocation and efficient disposition of the treasury in order to save lives and serve customers / users / citizens who need specialized services and blood products. / O desempenho organizacional é fruto de análises constantes por parte das organizações e seus gestores, com objetivo de avaliar o grau de performance que pode ser traduzido em criação de valor aos acionistas e Steakholders, no âmbito governamental, o desempenho pode ser explanado em relação aos serviços ofertados, como gestão eficaz, redução de custos e benefícios para o cliente/usuário/cidadão. A analise do desempenho das instituições no escopo público é condição precípua para a tomada de decisão endógena e exógena, bem como na formulação e implementação de políticas públicas eficientes. O modelo não paramétrico de Análise Envoltória de Dados (DEA) consegue traduzir eficientemente este posicionamento dentro do contexto da eficiência técnica, de escala e alocativa ao identificar as unidades produtivas eficientes e ineficientes. Este artigo busca contribuir para a discussão de eficiência das Unidades da Fundação Hemominas em Minas Gerais, fazendo uma classificação de eficiência utilizando a análise envoltória de dados e também verificar o grau de paridade entre eficiência operacional e eficiência financeira. Para a análise de eficiência operacional através da abordagem de análise envoltória de dados foi utilizado como entradas o volume total de sangue coletado, número de empregados e a despesa com insumos. Como saídas, utilizou-se o total de hemocomponentes produzidos, total de hemocomponentes descartados e total de serviços clínicos efetuados. Para eficiência financeira, os insumos utilizados foram a despesa total menos a despesa com pessoal, a despesa com pessoal dividida pelo número de funcionários; para os produtos foram a receita arrecadada e as despesas orçamentárias executadas. Os resultados demonstram uma relação com fraca significância estatística entre eficiência operacional e eficiência financeira. Almejase que os resultados sirvam como substrato de análise e discussão por parte dos gestores das unidades averiguadas e da Fundação Hemominas no que concerne ao uso, alocação e disposição eficiente do erário com vistas a salvar as vidas e atender os clientes/usuários/cidadãos que necessitam dos serviços especializados e hemocomponentes.

A cadeia produtiva do setor sucroenergético é de grande importância para o desenvolvimento do país, chegando a representar quase 2% do PIB. Uma importante contribuição do setor sucroenergético para a economia brasileira atual é relativa à produção de energia renovável. Na matriz energética primária do Brasil, a energia renovável participa com uma importante parcela de 46,9% comparado com 6,1% que os países participantes da Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE) consomem, e ainda, é maior que a parcela de energia renovável consumida no mundo (13,2%). Do total de 46,9% da energia consumida brasileira, 18,8% é derivada da cana-de-açúcar, seguida por 13,9% de energia hidrelétrica e 10,2% de carvão. O aumento da eficiência técnica é um relevante fator para a competitividade do setor e, apesar de o Brasil ocupar uma posição de destaque na produção de bioenergia, as usinas de açúcar e etanol vêm enfrentando uma grave crise, culminando com uma retração da produção e o fechamento de diversas plantas industriais. A eficiência técnica industrial é o principal indicador de desempenho de uma usina de açúcar e etanol, podendo ser traduzida como a porcentagem dos açúcares da cana que são recuperados e transformados em açúcar, etanol e outros produtos. Desta forma, dada a crise atual do setor, do aumento da concorrência e da otimização da produtividade, as unidades produtivas necessitam aumentar sua eficiência em relação ao uso de insumos. Com o intuito de contribuir para a melhoria da eficiência e competitividades das usinas de açúcar e etanol, definiu-se como objetivo geral desta tese a proposta de boas práticas de operação que colaborem para o aumento eficiência técnica das usinas. Para tanto, os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados envolveram uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Na primeira etapa, foi utilizada a técnica Análise Envoltória de Dados (DEA), em conjunto com a análise de quintil e regressão multilinear truncada, para que fosse possível realizar uma análise das informações oriundas da base de dados utilizada e fornecida por uma empresa da região de Piracicaba. Em um segundo momento, foi realizado um estudo de caso em uma usina tida como eficiente na região de Ribeirão Preto, no estado de São Paulo, e uma entrevista com dois especialistas em processos de produção de açúcar e etanol visando entender o porquê de determinadas usinas serem mais eficientes do que outras. Por fim, as informações advindas de ambas as etapas foram cruzadas e analisadas, chegando-se à proposta de boas práticas operacionais, que provavelmente podem gerar aumento da eficiência técnica e, consequentemente, ganhos de competitividade às usinas de açúcar e etanol. / The productive chain of the sugar-energy sector is of great importance to the development of the country, reaching almost 2% of PIB. An important contribution of the sugar-energy sector to the current Brazilian economy is relative to the production of renewable energy. In Brazil\'s primary energy matrix, renewable energy accounts for an important 46.9% share compared to 6.1% that the OCDE countries consume, and is even larger than the share of renewable energy consumed in the world (13.2%). Of the 46.9% of Brazilian energy consumed, 18.8% is derived from sugarcane, followed by 13.9% hydroelectric power and 10.2% coal. The increase in technical efficiency is a relevant factor for the competitiveness of the sector and, although Brazil occupies a prominent position in the production of bioenergy, the sugar and ethanol mills have been facing a crisis culminating with a retraction of the production and the closing of several industrial plants. Industrial technical efficiency is the main performance indicator of a sugar and ethanol plant, and can be translated as the percentage of cane sugar that is recovered and processed into sugar, ethanol and other products. Thus, given the current crisis of the sector, increased competition and optimization of productivity, productive units need to increase their efficiency in relation to the use of inputs. In order to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency and competitiveness of the sugar and ethanol plants, the general objective of this thesis was to propose a good operating practice that will contribute to increase the technical efficiency of the plants. To that end, the methodological procedures used involved a quantitative and qualitative approach. In the first step, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique was used, together with the quintile analysis and truncated multilinear regression, so that it was possible to perform an analysis of the information from the database used and provided by a company in the region of Piracicaba. In a second moment, a case study was carried out at a mill considered efficient in the region of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, and an interview with two experts on sugar and ethanol production processes aimed at understanding why certain plants are more efficient than others. Finally, the information from both stages was cross-referenced and analyzed, leading to the proposal of good operational practices, which are likely to increase technical efficiency and consequently increase competitiveness in the sugar and ethanol plants.

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-04-27T17:10:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristiano Rempel.pdf: 802687 bytes, checksum: 0da97154db93c5073c586acabccf6507 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-27T17:10:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cristiano Rempel.pdf: 802687 bytes, checksum: 0da97154db93c5073c586acabccf6507 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-01-14 / Nenhuma / Essa dissertação tem como objetivo principal analisar a eficiência técnica relativa de empresas brasileiras distribuidoras de energia elétrica. A busca por eficiência tem sido uma constante em muitos setores e tem crescido em vista do maior grau de competição e das pressões sociais por melhor aproveitamento de recursos. Entre estes, o setor de energia elétrica tem sido demandado a oferecer crescente desempenho que possa apoiar o ciclo de desenvolvimento econômico do país. A técnica de pesquisa utilizada é o levantamento ou survey, classifica-se como descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado com base em dados de 2012. Utilizando a metodologia de Análise Envoltória de Dados (DEA) foi possível mensurar a eficiência técnica relativa das empresas selecionadas, identificar os determinantes da eficiência dessas unidades, definir as unidades benchmarks, bem como os percentuais de melhorias. A partir da aplicação DEA e com base no rol de variáveis selecionadas, identificou-se que são eficientes tecnicamente sete empresas dentre as 18 concessionárias de distribuição de energia elétrica brasileiras da amostra, sendo elas: CPFL-PI, CEMAR, ELETROPAULO, COELCE, RGE, COSERN e CPFL-PA. A empresa RGE é o melhor benchmark para as empresas ineficientes, detentora de diferentes prêmios de qualidade e gestão do setor. Por fim, o que contribuiu para os escores de eficiência das empresas foi a variável Potência Instalada, tendo como melhorias potenciais para as empresas ineficientes principalmente as variáveis Extensão da Rede, Número de Empregados e o Tempo Médio de Atendimento. / This dissertation has as main objective to analyze the relative technical efficiency of Brazilian electricity distribution companies. The quest of efficiency has been constant in many sectors and has grown due to the greater degree of competition and social pressures for better utilization of resources. Among these, the electricity sector has been prosecuted to offer increased performance that can support the cycle of economic development of the country. The technique used is the survey, ranks as descriptive, quantitative approach carried out based on 2012 data. Using the methodology of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was possible to measure the relative efficiency of the selected companies, to identify the determinants of the efficiency of these units, set the benchmark units and the percentage of improvement. From the DEA application and based on the list of selected variables, there were identified seven technically efficient companies, among 18 dealers of Brazilian electricity distribution in the sample, namely: CPFL-PI, CEMAR, ELETROPAULO, COELCE, RGE, COSERN and CPFL-PA The company RGE is the best benchmark for inefficient firms, holder of different awards of quality and management of the sector. Finally, contributing to the efficiency scores of companies was the variable Installed Capacity, with the potential improvements for inefficient firms mainly consisting of variables Network Extension, Number of Employees and Average Time of Service.

研究經濟學的目的之一在於探討如何將有限的資源做最有效的利用。資源配置最適，就是經濟效率的達成，效率可以說是經濟理論的精義，但就實證層面來說，效率的慨念卻是相當抽象而模糊。直到Farrell(1957)提出衡量效率的概念，使得效率得以數據化，在往後的學者不斷地深入探討與研究，使生產邊界方法廣泛的運用在產業分析之中。在諸多衡量技術效率方式中，隨機性邊界方法較符合實際社會情形，所以本論文即根據Aigner, Lovell and Schmidt(1977)估計隨機性邊界與生產效率之計量方法，分別設定誤差項為不同的截斷性半常態分配配以及設定Cobb-Douglas和CES兩種生產函數形態，分別估計生產邊界，並加以檢定，再就適當的函數模型估計平均技術效率值與個別廠商的技術效率值，接著討論影響技術效率差異之因素。本文從向投審會登記投資大陸之台商的台灣工廠與大陸工廠挑選電子、機械、紡織、成衣四種產業為實證對象。 　　根據本論文實證研究之結果，重要結論可歸納如下： 　　第一，我們應用Aigner, et.al(1977)之隨機性生產邊界模型，衡量電子、機械業及紡織、成衣業兩類產業四組資料之生產邊界。不同誤差項分配之假設下，檢定結果顯示，不能拒絕u在0處截斷之虛無假設。不同生產函數型態設定的生產邊界亦無明顯差異，檢定結果以Cobb-Douglas生產函數較合適。 　　第二，在生產邊界估計上，電子、機械業及紡織、成衣業兩地的工廠，兩類產業大陸工廠的勞動產出彈性都大於台灣母公司，同時兩類產業大陸工廠的規模報酬也都高於台灣母公司，這說明台商為何紛紛前往大陸投資。 　　第三，比較台商之台灣工廠與大陸工廠，結果顯示無論電子機械業或紡織成衣業，台灣工廠有極高的效率，平均效率皆在90%以上。兩類產業的大陸工廠的效率則較差，約在40%到950%之間。影響台灣工廠效率的主要因素來自人為無法控制之隨機因素，而大陸工廠的低效率主要來自人為技術因素。 　　第四，我們利用Jondrow, et al(1982)提出的條件期望值公式進一步計算各別廠商的技術效率。根據各別廠商的效率分配，我們發現台灣母公司皆十分集中，大陸工廠則頗為分散，紡織成衣業甚至有九家廠商在20%以下。顯示該產業應加以注意生產的過程與管理。 　　最後，本文探討影響廠商技術效率差異的因素，我們發現最重要的變數是廠商規模。兩類產業的台灣工廠及大陸工廠，廠商規模都與生產效率有明顯的正向關係，規模愈大，效率愈高。設廠年齡對四組資料都呈負向影響。資本勞動比則除了台灣的電子機械業以外，都是負向關係。是否投入研究開發及產業區別，則沒有明顯的關係。在大陸工廠方面，設廠地區電子機械業設廠在沿海地區春效率較高，紡織成衣業則以內陸地區效率較高。在投資形態方面，紡織成衣業者以獨資企業效率較高，電子機械業則相反，顯示後者在選擇投資型態時，主要考慮的是如內銷方面等其他因素較不著重效率。

本研究以臺北縣政府稅捐稽徵處為對象，採用2001-2008年資料，共有56筆樣本資料進行實證研究。應用三階段DEA作為分析模型，以滿足產出多樣、品質差異及產出環境各異之特殊要求。考量稅捐稽徵處特性下，探討其經營效率，提出改善經營效率之政策性建議，以提升有限資源的效率化利用。 臺北縣政府稅捐稽徵處之經營效率值(三階段純技術效率值)評估之結果為1.0186。研究發現，若未摒除稅捐稽徵處所提供服務的不同產出品質，以及受到環境變數之影響，經營效率值將會低估44.16%。此外，若未考量規模效率，經營效率值也會高估18.23%。 實證結果顯示，利用DEA對於本文地方稅分類方式分析，會產生很好的效果。透過本文提供的分類方法，管理機關可獲得較為有效的管理方式。再者，依據隨機邊界法分析、產出投入比與效率值的相關分析等結果，各地方稅的管理單位應可瞭解其擁有資源的優劣勢，以改善其相對無效率或進步緩慢的窘境。 / This research tries to estimate the operational efficiency of Taipei County Revenue Service Office using empirical data from 2001 to 2008. In order to meet the characteristics including various outputs, different output qualities and specific production environments, 3-stage DEA model is chosen and modified for empirical study. The findings of this research may give policy suggestions to improve the operational efficiency. The estimated operational efficiency, the pure technical efficiency in third stage, is 1.0186. The study shows the operational efficiency will be underestimated by 44.16% if output quality variable and production environment variable are ignored. In addition, if scale efficiency is not taken under consideration, the efficiency will be overestimated by 18.23%. Empirical results indicate that DEA is an effective approach applied to the local tax classification model of this study. Furthermore, according to the findings of SFA analysis, output-input ratio and efficiency index, each management unit of local tax could find out its strength and weakness of resources endowment to improve the relative inefficiency and to make progress in the future.

本文欲利用方向距離函數 (DDF) 來驗證中東歐國家銀行業之效率。不同的國家之銀行業者會由於不同的文化、資源稟賦和環境而採取不同的經營模式。因此，本文藉由共同邊界方向距離函數，其允許我們在跨國間不同的技術下，得以估計出銀行的技術效率並加以比較。使用方向距離函數，得以讓我們的模型中納入非意欲產出，此外，其亦允許銀行廠商同時增加產出與縮減投入和非意欲產出，相較於傳統模型，方向距離函數屬於較有彈性之模型。重要的是，不良貸款被視為是貸款過程中之副產品，其可能會降低銀行的利潤和績效。因此，為了減少不良貸款之產生，銀行管理者必須花費額外的成本，以確保借貸者是否有良好的信用，此舉亦可能影響銀行的績效。 本文試圖發展新的共同邊界隨機方向距離函數，其不同於Battese et al. (2004) 所提出的方法，該方法是屬於線性規畫法。此數理規畫法是屬於確定邊界，其無法針對有興趣之參數估計出該標準誤，因此，無法做有效地統計推論。因為本文提出的新共同邊界方向距離函數是隨機的，所以參數之標準誤可以被估計，其亦允許我們建造信賴區間和假設檢定。此外，共同邊界方向距離函數之無效率項可以被進一步設定成環境變數之函數，即Battese and Coelli (1995)所提出之模型。 / This study plans to employ directional technology distance function (DDF) to examine bank efficiency of Central-East European countries. Banks from different countries choose to operate under distinct technologies due to their differences in culture, endowments, and environments. A metafrontier directional distance function will be established, which allows for calculating comparable technical efficiencies for banks under different technologies relative to the potential technology available to the industry across nations. The salient feature of the DDF is its ability to include undesirable outputs into the model. In addition, it allows for a bank to simultaneously expand outputs and contract inputs, as well as undesirable outputs. It is important to note that the non-performing loans (NPL) can be regarded as a by-product of various loans granted, which lowers a bank’s profitability and performance. To reduce the occurrence of NPL bank managers have to spend extra costs to confirm whether the potential applicants for loans have good credit before granting loans to them. This may also affect the bank’s performance. This study attempts to develop a new metafrontier DDF in the context of the stochastic frontier approach, which differs from the one proposed by Battese et al. (2004) who suggest the use of a linear and/or a quadratic programming technique. The mathematical programming technique is known as deterministic, which is unable to estimate the standard errors for the parameters of interest. Hence, no statistical inference can be made. As our new metafrontier DDF is stochastic, the standard errors of the parameters are estimable, which permits establishing confidence intervals and hypotheses testing for the parameters. Moreover, the inefficiency term of the metafrontier DDF can be further specified as a function of several environmental variables of the form proposed by Battese and Coelli (1995).

Calls continually are made to provide economic assessments of research program achievements and efficiency. Yet little effort has been given to develop an assessment framework that would focus on the research discovery itself, treating the research manager as a producer and the research technology as a knowledge production function. The present dissertation develops such a framework and uses it, with a variety of analytical approaches, to evaluate a two-phase international aquacultural research program consisting of 55 distinct studies. A Bayesian knowledge measure is developed for this purpose, allowing close examination of each of two knowledge creation pathways ��� the extent of new findings (mean surprise) and the extent of uncertainty reduction (precision). Factors affecting each of these two pathways are estimated in decomposed form, their total effects on knowledge achievement then combined to form an aggregate knowledge production function. Team workload, education level, and scientist travel distance strongly affect knowledge creation as postulated, although exhibiting varying effect magnitudes and significances across the two program phases. A research study's analytical approach significantly affects its knowledge acquisition pathways, accounting partially for the newness of its scientific discoveries. Survey studies tend, in contrast, to have greater potential for new findings, but yield greater uncertainty than do experimental studies. In each of the two program phases, fish market trading and water quality are, in my output-elasticities-based approach, respectively the least productive topic area and research-outcome dimension. Asian researchers appear ��� compared to their colleagues in South America and Africa ��� to achieve the highest predictive precision but the least mean surprise, probably because of the greater maturity of their projects. In both program phases, estimated output elasticities imply increasing knowledge returns to scale, although the elasticities decline from 3.52 in Phase I to 1.07 in Phase II. The dual cost function approach provides indirect insight into the program manager���s investment decisions and to the returns to knowledge output, complementing the primal approach. In my cost-based approach, knowledge cost elasticities are below unity, estimated at 0.49 in Phase II and 0.37 in Phase I, consistent with the increasing returns to scale found in the output-elasticities-based approach. Given the increasing returns to scale estimated with both approaches, the aquacultural program appears to have a substantial incentive to enlarge its knowledge investments. Also consistent with duality, the least-output-productive fish-trade topic area, water-quality outcome, and Asian research are found in my cost analysis to be the most cost-consuming. The technical efficiencies of the aquacultural program's individual studies are also examined, relative to both one another and to their own potentially best practices. The examination is conducted using, successively, the Farrell input technical efficiency measure and the directional sum-distance measure. Results are consistent across these two efficiency instruments, confirming the conclusions about output and cost elasticities in the previous chapters and providing a completeness to the overall research evaluation. / Graduation date: 2013 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Dec. 27, 2012 - Dec. 27, 2014