In: Energy economics, 2009, vol. 31, no. 2, p. 306-315
This study presents an empirical analysis of the cost efficiency of a sample of Swiss multi-utilities operating in the distribution of electricity, natural gas and water. The multi-utilities that operate in different sectors are characterized by a strong unobserved heterogeneity. Therefore the measurement of their performance poses an important challenge for the regulators. The purpose of...
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This paper examines the productive efficiency of the hospital sector in Switzerland. A panel data of 214 general hospitals over the four-year period between 1998 and 2001 has been analyzed. A descriptive analysis of the data casts some light on differences across hospital types especially regarding case mix severity and length of hospitalizations. The final sample used for the cost frontier...
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In: Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 2006, vol. 77, no. 3, p. 271–290
This paper explores the application of several panel data models in measuring productive efficiency of the electricity distribution sector. Stochastic Frontier Analysis has been used to estimate the cost-efficiency of 59 distribution utilities operating over a nine year period in Switzerland. The estimated coefficients and inefficiency scores are compared across three different panel data models....
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This paper examines the effects of hospital conversions between For-Profit and Not-For-Profit forms on quality of medical care. The sample includes Medicare patients treated in California’s private hospitals from 1990 to 1998 for Acute Myocardial Infarction and Congestive Heart Failure. The results suggest that converted hospitals have experienced quality changes before conversion, which may...
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In: Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 2006, vol. 40, no. 1, p. 95-118
This paper evaluates cost and scale efficiencies of Switzerland’s regulated rural bus companies operating in regional networks. The adopted methodology can be used in benchmarking analyses applied to incentive regulation systems. Moreover, the estimations can be used to evaluate the bidding offers for the tendering processes predicted by the ongoing reform policies. Since these companies...
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In: Energy Economics, 2007, vol. 29, no. 1, p. 64-78
This paper studies the cost structure of gas distribution utilities in Switzerland. Three stochastic frontier models are applied to a panel of 26 companies operating from 1996 to 2000. Efficiency is assumed to be constant over time. The analysis highlights the importance of output characteristics such as customer density and network size. The results suggest that the utilities could slightly...
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This paper examines the cost efficiency in the nursing home industry, an issue of concern to Swiss policy makers because of the explosive growth of national expenditure on elderly care and the aging of the population. A stochastic cost frontier model with a translog function has been applied to a balanced panel data of 1780 observations from 356 nursing homes operating over five years (1998-2002)...
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In: Swiss journal of economics and statistics, 2008, vol. 144, no. 3, p. 359-378
This paper examines the cost efficiency in the nursing home industry, an issue of concern to Swiss policy makers because of the explosive growth of national expenditure on elderly care and the aging of the population. A stochastic cost frontier model with a translog function has been applied to a balanced panel data of 1780 observations from 356 nursing homes operating over five years (1998-2002)...
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In: Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 2007, vol. 41, no. 3, p. 345-361
This paper analyzes the cost structure of the Swiss urban public transport sector in order to assess scale and scope economies. A multi-output cost function has been estimated for a panel data set of companies operating trolley-bus, motor-bus and tramway systems. The results suggest increasing returns to scale and economies of scope. This analysis has important policy implications in view of the...
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In: Energy journal, 2008, vol. 29, no. 4, p. 123-143
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...
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