The determinants of efficiency and productivity in European railways

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2009

Autores

António Couto (Autor) FEUP; Daniel J. Graham (Autor) Outra

Revista

Título: Applied Economics

Vol. 41 Nº 22

Páginas: 2827 -2851

ISSN: 0003-6846

Editora: Taylor & Francis

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citações

Scopus - 13 Citações

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências sociais > Economia e gestão

CORDIS: Ciências Sociais > Economia > Estudos de gestão > Gestão de transportes

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-003-P4S

DOI: 10.1080/00036840801949782

Abstract (EN): This article evaluates the economic performance of European railways over the period 1972 to 1999. The cost structure of the railway industry is analysed using a stochastic frontier approach estimated within the framework of a translog cost system. The results confirm that European railways experience significant cost increases due to inefficient behaviour. In contrast to previous studies, however, the estimates indicate a much greater role for allocative rather than technical inefficiency. Overall, inefficiencies can essentially be explained by the supply of excess capacity and by the over-employment of labour inputs. Regarding productivity, it appears to be technological progress, and not levels of efficiency or scale economies, that provide the most convincing explanation for variance in growth rates within the sample.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 25