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The slowdown in economic development caused by traffic accidents in Spain, together with the disparity in the risk of death or injury due to traffic accidents in its provinces, makes it necessary to evaluate their road safety performance. Therefore, the objectives of the present research are, on the one hand, to find out the level of road safety efficiency of Spanish provinces in the period 2014–2018. On the other hand, it is also aimed to determine to what extent the annual efficiency change is originated by pure changes in efficiency or by technological changes. To achieve both objectives, the nonparametric technique of Data Envelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Index have been used based on the consideration of the Safety Performance Indicators (SPI) as the inputs of the process. The research findings show changes in the level of road safety efficiency in each of the years of the study period. Thus, it is possible to identify a geographical delimitation of the causes that generate changes in efficiency in recent years. A contraction in efficiency and technological progress is identified in part of the Spanish provinces in the north, northeast, and south of Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Science & Technology & Economy is the property of Grain Science & Technology & Economy Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Resources Development & Market is the property of Sichuan Resource Development & Market Magazine Co., Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, the static and dynamic performance efficiencies of container terminals are analyzed and compared for the main container terminals in China and Korea. The static performance efficiency is calculated using the Super-SBM model based on slack variables at the micro-level. An analysis on the dynamic performance efficiency is conducted with the Malmquist index method. The factors of scale and technology of container terminals are mainly taken into account to explore the performance efficient improvement path of container ports. We obtained the following conclusions: (1) The container terminals in Korea show a similar performance efficiency level to the terminals in China, and their performance efficiency is an overall upward trend over the past five years. (2) The main reason for inefficiency in the container terminals in China and Korea is predominantly scale inefficiency. (3) Boosting the automation degree does not have a completely positive impact on the efficiency of the terminal. (4) In 2019–2023, the technical progress index of all container terminals in China and Korea showed a decreasing trend, leading to performance inefficiency of the container terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequently, various sectors within the same company often find themselves at odds with one another due to conflicting objectives. For example, the sales and logistics departments frequently fail to synchronize, with sales viewing logistics merely as a cost center. Conversely, sales place demanding delivery tasks on logistics, particularly evident in scenarios involving out-of-stock or non-assortment items. To address this pervasive issue, the primary objective of this paper is to propose a model for assessing the efficiency of logistical processes, distribution centers, and drivers. Hence, it can be asserted that this study, through its proposed model, aims to accomplish several aims: (i) determine the effectiveness of distribution centers (DCs), (ii) analyze how the efficiency of DCs evolves over time, (iii) evaluate the performance of distribution drivers, and (iv) rank proficient drivers for bonus allocation based on their performance. To achieve these objectives, the suggested model relies on the application of the CI-DEA-Malmquist Index-DEA-MEREC-ADAM methodology. Specifically, the model is delineated into three distinct phases. The initial phase entails employing the CI-DEA and Malmquist index methodologies to condense the multitude of parameters considered in the study by utilizing the CI-DEA approach. Additionally, Malmquist analysis is applied to observe the multi factor productivity change in the efficiency of DCs and to identify the most efficient DC across all time periods. Following the identification of the most efficient DC, the subsequent phase focuses on selecting drivers from that center, followed by applying the DEA method to isolate only the most efficient drivers, who are then further evaluated and ranked accordingly. Through the application of these methodologies, it was determined that out of a total of 10 drivers, only four were deemed efficient. In the final phase of the model, these drivers were assessed based on seven criteria for ranking purposes. During this phase, the MEREC method was utilized to ascertain the criteria weights, while the ADAM method was employed for driver ranking. The findings revealed that the second driver ranked the highest and thus should be granted the highest bonus.

ObjectivesCalculate the carbon emission efficiency of listed thermal power companies, compare and analyze the reasons why the efficiency ranks at the bottom and the top driving factors, group thermal power companies according to different conditions, and explore the influencing factors of efficiency differences.MethodsBased on the improved three-stage undesirable-slack based measure (SBM)-data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to more accurately measure the total-factor carbon emission efficiency of China listed thermal power companies during 2016-2022.ResultsThe carbon emission efficiency of listed thermal power companies rises annually and lowers when the effects of the external environment are taken into account. The increasing environmental subsidies from government may lead to excessive investment of capital, personnel and coal consumption in the thermal power companies. The increasing in regional R&D investment has a beneficial impact on company assets, personnel, and coal consumption. The most effective utilization of company assets and employees management will be promoted by a better regional economic level, but wasteful consumption of coal for power generation will occur.ConclusionsThe listed thermal power companies with central control, low coal consumption rate and carbon emissions trading have higher technology gap rate and better overall carbon emission efficiency.

The efficient development of the agricultural product circulation industry, as a crucial component of agricultural growth, directly impacts the successful realization of the country's rural revitalization strategy. Despite the favorable trend in the development of China's agricultural product circulation industry, with continuous growth in the volume of agricultural product circulation and overall logistics turnover, challenges persist. There remains a prevalent emphasis on "heavy production and light circulation" in agricultural development, leading to high circulation costs and notably low efficiency. This situation necessitates imminent reforms within the agricultural product circulation industry. In response to emerging contradictions in the contemporary agricultural product circulation domain, the country has strategically advocated for digital development. The advancement of next-generation information technology has propelled the reforms within the agricultural product circulation industry and the exploration of intelligent technology applications in this field aligns with practical developmental needs. Firstly, this article constructs an evaluation framework for agricultural product circulation efficiency based on the perspective of dual online and offline circulation channels. Utilizing the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, the study calculates the static efficiency of agricultural product circulation in China. Through regional comparisons, it is revealed that the overall efficiency of agricultural product circulation is highest in the eastern region, followed by the central and northeastern regions, with the western region lagging behind. Secondly, employing the Malmquist index model, the study investigates the changes in total factor productivity within agricultural product circulation. The findings indicate the following trends during the statistical period: the circulation of agricultural products in the eastern region has maintained a substantial growth rate primarily driven by technological advancements; in the northeastern region, the overall total factor productivity in agricultural product circulation shows an increasing trend but displays an M-shaped variation; the central region witnesses relatively low average annual growth in total factor productivity, characterized by significant fluctuations primarily influenced by variations in pure technical efficiency; the western region experiences a continuous decline in scale efficiency and pure technical efficiency compared to the previous year, with only a rise in technological progress index supporting a slight increase in total factor productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequently, various sectors within the same company often find themselves at odds with one another due to conflicting objectives. For example, the sales and logistics departments frequently fail to synchronize, with sales viewing logistics merely as a cost center. Conversely, sales place demanding delivery tasks on logistics, particularly evident in scenarios involving out-of-stock or non-assortment items. To address this pervasive issue, the primary objective of this paper is to propose a model for assessing the efficiency of logistical processes, distribution centers, and drivers. Hence, it can be asserted that this study, through its proposed model, aims to accomplish several aims: (i) determine the effectiveness of distribution centers (DCs), (ii) analyze how the efficiency of DCs evolves over time, (iii) evaluate the performance of distribution drivers, and (iv) rank proficient drivers for bonus allocation based on their performance. To achieve these objectives, the suggested model relies on the application of the CI-DEA-Malmquist Index-DEA-MEREC-ADAM methodology. Specifically, the model is delineated into three distinct phases. The initial phase entails employing the CI-DEA and Malmquist index methodologies to condense the multitude of parameters considered in the study by utilizing the CI-DEA approach. Additionally, Malmquist analysis is applied to observe the multi factor productivity change in the efficiency of DCs and to identify the most efficient DC across all time periods. Following the identification of the most efficient DC, the subsequent phase focuses on selecting drivers from that center, followed by applying the DEA method to isolate only the most efficient drivers, who are then further evaluated and ranked accordingly. Through the application of these methodologies, it was determined that out of a total of 10 drivers, only four were deemed efficient. In the final phase of the model, these drivers were assessed based on seven criteria for ranking purposes. During this phase, the MEREC method was utilized to ascertain the criteria weights, while the ADAM method was employed for driver ranking. The findings revealed that the second driver ranked the highest and thus should be granted the highest bonus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry in Saudi Arabia has been modernized through the implementation of green building technologies and intelligent building systems, which have facilitated the sustainable development of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia. However, there is a paucity of research on the current situation of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia. In this study, the super-efficient epsilon-based measurement (EBM)–Malmquist model was used to measure the static and dynamic efficiency of the construction industry in the administrative areas of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia from 2013 to 2022, and the Tobit model was used to empirically analyze the factors affecting the efficiency of the industry. In addition, the spatial autocorrelation of the efficiency of the industry was analyzed using Moran's Index (MI) to study the characteristics of the spatial distribution of industrial efficiency as well as the effectiveness of resource allocation. The study shows that Saudi Arabia's construction industry is at a low level of development; the population, GDP, and carbon dioxide emissions have a significant impact on the efficiency of the industry; and the development of the industry can help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, thus promoting environmental sustainability; Saudi Arabia's construction industry has a spatial spillover effect but does not have a significant agglomeration effect. This study accurately identifies the current situation of the development of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia and proposes several countermeasures and opinions, which are expected to provide a theoretical basis for realizing its sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study re-examines convergence among Indian states by estimating their total factor productivity (TFP) for the period 1990/91–2018/19. The novelty of the study is the decomposition of TFP change into efficiency change and technological change using the Malmquist index in a spatial dependence framework to test convergence. Findings reveal that, on average, productivity increased at an aggregate level for the entire period on account of the impressive growth of technological innovation. However, technological growth convergence could not lead to productivity growth convergence in the second sub-period because of no convergence in efficiency growth. Alongside, while we witness significant spatial spillovers in both technology and efficiency, convergence was observed only with respect to technology growth in the second sub-period. The congruence of technological convergence and significant spatial spillovers indicates that while states may be converging in technology, they do not do so independently but display movements similar to their regional neighbours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing and monitoring the green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) of cities while considering technology heterogeneity is crucial for the development of energy-conservation and emission-reduction policies. Considering that the heterogeneity of production technologies encompasses several dimensions, this paper proposes a 3E3S (Economy-Environment-Energy-Society-Science-Space) heterogeneity framework and integrates it with the improved meta-frontier global SBM-undesirable to analyze GTFEE and its decomposition. Empirical analysis of cities in the Yellow River Basin of China (YRBC) highlights the following: (1) The 3E3S heterogeneity framework facilitates the classification of all cities into three distinct groups, a finding that contrasts significantly with previous outcomes documented in the literature that relied solely on criteria such as geographic location. (2) The three groups identified under the meta-frontier exhibit substantial energy-saving potentials of 24.49%, 35.17%, and 52.46%, respectively. Additionally, there are spatiotemporal variations in GTFEE, with cities located in the central part of YRBC, particularly those in Shanxi province, demonstrating poor GTFEE performance. (3) The decomposition analysis of GTFEE indicates that technological progress plays a pivotal role in enhancing GTFEE on the whole, albeit with varying approaches for improving GTFEE depending on individual cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnam has emerged as a highly promising destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, experiencing a commendable and consistent influx of FDI in recent years. However, this surge is not uniformly distributed across provinces. This study applies the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index measurement to evaluate FDI attractiveness of provinces in Vietnam from 2012 to 2020. Based on DEA, the analysis takes the provinces' five indicators (Labor Force, Gross Regional Domestic Product, Provincial Competitiveness Index, FDI by capital, and FDI by cases) into account in order to identify provinces ripe for targeted improvement as well as those that can serve as exemplars for others. Next, Malmquist indexes are derived from DEA assessment to observe the evolution of each province during 2012 to 2020, and then decomposed to uncover the cause of performance change. We find that only four provinces are able to achieve perfect efficiency in attracting FDI, including three provinces from South East region: Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh, and Ha Tinh. Nevertheless, nearly 80% of the provinces improve their performance. The methodology and findings in this paper can provide significant insights for policymakers to devise mechanisms to attract FDI in their locality. Plain language summary: This study contributes to the existing literature by analyzing the intertemporal efficiency change of the provinces in attracting FDI throughout the research period of 2012-2020, taking into account the significant differences in FDI attractiveness among destinations Vietnam confronts. To the best of our knowledge, Vietnam has not yet looked into utilizing the DEA and Malmquist index to examine the provinces' FDI attractiveness. Another significant benefit of this research is the discovery of the reason of efficiency change by deconstructing the Malmquist index based on the DEA efficiency evaluation. Findings from the analysis can provide managerial insight and signifi-cant guidelines for local policymakers and the government to improve FDI attractiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A Comprehensive Set of Asymptotic Properties for a Meaningful Aggregation of Malmquist Indices The Malmquist productivity index (MPI) has become one of the most widely used tools for analyzing dynamic performance of decision-making units. Whereas accounting for economic weights of individual units in aggregations of indices is emphasized in the literature, statistical theory for constructing confidence intervals and performing hypothesis tests based on weighted aggregation of the MPI are still unavailable. In "Statistical Inference for Aggregation of Malmquist Productivity Indices," Pham, Simar, and Zelenyuk use a novel approach (based on the uniform delta method) to develop new asymptotic theory (including new central limit theorems) for aggregate MPIs as the basis for the statistical inference and test. They also verify the finite-sample performance of their approach via extensive Monte Carlo experiments and provide an illustration using real-world data. The Malmquist productivity index (MPI) has gained popularity among studies on the dynamic change of productivity of decision-making units (DMUs). In practice, this index is frequently reported at aggregate levels (e.g., public and private firms) in the form of simple, equally weighted arithmetic or geometric means of individual MPIs. A number of studies emphasize that it is necessary to account for the relative importance of individual DMUs in the aggregations of indices in general and of the MPI in particular. Whereas more suitable aggregations of MPIs have been introduced in the literature, their statistical properties have not been revealed yet, preventing applied researchers from making essential statistical inferences, such as confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. In this paper, we fill this gap by developing a full asymptotic theory for an appealing aggregation of MPIs. On the basis of this, meaningful statistical inferences are proposed, their finite-sample performances are verified via extensive Monte Carlo experiments, and the importance of the proposed theoretical developments is illustrated with an empirical application to real data. Funding: M. Pham acknowledges support from an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. V. Zelenyuk acknowledges financial support from the University of Queensland and the Australian Research Council [Grant FT170100401]. Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2022.2424. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superefficiency SBM-DEA model and DEA-Malmquist index were used to measure the water resource use efficiency in Anhui Province from 2011 to 2020, and the Tobit model was used to analyze the influencing factors. The result showed that water resource use efficiency in Anhui Province has not reached the effective level, and the average value of water resource use efficiency fluctuates from 0. 931 to 0. 873,among the 16 cities, only Hefei, Huaibei and Huangshan achieve DEA efficiency in water use,and the remaining 13 cities, the water resource use efficiency is below the production frontier. The average Malmquist index of water resource use efficiency in Anhui Province is 0. 981, which is generally in a declining stage,the change of technical efficiency and the change of technological progress have hindered the increase of water resources utilization efficiency in Anhui Province. The average Malmquist index of water resource use efficiency in Hefei, Huaibei, Wuhu, Tongling, Anqing and Huangshan are on the rise, showing a good growth trend, the remaining 10 cities are in the declining stage. The per capita GDP, the proportion of primary industry and the proportion of agricultural water use all have significant positive promoting effects on the improvement of water use efficiency in Anhui Province,both per capita water consumption and per capita sewage discharge have significant negative effects on water resources utilization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation, which constitutes an important factor for growth, strongly diversifies regions' level of development. To compare regional innovativeness of EU territories, we employ the data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework. We analyse the relative efficiency of regions using a standard DEA for the country-level, a spatial DEA for regional analysis and the Malmquist indexes to measure the innovation productivity change over time. In our research, the inputs are human capital and R&D expenditure, while the outputs include the number of patents and GDP. We combine the results of these methods with spatial statistics to pinpoint the spatio-temporal patterns of innovation efficiency across European regions. We confirm validity of the assumed complex spatial structure of innovation efficiency. Our study indicates that innovation efficiency at the country-level is dissimilar, or even partially contradictory, to NUTS 2 outcomes due to high regional dispersion within state borers and similarities among neighbouring regions from different countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swedish Paradox is a well-known phenomenon related to high research and development (R&D) investment with supposedly low aggregate economic performance owing to economic saturation. The Korean economy has not yet become an advanced economy; however, its R&D performance is negligible. Recently, also the R&D share of the GNP has become much higher, and its contribution to the economic growth rate is rapidly decreasing, implying a negative relationship between R&D activities and economic performance. This study uses slacks-based data envelopment analysis to investigate investment performance at the local government level in Korea. Our findings reveal that the average score for R&D investment performance in Korea is 64%, indicating huge potential for an efficiency enhancement of 36%. Notably, among the 16 local governments examined, Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan areas showed the lowest R&D efficiency, while Gangwon and Gwangju exhibited superior performance. Since these two regions have promoted specific missions, such as the medical hub in Gangwon and the optical fiber strategic platform in Gwangju, precise and accurate differentiation appears necessary to avoid a lack of governance. To determine the workable mechanism of R&D support policies, we further divided R&D productivity into three categories by incorporating the Malmquist Index (MI). The paper productivity of R&D shows an increasing trend over the experimental period from 2016 to 2021. However, overall, the MI shows slightly deteriorating productivity with 0.978, owing to the aggravating effect of patents and commercialization of R&D. The success in the paper comes from the harmonized partnership between the strong push factor of the government and voluntary pull factor of the R&D support receiving universities. Thus, we suggest that the Korean government should not depend on the superficial effectiveness of R&D in the term but on public–private partnerships with stronger performance-oriented responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Power Generation Technology is the property of Power Generation Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates the innovation efficiency of listed companies in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2015 to 2021. Various models are applied to analyze the data and identify factors affecting innovation efficiency. The findings show that, after adjusting the data, most listed companies' scale efficiency decreases significantly. Pure technical efficiency also decreases, but not to a substantial degree. These changes lead to an overestimation of innovation efficiency. The analysis reveals that the business environment influences the innovation index of listed companies. Additionally, there is a positive relationship between enterprise nature, equity concentration, urban financial expenditure, and innovation efficiency. Longer-established companies face challenges in improving their innovation efficiency. Most companies demonstrate improvements in technical efficiency, indicating relatively high levels of technical efficiency. However, continuous technological progress is crucial. The paper suggests that policymakers and company management should prioritize the enterprise's nature, equity concentration, and urban financial expenditure to cultivate innovation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an article in the field of mining engineering. Improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in the mining industry is an important way for the mining industry to achieve green development. This essay uses the SBM model and Malmquist index to explore the mining energy efficiency of China's mining industry under the carbon emission level constraint, based on provincial (inter-provincial) mining industry panel data. The results show that the overall level of energy efficiency of China's mining industry under the carbon emission level constraint is low, and there are differences in energy efficiency among regions. The overall fluctuation of total factor productivity of China's mining industry energy from 2013 to 2018 is not significant, and China's total factor productivity increased year by year from 2015 to 2018, with technological progress being the main driver of efficiency improvement. Therefore, the level of mining technology should be improved, mining environment monitoring should be increased, and mining energy-related policies should be designated according to local conditions.

This document is a list of references for research articles on various topics related to marine eco-efficiency and informatization in China. The articles cover subjects such as fishery informatization, marine pollution science, and the impact of digital technology on different industries. They provide valuable insights for library patrons conducting research on these specific topics. [Extracted from the article]

The main purpose of this paper is to find the determinants of productivity growth and its evolution over time for 27 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries over the period 2010–2017, with respect to the Global Peace Index. To this end, a production function was estimated for each year using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology while the components of efficiency change, technical change, scale efficiency change and productivity change were calculated using the Malmquist Index for determining the change in productivity over time. According to the results obtained, the countries show a variation in productivity with a rising trend of 2%; Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Montenegro, Slovenia, Norway and the United Kingdom being the countries where the rise was more intense. Moreover, relative productivity fell in 11 other countries in the period under review. In particular, with regard to efficiency change, the countries improved on average by 0.2%, with Portugal showing the greatest rise and France the smallest. Regarding technical change, it rose on average by 5.2%. Finally, scale efficiency fell on average by 3.3%, with Romania being the most disadvantaged and Portugal the most favoured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of studies of agricultural productivity support the view that there is a relationship between productivity and farm size. How the size of a farm is related to its efficiency is a constant problem in agricultural economics research. It also has important implications for agricultural development policy. For developed countries, including the countries of the European Union, numerous studies show that, with the increase in the size of farms, their efficiency usually increases. Moreover, there is a constant decrease in the number of farms and the concentration of land and labor. For this reason, the problem of the influence of the economic size of a farm is included in the scope of the research related to the analysis of the relationship between the farm size and its efficiency. The purpose of the paper was to investigate the relative technical efficiency of the agricultural sector in the European Union (EU-27) using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). It was found that with the increase in economic size, the technical efficiency of the researched farms improved. Attention was paid to the possibility of reducing labor inputs, mainly in farms of economic size classes ES1-ES4. No need to reduce the level of capital expenditure has been demonstrated. This emphasizes the growing importance of the substitution of labor with capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring safety is crucial for promoting the sustainable growth of the construction industry. Assessing safety efficiency is of significant importance for optimizing safety management processes and improving the safety environment. However, the current mainstream methods for evaluating safety efficiency have limitations such as ignoring non-desired outputs and slack variables, the efficiency values being limited to the (0, 1) range, and a narrow perspective. To address these shortcomings, this study focuses on the characteristics of the construction industry and introduces the Super-SBM model and Malmquist index into the assessment of safety efficiency in the construction industry. The study analyzes the evolution characteristics of safety efficiency from both static and dynamic perspectives. Furthermore, using panel quantile regression models, the study identifies the factors influencing safety efficiency and analyzes their heterogeneity. Analyzing panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2015 to 2021, the results show that the overall safety efficiency of the construction industry in China is relatively low, with noticeable spatial clustering characteristics. Provinces in the eastern and central regions exhibit higher levels of construction safety efficiency. The Malmquist index demonstrates a declining trend, with technical efficiency being the primary factor limiting the improvement of safety efficiency in construction. Factors such as per capita GDP, urbanization rate, committed contract amounts, and the number of professionals engaged in survey and design, as well as engineering supervision, have an impact on construction safety efficiency, and the effects of these variables vary across different quantile levels of safety efficiency. This research can assist decision-makers in gaining a better understanding of the safety conditions in different regions of the construction industry. It can also assist in developing customized policies to enhance the health and safety environment, thereby promoting the stable development of the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest carbon sinks in Russia are an integral part of the national "Low-carbon development strategy". However, the influence of natural disasters and various land use policies in economic regions (ERs) raises the issue of forest carbon sink efficiency (FCSE). This study adopted a DEA-SBM model that considers undesirable outputs to measure FCSE, and the Malmquist index (MI) approach to analyze total factor productivity (TFP) of forest carbon sinks, using panel data from 2009 to 2021. The results show that the average FCSE was 0.788, with an improvement rate of 21.2%. Scale efficiency is the main factor constraining FCSE in Russia. In twelve ERs, forest carbon sinks are efficient only in the Kaliningrad and West Siberian ERs. In general, forest carbon sinks in Russia are inefficient mainly due to forest fires and other natural disturbances (82.33%); excessive logging activities (38.64%); and lack of carbon absorption capacity (31.70%). The average score of their TFP is 0.970, indicating a decline of 3% over the study period. This is primarily attributed to the decline of 1.6% in technological change. The productivity of forest carbon sinks remained static only in the Kaliningrad ER, while other economic regions performed deterioration trends. Therefore, Russia should enhance the efficiency of forest carbon sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study encapsulates not just the collective resolve but presents a compelling narrative of countries' efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spanning from January 2020 to May 2022, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of countries' responses, including a critical examination of the vaccination period. The study introduces a predictive model using linear regression to project future confirmed cases and deaths, providing countries invaluable insights for navigating potential pandemics. The research employs Stepwise Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist Index (MI) to unveil efficiency trends in each country's battle against COVID-19 spread. The analysis unfolds in two dimensions: Assessing the efficiency of 29 countries, including those in the Middle East, in reducing the COVID-19 spread rate, and evaluating their efficiency in curbing the mortality rate. Pearson and Spearman Correlation tests shed light on nuanced relationships within the model. The results underscore the critical impact of variables on confirmed cases and deaths, revealing the pivotal role of country-specific characteristics such as the population, population density, and proportion of individuals aged over 65. This study not only contributes to our understanding but offers a strategic roadmap for countries to strengthen their defenses against future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel approach to assess countries' relative logistics performance differentials and identifies the underlying drivers using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. The findings offer strategic insights and provide nations with valuable guidance in navigating the dynamic landscape of global logistics competitiveness. Recognizing the pivotal role of logistics in fostering economic activity and contributing to sustainability, we utilize the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) within the DEA model to gauge efficiencies at the country level and scrutinize influencing factors. Our findings indicate that international shipment practices in the last decade, as well as tracking and tracing recently, no longer contribute to the competitiveness of the countries, despite their potential for improvement. The overall change in logistics efficiency during the last decade remained relatively marginal, primarily driven by the frontier-shift effect. However, notable disparities among the country performance groups, particularly in adopting technological advancements, are manifested in the frontier-shift effect. Countries with lower logistics performance should prioritize addressing structural challenges related to customs, infrastructure, quality of logistics services, and timeliness. Medium-performance countries, while benefiting from a focus on customs, tracking and tracing, and timeliness in the early 2010s, are advised to align their efforts with high-performance countries by emphasizing managerial aspects in recent times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road freight transport, an essential component of the logistics sector, faces challenges: high cost, low efficiency, and environmental impact. The need has become urgent to achieve a synergistic balance between low-carbon and high-efficiency development. This study used a three-stage DEA–Malmquist index model to analyze the road freight efficiency of Wuhan and 16 other cities in China from 2015 to 2020, and we compared Wuhan's performance with its peers. In addition, grey correlation analysis was used to evaluate the low-carbon development of urban road freight transport in Wuhan. Through the calculation of the degree of synergy between low-carbon development and freight transport efficiency, this study provides insights into the synergistic development of low-carbon and efficient road freight transport in Wuhan. The key findings show that the total factor productivity of road freight transport in Wuhan was generally on a downward trend from 2015 to 2020, and was lower than that of the average of the 17 selected Chinese cities. The carbon emissions of road freight transport in Wuhan inversely related to its scale efficiency. This study also points out that the synergy between low-carbon development and the economic efficiency of road freight transport in Wuhan is not high and needs to be further integrated and optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific measurement of regional atmospheric environmental efficiency is an important prerequisite for achieving energy conservation and haze reduction and regional green and high-quality development. Taking the cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2012 to 2021 as the research object, the atmospheric environmental efficiency is measured from both static and dynamic perspectives using the three-stage DEA model and the Malmquist index to analyze the characteristics of spatial and temporal differences. The study finds that the real atmospheric environmental efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta region is 0.915, and the elimination of environmental factors and random errors is crucial to the assessment of the efficiency. The atmospheric environmental efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta region is not 1, and there is still room for improvement, in which the pure technical efficiency is the main factor that leads to the overall low efficiency. Different environmental variables have different impacts on the atmospheric environmental efficiency, in which the positive impact of the industrial structure is the most significant. Urban agglomerations can be categorized into "high–high–high", "high–low–high", "low–low–high", and "low–high–low". The total factor productivity of the atmospheric environment showed a gradual growth trend during the study period, in which technological progress played the most important role. Based on this, countermeasures are proposed to better enhance the level of atmospheric environment management in the Yangtze River Delta region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important agricultural product base in China, Henan province crosses the Qinling-Huaihe River demarcation line between the north and the south of China. The efficiency of water resources in Henan Province is of great importance for China to realize water saving, consumption reduction and green sustainable development. However, serious water pollution, environmental degradation and other problems restrict the local economy sustainable development. This study aims to analyze the ecological efficiency of water resources in Henan Province by using the super efficiency SBM and Malmquist index model. The results showed that: (1) the ecological efficiency of water resources in most cities fluctuated and increased during 2010-2019, while some regions showed a downward trend due to the influence of geographical location and climate, (2) the ecological efficiency of water resources varies greatly among cities from the perspective of the spatial pattern and the regions with higher ecological efficiency of water resources are concentrated in the economically developed centers which have a driving effect on the surrounding areas, (3) historical resources, economic development level and technological progress all have an impact on the eco-efficiency of water resources, among which technological progress has the greatest impact. In addition, suggestions on effective utilization of water resources are put forward according to its change rules and influencing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Multipurpose Utilization of Mineral Resources / Kuangchan Zonghe Liyong is the property of Multipurpose Utilization of Mineral Resources Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hacettepe University Journal of Economics & Administrative Sciences / Hacettepe Üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Hacettepe University, Faculty of Economic & Administrative Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The background of the study is the analysis of social expenditure efficiency in European countries over time. Terminological considerations leading from hedonism and eudaimonism to the concept of subjectively perceived well-being and the Easterlin paradox are necessary to understand the differences in changes in the level of well-being among countries and over time. The purpose of the study is to analyse citizens' declarations on subjective well-being as an indicator of the efficiency of social policy. The methods used for statistical analysis are conventional and dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques. The EU-SILC and OurWorldInData.org data analysed with DEA provided the main results. The study identified significant fluctuations in subjective well-being, with a clear long-term upward trend. Among the surveyed countries, there are those where progress is due to internal factors, while in the Mediterranean countries, external factors predominate. The level of the estimated DEA efficiency indicators (TC and EC) indicate the improvement in input efficiency in a substantive number of countries, e.g., Estonia and Cyprus, along with persistently low indicator values in some member states, Italy and Luxemburg. In conclusion, the author indicated areas in individual countries where attempts to improve social policy are needed to raise and maintain desirable levels of subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With environmental degradation and energy shortages, green and low-carbon development has become an industry trend, especially in regards to cold chain logistics (CCL), where energy consumption and emissions are substantial. In this context, determining how to scientifically evaluate the cold chain logistics efficiency (CCLE) under carbon emission constraints is of great significance for achieving sustainable development. This study uses the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist index model to analyze the overall level and regional differences regarding CCLE in China's four major urban agglomerations, under carbon constraints, from 2010 to 2020. Then, the influencing factors of CCLE are identified through Tobit regression. The results reveal that: (1) the CCLE in the four urban agglomerations is overestimated when carbon constraints are not considered; (2) the CCLE in the four urban agglomerations shows an upward trend from 2010 to 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 1.25% in regards to total factor productivity. However, there are significant spatial and temporal variations, with low-scale efficiency being the primary constraint. (3) Different influencing factors have different directions and exert different effects on CCLE in different urban agglomerations, and the improvement of economic development levels positively affects all regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the performance dynamics of Oman's principal part of electricity generation. Emphasis is placed on capturing the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry's performance indicators. We utilised the Malmquist Index method to analyse the changes in overall performance indicators over time. This approach allows us to distinguish between efficiency and technology changes. In addition, we employed the analysis of variance approach to test hypotheses related to COVID-19. Data is collected from twelve electricity producers across Oman's power sector. These consist of companies listed on the Stock Exchange Market in Oman, accounting for about 60 % of the total electricity production in the Sultanate. The predominant findings indicate that COVID-19 detrimentally impacted the sector's aggregate performance in 2020 but had a swift recovery in 2021. The analysis of the sample firm's productivity indices verifies that the decline in productivity in 2020 due to the Pandemic is attributable to a decrease in average efficiency indices and a negative shift in the projected frontier. These are probable consequences of the recessionary effects caused by the Pandemic. Despite a considerable decrease in average efficiency scores, a positive change in the frontier has facilitated a rapid recovery in 2021. This recovery can be attributed to the implementation of advanced technical upgrades in particular enterprises, which began as early as 2018/2019, well before the onset of the Pandemic.

【Objective】The study was carried out to accurately understand the output efficiency of fishery in Guangdong Province and provide data reference for the development of low-consumption and high-yield sustainable fishery in Guangdong.【Method】The comprehensive technical efficiency and total factor productivity indexes (TFP) as well as their decomposition of fisheries in Guangdong from 2011 to 2022 were calculated and analyzed based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index.【Result】The comprehensive technical efficiency of fishery in Guangdong was higher than the national average level every year, however, the returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong decreased progressively during 2011-2014, 2018-2019 and 2021. By calculating the comprehensive technical efficiency of aquaculture and fishing of aquatic products in Guangdong, it was found that the comprehensive technical efficiency of aquaculture in Guangdong during 2011-2022 was relatively high, and all of them were DEA effective except for that in 2013 and 2014. The projection of aquaculture and fishing of aquatic products in Guangdong in the year of DEA ineffectiveness was adjusted to DEA efficiency. The results showed that the redundancy rate of aquaculture input in 2013 and 2014 were 5.98% and 10.46%, respectively. The redundancy rates of fishing input in Guangdong in 2011—2014, 2018—2019 and 2021 ranged from 39.73% t o 74.27%, indicating that the excessive input in fishing of aquatic products and the resulting low comprehensive technical efficiency of fishing were the main reason for the decrease in returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong during 2011—2014, 2018—2019 and 2021. The technological progress and increase rate of TFP of fishery in Guangdong were far from the national average level, and both the TFP and technological progress index were 4.7% lower than those of the national average, indicating that there was a large space for improvement in technological progress of fishery Guangdong.【Conclusion】It is suggested that Guangdong should increase the investment of fishery science and technology and strengthen the innovation of fishery technology to promote the progress of fishery technology and improve the TFP; speed up the adjustment of fishery industry structure, and rationally arrange the scale of aquaculture and fishing to solve the problem of decreasing returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong; strengthen the protection of fishery resources and the enhancement and release of fishery to use natural productivity to increase catchable fishery resources; enhance the creation of improved aquatic varieties and the development of new breeding models and technologies, to further expand the aquaculture space and improve the output efficiency of aquaculture.

Presently, the process of assessing the effectiveness of higher education institutions and analysing the dynamics of its change needs to be improved, which determines the relevance of this study. The purpose of this study was to improve the assessment of the efficiency of agricultural higher education institutions of Ukraine in the scientific and journalistic context, as well as to investigate the changes in dynamics using the non-parametric method of assessing the relative efficiency of data envelopment analysis. The study used methods of statistical processing and data analysis, linear programming, computer computing to solve research problems, and logical and analytical methods to determine the purpose of the study, the means of achieving it, substantiate the findings of the study, and formulate conclusions. To evaluate the effectiveness of scientific and publishing activities of these higher education institutions, the input-oriented model of variable returns to scale of the data envelopment analysis method was applied. Using statistical data for 2020- 2022, the net technical efficiency of scientific and publishing activities of 37 agricultural higher education institutions of Ukraine was assessed. Based on the results of the assessment, a rating of agricultural higher education institutions in Ukraine was compiled. It was found that in 2021 and 2022, 27% of the surveyed higher education institutions were 100% effective. The average net technical efficiency in 2021 and 2022 was 0.91. In 2021-2022, 27% of agricultural higher education institutions increased the efficiency of scientific and publishing activities, 59% did not change, and 14% decreased. On average, there was a 1% increase in the use of educational resources in the field of agricultural higher education. Thus, the scientific and publication activities of agricultural higher education institutions during the study period are progressive. The findings of this study can be used for a reasonable ranking of higher education institutions according to the efficiency of scientific and publishing activities, analysis of the dynamics of changes in efficiency

In the 21st century there is a lot of attention on sustainability (whether social or environmental). However, unfortunately, the economic perspective has been largely neglected in the field of education. This article deals with a quantitative assessment of the efficiency of tertiary education in individual EU countries, which allows to include the economic aspect of the evaluation. Furthermore, we are expanding the commonly established evaluation system based on the number of graduates to include another area, namely the graduate's employability on the labor market. We believe that for a correct evaluation of individual education systems it is necessary to include the relevance and quality of acquired knowledge and skills. Although the efficiency assessment is carried out for the whole EU, the results are presented according to identified groups of countries that have similar education systems. Countries such as Ireland and France emerge as top performers because of their ability to produce large numbers of graduates given their resources. Malta and Luxembourg have also performed very well in the efficiency assessment, although they produce far fewer graduates in terms of resources, but thanks to the system set up, graduates in these countries are highly employable in the labor market.

Currently, the process of the digital transformation of EU countries is very important and often discussed. It will not only bring new opportunities for companies and the broader population but will also enable the transition to a more ecological economy. An important goal is to speed up the digitalization processes taking place in companies. It is very important to use already established digitalization elements more efficiently. This also resulted in the motivation for the given research. The aim of this paper is to quantify the change in the efficiency of the digital transformation of EU countries. As part of this research, the Variable Returns to Scale Data Envelopment Analysis (VRS DEA) model and the Malmquist index (MI) based on the DEA approach were applied. The results of the model made it possible to assess how the changes in technical efficiency and technological changes contributed to the changes in efficiency. The long-term theoretical added value of this paper lies in its proposal for countries and their governments to monitor not only the number of introduced digital elements, but also the efficiency of their use relative to some aggregate output; for example, GDP (Gross Domestic Product) or unemployment rate. The added value of this research is that less developed countries use digitalization elements more effectively than developed countries.

In this study, the static and dynamic performance efficiencies of container terminals are analyzed and compared for the main container terminals in China and Korea. The static performance efficiency is calculated using the Super-SBM model based on slack variables at the micro-level. An analysis on the dynamic performance efficiency is conducted with the Malmquist index method. The factors of scale and technology of container terminals are mainly taken into account to explore the performance efficient improvement path of container ports. We obtained the following conclusions: (1) The container terminals in Korea show a similar performance efficiency level to the terminals in China, and their performance efficiency is an overall upward trend over the past five years. (2) The main reason for inefficiency in the container terminals in China and Korea is predominantly scale inefficiency. (3) Boosting the automation degree does not have a completely positive impact on the efficiency of the terminal. (4) In 2019–2023, the technical progress index of all container terminals in China and Korea showed a decreasing trend, leading to performance inefficiency of the container terminals.

[Objective] The study was carried out to accurately understand the output efficiency of fishery in Guangdong Province and provide data reference for the development of low-consumption and high-yield sustainable fishery in Guangdong. [Method] The comprehensive technical efficiency and total factor productivity indexes (TFP) as well as their decomposition of fisheries in Guangdong from 2011 to 2022 were calculated and analyzed based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index. [Result] The comprehensive technical efficiency of fishery in Guangdong was higher than the national average level every year, however, the returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong decreased progressively during 2011-2014, 2018-2019 and 2021. By calculating the comprehensive technical efficiency of aquaculture and fishing of aquatic products in Guangdong, it was found that the comprehensive technical efficiency of aquaculture in Guangdong during 2011-2022 was relatively high, and all of them were DEA effective except for that in 2013 and 2014. The projection of aquaculture and fishing of aquatic products in Guangdong in the year of DEA ineffectiveness was adjusted to DEA efficiency. The results showed that the redundancy rate of aquaculture input in 2013 and 2014 were 5.98% and 10.46%, respectively. The redundancy rates of fishing input in Guangdong in 2011—2014, 2018—2019 and 2021 ranged from 39.73% t o 74.27%, indicating that the excessive input in fishing of aquatic products and the resulting low comprehensive technical efficiency of fishing were the main reason for the decrease in returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong during 2011—2014, 2018—2019 and 2021. The technological progress and increase rate of TFP of fishery in Guangdong were far from the national average level, and both the TFP and technological progress index were 4.7% lower than those of the national average, indicating that there was a large space for improvement in technological progress of fishery Guangdong. [Conclusion] It is suggested that Guangdong should increase the investment of fishery science and technology and strengthen the innovation of fishery technology to promote the progress of fishery technology and improve the TFP; speed up the adjustment of fishery industry structure, and rationally arrange the scale of aquaculture and fishing to solve the problem of decreasing returns to scale of fishery in Guangdong; strengthen the protection of fishery resources and the enhancement and release of fishery to use natural productivity to increase catchable fishery resources; enhance the creation of improved aquatic varieties and the development of new breeding models and technologies, to further expand the aquaculture space and improve the output efficiency of aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the performance of Colombian universities in their research and knowledge transfer (KT) objectives in the period 2016–2018. The methodology was based on Data Envelopment Analysis models with Variable Return Scale and a Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) using different combinations of variables, considering the sensitivity of performance according to the type of variables used for its measurement. The results allowed us to identify significant gaps in research output among the studied universities. Publications and patents are the main variables that influence these differences in university performance and impact their scores. On the other hand, the MPI analysis made it possible to identify that most of the universities with the most significant improvements in the analyzed period correspond to private universities, and it was possible to recognize the importance of institutional efforts and strategies as an explanatory factor for progress in the performance of universities in the studied objectives. The results obtained formed the starting point for the discussion about the implications of some incentive policies at the national and institutional level for academic production. We also refer to the KT opportunities for Colombian universities and the measures required to promote their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing carbon productivity is an effective means to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. To coordinate the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions reduction in the Yellow River Basin, the carbon productivity of 9 provinces（regions） in the Yellow River Basin from 2007 to 2017 is calculated. Based on DEA-Malmquist’s total factor carbon productivity model, the spatiotemporal evolution trajectory and spatial distribution pattern of total factor carbon productivity of 9 provinces（regions） is deduced. The potential improvement space of total factor carbon productivity is scientifically decomposed and the influencing factors of the spatiotemporal evolution of carbon productivity is identified. Based on this, the improvement path of carbon productivity in the Yellow River Basin is condensed. The results show that, 1) in the time dimension, the carbon productivity of 9 provinces（regions） rise steadily with the growth of per capita GDP,an increase of 283.3%, while the total factor carbon productivity remains at around 1.000. 2) In the spatial dimension, the regional heterogeneity of carbon productivity and total factor carbon productivity is relatively large affected by economic development and resource endowments, showing a spatial evolution pattern of “downstream significantly higher than midstream, and midstream slightly higher than upstream”. 3) From the point of influencing factors, the midstream and upstream belong to technical efficiency-driven, the role of technological progress is weak, while the downstream is a co-promotion type of technological progress and technological efficiency. Based on this, this paper proposes strategic suggestions such as innovating institutional mechanisms, promoting low-carbon development models, focusing on lowcarbon technology innovation, accelerating energy structure adjustment, strengthening regional integration cooperation, and improving factor allocation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse the changes made to the basic EU directive on waste and assess its impact on the waste legislation of EU members. We then examine the Slovak waste strategies/programs that have implemented the EU directive on waste, namely the Waste Prevention Program, the Waste Management Program, and the Envirostrategy 2030. Based on EU waste legislation, the Environmental Strategy 2030 sets the waste treatment aims for Slovakia until 2030. However, it is questionable whether Slovakia will achieve the set goals. Our research indicates that as of 2021, Slovakia's rate of waste incineration with energy recovery and landfilling rate of municipal waste are below the EU average, while the recycling rate, both for materials and composting and digestion, is higher. In our quantitative analysis, we examine the progress of waste management performance in Slovakia from 2017 to 2021, focusing on the LAU-1 districts. We estimate composite efficiency indicators using the techniques of Data Envelopment Analysis and Malmquist Indices. In accordance with the hierarchy of waste treatment methods, the applied models consider desirable waste operations variables (recycling and incineration with energy recovery) and undesirable waste operation variables (landfilling). Our results reveal significant variations in efficiency across the LAU-1 districts. The average technical efficiency of the 72 districts has improved from 0.714 in 2017 to 0.852 in 2021, indicating that the performance of districts is generally improving and catching up with the best-performing districts. The total performance, as measured by the Malmquist index, has improved by 45.5 %. Districts with access to waste incineration facilities with energy recovery have exhibited higher efficiency scores, benefitting from this advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]