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Nonparametric Measures of Scale Economies and Capacity Utilization: An Application to U.S. Manufacturing

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  • Subhash C. Ray

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

An economic measure of scale efficiency is the ratio of the minimum average cost to the average cost at the actual output level of a firm. It is easily measured by the ratio of the total cost of this output under the constant and variable returns to scale assumptions. This procedure does not identify the output level where the average cost reaches a minimum. This paper proposes a nonparametric method of measuring this output level using DEA. The relation between this efficient production scale, the short run physical capacity output, and the most productive scale size (MPSS) is also discussed. An empirical application using state level data from U.S. manufacturing is used to illustrate the procedure.

Suggested Citation

  • Subhash C. Ray, 2013. "Nonparametric Measures of Scale Economies and Capacity Utilization: An Application to U.S. Manufacturing," Working papers 2013-09, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2013-09
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Zhenling & Zhang, Xiaoling & Ni, Guohua, 2020. "Decomposing capacity utilization under carbon dioxide emissions reduction constraints in data envelopment analysis: An application to Chinese regions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    2. Lee, Chia-Yen & Charles, Vincent, 2022. "A robust capacity expansion integrating the perspectives of marginal productivity and capacity regret," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 296(2), pages 557-569.
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    4. Subhash C. Ray & Shilpa Sethia, 2022. "Nonparametric measurement of potential gains from mergers: an additive decomposition and application to Indian bank mergers," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 115-130, April.
    5. Yu, Shiwei & Lu, Tingwei & Hu, Xing & Liu, Lancui & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2021. "Determinants of overcapacity in China’s renewable energy industry: Evidence from wind, photovoltaic, and biomass energy enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Subhash C. Ray & John Walden & Lei Chen, 2018. "Economic Measures of Capacity Utilization: A Nonparametric Cost Function Analysis," Working papers 2018-02, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    7. Ya Wang & Jiaofeng Pan & Ruimin Pei & Guoliang Yang & Bowen Yi, 2020. "A Framework for Assessing Green Capacity Utilization Considering CO 2 Emissions in China’s High-Tech Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, May.
    8. Dellnitz, Andreas & Tavana, Madjid, 2024. "Data envelopment analysis: From non-monotonic to monotonic scale elasticities," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 318(2), pages 549-559.
    9. Yao-yao Song & Xian-tong Ren & Guo-liang Yang, 2023. "Capacity utilization change over time," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 61-78, February.
    10. Salnikov, Vladimir & Galimov, Dmitry & Mikheeva, Olga & Gnidchenko, Andrey & Rybalka, Alexey, 2017. "Russian manufacturing production capacity: Primary trends and structural characteristics," Russian Journal of Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 240-262.
    11. Yang, Guo-liang & Fukuyama, Hirofumi, 2018. "Measuring the Chinese regional production potential using a generalized capacity utilization indicator," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 112-127.
    12. Wang, Delu & Wan, Kaidi & Song, Xuefeng, 2018. "Quota allocation of coal overcapacity reduction among provinces in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 170-181.
    13. Yang, Jiawei & Li, Yuanyu & Fang, Lei, 2023. "Financing capacity planning with environmental considerations: A non-parametric analysis," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    14. Dale Squires & Kathleen Segerson, 2022. "Capacity and Capacity Utilization in Production Economics," Springer Books, in: Subhash C. Ray & Robert G. Chambers & Subal C. Kumbhakar (ed.), Handbook of Production Economics, chapter 24, pages 1001-1037, Springer.
    15. Maha Kalai, 2019. "Nonparametric Measures of Capacity Utilization of the Tunisian Manufacturing Industry: Short- and Long-Run Dual Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(1), pages 318-334, March.
    16. Kamel Helali & Maha Kalai & Thouraya Boujelbene, 2016. "Short-run decomposition of profit efficiency and its relationship with the Tunisian manufacturing capacity utilisation," International Journal of Applied Management Science, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(1), pages 38-51.
    17. Yang, Guo-liang & Fukuyama, Hirofumi & Song, Yao-yao, 2019. "Estimating capacity utilization of Chinese manufacturing industries," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 94-110.
    18. Delu Wang & Xun Xue & Yadong Wang, 2021. "Overcapacity Risk of China’s Coal Power Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment and Driving Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, January.
    19. Wang, Delu & Wang, Yadong & Jiang, Wuding & Shi, Xunpeng, 2023. "Has outward foreign direct investment alleviated industrial overcapacity in China? An empirical test of the upstream and downstream industrial links," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 250-263.
    20. Fukuyama, Hirofumi & Song, Yao-yao & Ren, Xian-tong & Yang, Guo-liang, 2022. "Using a novel DEA-based model to investigate capacity utilization of Chinese firms," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    21. Mohieddine Rahmouni, 2021. "Determinants of capacity utilisation by firms in developing countries: evidence from Tunisia," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(3), pages 212-245.
    22. Ray, Subhash C. & Walden, John & Chen, Lei, 2021. "Economic measures of capacity utilization: A nonparametric short-run cost function analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 293(1), pages 375-387.
    23. Chaudhuri, Kausik & Kumbhakar, Subal C. & Sundaram, Lavanya, 2016. "Estimation of firm performance from a MIMIC model," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(1), pages 298-307.
    24. Fukuyama, Hirofumi & Liu, Hui-hui & Song, Yao-yao & Yang, Guo-liang, 2021. "Measuring the capacity utilization of the 48 largest iron and steel enterprises in China," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 288(2), pages 648-665.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Efficient output; Most Productive Scale Size; Data Envelopment Analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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