Bernhard Mahlberg - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Economic drivers of greenhouse gas-emissions in sm by Bernhard Mahlberg

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring and explaining productivity growth of renewable energy producers: An empirical study of Austrian biogas plants

Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2018

This study explores productivity growth for a group of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 201... more This study explores productivity growth for a group of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 2014 using Data Envelopment Analysis. The sample covers about 25 % of the installed electric capacity of Austrian biogas plants. Productivity growth is measured by calculating the Malmquist productivity index, and the contributions of technical change, efficiency change and scale change to productivity growth are isolated. Average annual productivity growth between 2006 and 2014 is 1.1 %. The decomposition of the Malmquist index shows that the annual scale change, technical change, and efficiency change for the average plant is 0.6 %, 0.3 % and 0.3 %, respectively. Those results indicate that the exploitation of returns to scale is a major driver of productivity growth in the Austrian biogas sector. However, there is a large variation in productivity growth across biogas plants. A second-stage regression analysis identifies important determinants of productivity growth. The results show that i) the exploitation of returns to scale as well as changes in ii) output diversification iii) capital intensity, iv) capacity utilization and v) feedstock prices are positively associated with productivity growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Size, Subsidies and Technical Efficiency in Renewable Energy Production: The Case of Austrian Biogas Plants

This study estimates the efficiency of biogas plants and identifies determinants of inefficiencie... more This study estimates the efficiency of biogas plants and identifies determinants of inefficiencies. Data Envelopment Analysis is applied on a sample of 86 Austrian biogas plants for the year 2014, covering about one third of the installed electric capacity of Austrian biogas plants. We decompose technical efficiency into scale efficiency and pure technical efficiency (managerial efficiency). In a second-stage regression analysis the effects of subsidies and other variables on managerial efficiency are investigated. The main results are: i) 34% of biogas plants in our sample are technically efficient, 40% are scale efficient and 50% are managerial efficient; ii) small biogas plants (less than or equal to 100 kW) are scale inefficient exhibiting increasing returns to scale; iii) production subsidies show a significant, negative relationship to managerial efficiency. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that production subsidies provide a disincentive to managerial effort of plant operators.

Research paper thumbnail of The impact of financial crises on the finance-growth relationship: a European perspective

Rousseau and Wachtel (2011) [Rousseau, P., Wachtel, P., 2011. What is happening to the impact of ... more Rousseau and Wachtel (2011) [Rousseau, P., Wachtel, P., 2011. What is happening to the impact of financial deepening on economic growth? Economic Inquiry 49, 276-288] find a weakening effect of bank finance on growth for more recent periods in replicating King and Levine (1993) [King, R. G., Levine, R., 1993. Finance and Growth: Schumpeter Might Be Right. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 108, 717-737] in a heterogeneous sample up to 2004. We contribute by re-examining this finding for a focused set of 26 European countries up to 2009. In a second step, we introduce an aggregated finance variable into the model which accounts for aggregate credit, bond and stock markets. We reconfirm a weakening effect of finance on growth, which is persistent even when dummy variables are added to control for financial crises. The development of European financial markets seems to have not only decoupled from the real sector but also to exert an inverted impact on growth. We attribute our finding to structural change between bank-driven and market-driven setup, threshold effects and the procyclical nature of financial markets.

Research paper thumbnail of Productivity change in a multisectoral economic system

We estimate productivity growth without recourse to data on factor input shares or prices. In the... more We estimate productivity growth without recourse to data on factor input shares or prices. In the proposed model, the economy is represented by the Leontief input-output model, which is extended by the constraints of primary inputs. A Luenberger productivity indicator is proposed to estimate productivity change; this is then decomposed in a way that enables us to examine the contributions of individual production factors and individual commodities to productivity change. The results allow the inference of which inputs or outputs of an economy are the drivers of the overall productivity change– this is then decomposed into efficiency change and technical change components. Using input-output tables of the US economy for the period 1977 to 2006, we show that technical progress is the main source of productivity change. Technical progress, in turn, is mostly driven by capital whereas low-skilled labour contributes negatively.

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring productivity and growth within a broader development concept of sustainability, equitability and democracy using Data Envelopment Analysis

In this paper we empirically try to estimate productivity and growth of the world's economies... more In this paper we empirically try to estimate productivity and growth of the world's economies by selected indicators measuring sustainability, equity, and the state of democratic rights and civil liberties. We use models from the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) literature to compare productivity levels in a multiple output setting. This productivity level can then be interpreted as a new human development indicator. In fact, in one I/O relation we re-estimate with the method of the DEA the human development index by using the indicators that define the index. Country clusters that are similar to each other in their transformational pattern are identified, while also interesting outliers can be singled out. Such outliers are either frontier societies or countries that are locked in an underdevelopment trap. Finally, we discuss the key principles of a development strategy that are based on broader criteria and indicators on the transformation of societies.

Research paper thumbnail of The Overall Perspective: Economic, Legal and Policy Conclusions

Research paper thumbnail of Effizienz Österreichischer Und Deutscher Versicherungen-Ein Vergleich

ABSTRACT Alpha beta gamma delta.

Research paper thumbnail of Effizienz und Skalenerträge österreichischer und deutscher Krankenversicherer

Research paper thumbnail of Efficiency progress and productivity change in Germany insurance industry

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure changes in efficiency and productivity over tim... more Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure changes in efficiency and productivity over time in the German insurance industry. These are important impacts of the liberalization and opening of the German insurance market. With the aid of the Data Envelopment Analysis ...

Research paper thumbnail of Alters-und Bildungsstruktur der Arbeitnehmer in Österreichischen Unternehmen 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Die volkswirtschaftliche Bedeutung des Pferdes in Österreich: makroökonomische Studie

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring input-specific productivity change based on the Principle of Least Action

In for-profit organizations, efficiency and productivity measurement with reference to the potent... more In for-profit organizations, efficiency and productivity measurement with reference to the potential for input-specific reductions is particularly important and has been the focus of interest in the recent literature. Different approaches can be formulated to measure and decompose input-specific productivity change over time. In this paper, we highlight some problems within existing approaches and propose a new methodology based on the Principle of Least Action. In particular, this model is operationalized in the form of a non-radial Luenberger productivity indicator based on the determination of the least distance to the strongly efficient frontier of the considered production possibility sets, which are estimated by non-parametric techniques based upon Data Envelopment Analysis. In our approach, overall productivity change is the sum of input-specific productivity changes. Overall productivity change and input-specific changes are broken up into indicators of efficiency change and technical change. This decomposition enables the researcher to quantify the contributions of each production factor to productivity change and its components. In this way, the drivers of productivity development are revealed. For illustration purposes the new approach is applied to a recent dataset of Polish dairy processing firms.

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative measures of environmental technology structure in DEA: An application

European Journal of Operational Research, 2011

The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) con... more The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) considers handling undesirable outputs in two alternative ways: either in their original forms with the assumption that these are weakly disposable or in various translated forms with the assumption that these are strongly disposable. Choosing a particular approach implies adoption of a particular, distinct treatment of undesirable outputs, and

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the drivers of total factor productivity change with an illustrative example of 14 EU countries

Ecological Economics, 2011

Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 200... more Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 2004. Eco-efficiency analysis of power plants: An extension of data envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research 154, 437–46], this contribution centers on the development of an intertemporal comparison in order to analyze eco-efficiency change over time. In this setup two model variants by Korhonen and Luptacik (2004) are used in order to provide deeper insights concerning the driving forces for the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Radial and non-radial decompositions of Luenberger productivity indicator with an illustrative application

International Journal of Production Economics, 2011

Viewing slacks as one possible source of inefficiency, and that inputs have differential importan... more Viewing slacks as one possible source of inefficiency, and that inputs have differential importance in the production process, this paper develops, based on the directional Russell measure of inefficiency, the non-radial Luenberger indicator. This indicator is then shown as the sum of the individual inputspecific Luenberger indicators. The Luenberger indicator and its various input-specific indicators are also then shown as the composite measure of efficiency change and technical change. This decomposition enables the researcher to empirically examine the contributions of each factor input towards the productivity change and its components-efficiency change and technical change. Our proposed decomposition scheme is then empirically illustrated to analyze the eco-productivity performance behavior of the 22 OECD countries during the period 1995-2004. Our results indicate that first, the productivity change estimates yielded from the non-radial Luenberger indicator are different from those yielded from its radial counterpart, when slacks are present; second, most of these countries are found experiencing productivity growth due to technical progress alone; and finally, as regards the order of input-specific contributions towards productivity growth, capital contributes the most, followed by savings in emissions and labor, respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the drivers of total factor productivity change with an illustrative example of 14 EU countries

Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 200... more Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 2004. Eco-efficiency analysis of power plants: An extension of data envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research 154, 437–46], this contribution centers on the development of an intertemporal comparison in order to analyze eco-efficiency change over time. In this setup two model variants by Korhonen and Luptacik (2004) are used in order to provide deeper insights concerning the driving forces for the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative measures of environmental technology structure in DEA: An application

European Journal of Operational Research

The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) con... more The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) considers handling undesirable outputs in two alternative ways: either in their original forms with the assumption that these are weakly disposable or in various translated forms with the assumption that these are strongly disposable. Choosing a particular approach implies adoption of a particular, distinct treatment of undesirable outputs, and hence yields a distinct set of EE estimates. To explore the effects of the interplay between choice of EE measure and specific treatment of undesirable outputs, this paper attempts to generate all possible output-oriented EE measures based on these two alternative approaches. Furthermore, guided by the argument that slacks are important in identifying properly the efficiency behavior of firms, it proposes two new alternative, slacks-based formulations of EE: one based on the range directional model, and the other on the generalized proportional dista...

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposing technical inefficiency using the principle of least action

European Journal of Operational Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposing technical inefficiency using the principle of least action

journal article

In for-profit organizations, profit efficiency decomposition is considered important since estima... more In for-profit organizations, profit efficiency decomposition is considered important since estimates on profit drivers are of practical use to managers in their decision making. Profit efficiency is traditionally due to two sources - technical efficiency and allocative efficiency. The contribution of this paper is a novel decomposition of technical efficiency that could be more practical to use if the firm under evaluation really wants to achieve technical efficiency as soon as possible. For this purpose, we show how a new version of the Measure of Inefficiency Proportions (MIP), which seeks the minimization of the total technical effort by the assessed firm, is a lower bound of the value of technical inefficiency associated with the directional distance function. The targets provided by the new MIP could be beneficial for firms since it specifies how firms may become technically efficient simply by decreasing one input or increasing one output, suggesting that each firm should focus its effort on a specific dimension (input or output). This approach is operationalized in a data envelopment analysis framework and applied to a dataset of airlines.

Research paper thumbnail of Eco-efficiency and eco-productivity change over time in a multisectoral economic system

journal article, May 1, 2014

We measure eco-efficiency of an economy by means of an augmented Leontief input–output model exte... more We measure eco-efficiency of an economy by means of an augmented Leontief input–output model extended by constraints for primary inputs. Using a multi-objective optimisation model the eco-efficiency frontier of the economy is generated. The results of these multi-objective optimisation problems define eco-efficient virtual decision making units (DMUs). The eco-efficiency is obtained as a solution of a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with virtual DMUs defining the potential and a DMU describing the actual performance of the economy. This procedure is then extended to an intertemporal approach in the spirit of the Luenberger productivity indicator. This indicator permits decomposing eco-productivity change into eco-efficiency change and eco-technical change. The indicator is then further decompounded in a way that enables us to examine the contributions of individual production factors, undesirable as well as desirable outputs to eco-productivity change over time. For illustration purposes the proposed model is applied to investigate eco-productivity growth of the Austrian economy.

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring and explaining productivity growth of renewable energy producers: An empirical study of Austrian biogas plants

Munich Personal RePEc Archive, 2018

This study explores productivity growth for a group of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 201... more This study explores productivity growth for a group of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 2014 using Data Envelopment Analysis. The sample covers about 25 % of the installed electric capacity of Austrian biogas plants. Productivity growth is measured by calculating the Malmquist productivity index, and the contributions of technical change, efficiency change and scale change to productivity growth are isolated. Average annual productivity growth between 2006 and 2014 is 1.1 %. The decomposition of the Malmquist index shows that the annual scale change, technical change, and efficiency change for the average plant is 0.6 %, 0.3 % and 0.3 %, respectively. Those results indicate that the exploitation of returns to scale is a major driver of productivity growth in the Austrian biogas sector. However, there is a large variation in productivity growth across biogas plants. A second-stage regression analysis identifies important determinants of productivity growth. The results show that i) the exploitation of returns to scale as well as changes in ii) output diversification iii) capital intensity, iv) capacity utilization and v) feedstock prices are positively associated with productivity growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Size, Subsidies and Technical Efficiency in Renewable Energy Production: The Case of Austrian Biogas Plants

This study estimates the efficiency of biogas plants and identifies determinants of inefficiencie... more This study estimates the efficiency of biogas plants and identifies determinants of inefficiencies. Data Envelopment Analysis is applied on a sample of 86 Austrian biogas plants for the year 2014, covering about one third of the installed electric capacity of Austrian biogas plants. We decompose technical efficiency into scale efficiency and pure technical efficiency (managerial efficiency). In a second-stage regression analysis the effects of subsidies and other variables on managerial efficiency are investigated. The main results are: i) 34% of biogas plants in our sample are technically efficient, 40% are scale efficient and 50% are managerial efficient; ii) small biogas plants (less than or equal to 100 kW) are scale inefficient exhibiting increasing returns to scale; iii) production subsidies show a significant, negative relationship to managerial efficiency. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that production subsidies provide a disincentive to managerial effort of plant operators.

Research paper thumbnail of The impact of financial crises on the finance-growth relationship: a European perspective

Rousseau and Wachtel (2011) [Rousseau, P., Wachtel, P., 2011. What is happening to the impact of ... more Rousseau and Wachtel (2011) [Rousseau, P., Wachtel, P., 2011. What is happening to the impact of financial deepening on economic growth? Economic Inquiry 49, 276-288] find a weakening effect of bank finance on growth for more recent periods in replicating King and Levine (1993) [King, R. G., Levine, R., 1993. Finance and Growth: Schumpeter Might Be Right. The Quarterly Journal of Economics 108, 717-737] in a heterogeneous sample up to 2004. We contribute by re-examining this finding for a focused set of 26 European countries up to 2009. In a second step, we introduce an aggregated finance variable into the model which accounts for aggregate credit, bond and stock markets. We reconfirm a weakening effect of finance on growth, which is persistent even when dummy variables are added to control for financial crises. The development of European financial markets seems to have not only decoupled from the real sector but also to exert an inverted impact on growth. We attribute our finding to structural change between bank-driven and market-driven setup, threshold effects and the procyclical nature of financial markets.

Research paper thumbnail of Productivity change in a multisectoral economic system

We estimate productivity growth without recourse to data on factor input shares or prices. In the... more We estimate productivity growth without recourse to data on factor input shares or prices. In the proposed model, the economy is represented by the Leontief input-output model, which is extended by the constraints of primary inputs. A Luenberger productivity indicator is proposed to estimate productivity change; this is then decomposed in a way that enables us to examine the contributions of individual production factors and individual commodities to productivity change. The results allow the inference of which inputs or outputs of an economy are the drivers of the overall productivity change– this is then decomposed into efficiency change and technical change components. Using input-output tables of the US economy for the period 1977 to 2006, we show that technical progress is the main source of productivity change. Technical progress, in turn, is mostly driven by capital whereas low-skilled labour contributes negatively.

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring productivity and growth within a broader development concept of sustainability, equitability and democracy using Data Envelopment Analysis

In this paper we empirically try to estimate productivity and growth of the world's economies... more In this paper we empirically try to estimate productivity and growth of the world's economies by selected indicators measuring sustainability, equity, and the state of democratic rights and civil liberties. We use models from the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) literature to compare productivity levels in a multiple output setting. This productivity level can then be interpreted as a new human development indicator. In fact, in one I/O relation we re-estimate with the method of the DEA the human development index by using the indicators that define the index. Country clusters that are similar to each other in their transformational pattern are identified, while also interesting outliers can be singled out. Such outliers are either frontier societies or countries that are locked in an underdevelopment trap. Finally, we discuss the key principles of a development strategy that are based on broader criteria and indicators on the transformation of societies.

Research paper thumbnail of The Overall Perspective: Economic, Legal and Policy Conclusions

Research paper thumbnail of Effizienz Österreichischer Und Deutscher Versicherungen-Ein Vergleich

ABSTRACT Alpha beta gamma delta.

Research paper thumbnail of Effizienz und Skalenerträge österreichischer und deutscher Krankenversicherer

Research paper thumbnail of Efficiency progress and productivity change in Germany insurance industry

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure changes in efficiency and productivity over tim... more Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure changes in efficiency and productivity over time in the German insurance industry. These are important impacts of the liberalization and opening of the German insurance market. With the aid of the Data Envelopment Analysis ...

Research paper thumbnail of Alters-und Bildungsstruktur der Arbeitnehmer in Österreichischen Unternehmen 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Die volkswirtschaftliche Bedeutung des Pferdes in Österreich: makroökonomische Studie

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring input-specific productivity change based on the Principle of Least Action

In for-profit organizations, efficiency and productivity measurement with reference to the potent... more In for-profit organizations, efficiency and productivity measurement with reference to the potential for input-specific reductions is particularly important and has been the focus of interest in the recent literature. Different approaches can be formulated to measure and decompose input-specific productivity change over time. In this paper, we highlight some problems within existing approaches and propose a new methodology based on the Principle of Least Action. In particular, this model is operationalized in the form of a non-radial Luenberger productivity indicator based on the determination of the least distance to the strongly efficient frontier of the considered production possibility sets, which are estimated by non-parametric techniques based upon Data Envelopment Analysis. In our approach, overall productivity change is the sum of input-specific productivity changes. Overall productivity change and input-specific changes are broken up into indicators of efficiency change and technical change. This decomposition enables the researcher to quantify the contributions of each production factor to productivity change and its components. In this way, the drivers of productivity development are revealed. For illustration purposes the new approach is applied to a recent dataset of Polish dairy processing firms.

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative measures of environmental technology structure in DEA: An application

European Journal of Operational Research, 2011

The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) con... more The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) considers handling undesirable outputs in two alternative ways: either in their original forms with the assumption that these are weakly disposable or in various translated forms with the assumption that these are strongly disposable. Choosing a particular approach implies adoption of a particular, distinct treatment of undesirable outputs, and

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the drivers of total factor productivity change with an illustrative example of 14 EU countries

Ecological Economics, 2011

Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 200... more Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 2004. Eco-efficiency analysis of power plants: An extension of data envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research 154, 437–46], this contribution centers on the development of an intertemporal comparison in order to analyze eco-efficiency change over time. In this setup two model variants by Korhonen and Luptacik (2004) are used in order to provide deeper insights concerning the driving forces for the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Radial and non-radial decompositions of Luenberger productivity indicator with an illustrative application

International Journal of Production Economics, 2011

Viewing slacks as one possible source of inefficiency, and that inputs have differential importan... more Viewing slacks as one possible source of inefficiency, and that inputs have differential importance in the production process, this paper develops, based on the directional Russell measure of inefficiency, the non-radial Luenberger indicator. This indicator is then shown as the sum of the individual inputspecific Luenberger indicators. The Luenberger indicator and its various input-specific indicators are also then shown as the composite measure of efficiency change and technical change. This decomposition enables the researcher to empirically examine the contributions of each factor input towards the productivity change and its components-efficiency change and technical change. Our proposed decomposition scheme is then empirically illustrated to analyze the eco-productivity performance behavior of the 22 OECD countries during the period 1995-2004. Our results indicate that first, the productivity change estimates yielded from the non-radial Luenberger indicator are different from those yielded from its radial counterpart, when slacks are present; second, most of these countries are found experiencing productivity growth due to technical progress alone; and finally, as regards the order of input-specific contributions towards productivity growth, capital contributes the most, followed by savings in emissions and labor, respectively.

Research paper thumbnail of Examining the drivers of total factor productivity change with an illustrative example of 14 EU countries

Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 200... more Based on the different models developed by Korhonen and Luptacik [Korhonen, P., Luptacik, M., 2004. Eco-efficiency analysis of power plants: An extension of data envelopment analysis. European Journal of Operational Research 154, 437–46], this contribution centers on the development of an intertemporal comparison in order to analyze eco-efficiency change over time. In this setup two model variants by Korhonen and Luptacik (2004) are used in order to provide deeper insights concerning the driving forces for the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Alternative measures of environmental technology structure in DEA: An application

European Journal of Operational Research

The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) con... more The nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) literature on environmental efficiency (EE) considers handling undesirable outputs in two alternative ways: either in their original forms with the assumption that these are weakly disposable or in various translated forms with the assumption that these are strongly disposable. Choosing a particular approach implies adoption of a particular, distinct treatment of undesirable outputs, and hence yields a distinct set of EE estimates. To explore the effects of the interplay between choice of EE measure and specific treatment of undesirable outputs, this paper attempts to generate all possible output-oriented EE measures based on these two alternative approaches. Furthermore, guided by the argument that slacks are important in identifying properly the efficiency behavior of firms, it proposes two new alternative, slacks-based formulations of EE: one based on the range directional model, and the other on the generalized proportional dista...

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposing technical inefficiency using the principle of least action

European Journal of Operational Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposing technical inefficiency using the principle of least action

journal article

In for-profit organizations, profit efficiency decomposition is considered important since estima... more In for-profit organizations, profit efficiency decomposition is considered important since estimates on profit drivers are of practical use to managers in their decision making. Profit efficiency is traditionally due to two sources - technical efficiency and allocative efficiency. The contribution of this paper is a novel decomposition of technical efficiency that could be more practical to use if the firm under evaluation really wants to achieve technical efficiency as soon as possible. For this purpose, we show how a new version of the Measure of Inefficiency Proportions (MIP), which seeks the minimization of the total technical effort by the assessed firm, is a lower bound of the value of technical inefficiency associated with the directional distance function. The targets provided by the new MIP could be beneficial for firms since it specifies how firms may become technically efficient simply by decreasing one input or increasing one output, suggesting that each firm should focus its effort on a specific dimension (input or output). This approach is operationalized in a data envelopment analysis framework and applied to a dataset of airlines.

Research paper thumbnail of Eco-efficiency and eco-productivity change over time in a multisectoral economic system

journal article, May 1, 2014

We measure eco-efficiency of an economy by means of an augmented Leontief input–output model exte... more We measure eco-efficiency of an economy by means of an augmented Leontief input–output model extended by constraints for primary inputs. Using a multi-objective optimisation model the eco-efficiency frontier of the economy is generated. The results of these multi-objective optimisation problems define eco-efficient virtual decision making units (DMUs). The eco-efficiency is obtained as a solution of a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with virtual DMUs defining the potential and a DMU describing the actual performance of the economy. This procedure is then extended to an intertemporal approach in the spirit of the Luenberger productivity indicator. This indicator permits decomposing eco-productivity change into eco-efficiency change and eco-technical change. The indicator is then further decompounded in a way that enables us to examine the contributions of individual production factors, undesirable as well as desirable outputs to eco-productivity change over time. For illustration purposes the proposed model is applied to investigate eco-productivity growth of the Austrian economy.

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring and explaining productivity growth of renewable energy producers: An empirical study of Austrian biogas plants

Empirica, 2021

This study explores productivity growth of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 2014 using Data... more This study explores productivity growth of 65 Austrian biogas plants from 2006 to 2014 using Data Envelopment Analysis. Productivity growth is measured by calculating the Malmquist productivity index, and the contributions of technical change, efficiency change, and scale change to productivity growth are isolated. The results reveal that the average annual productivity growth between 2006 and 2014 is 1.1%. The decomposition of the Malmquist productivity index shows that the annual scale change, technical change, and efficiency change for the average plant is 0.6%, 0.3%, and 0.3%, respectively. These results indicate that the exploitation of returns to scale is a major driver of productivity growth and technical change is rather low. A second-stage regression analysis reveals that rising feedstock prices incentivized efficiency improvements but initial capital subsidies did not have an impact on technical change and productivity growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Industry 4.0–the future of Austrian jobs

Empirica, 2021

What are the socio-economic effects of the widespread introduction of robots, algorithms and digi... more What are the socio-economic effects of the widespread introduction of robots, algorithms and digital technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning? Following Frey and Osborne (London futures agiletown: the relentless march of technology and London’s response. Deloitte, 2014; The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?, Technol Forecast Social Change 114(C), 254–280, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.019) we apply the computerization probabilities to occupations in Austria. We conclude that about 40% of the Austrian workforce is active in occupations that are very likely to undergo substantial changes regarding task structure, skill requirement and working environment in the future, causing challenges and opportunities. We also provide evidence that compared to men, women in Austria seem more likely to be affected by technological changes, with sectoral orientation playing a role. Following EBRD (Skills, employment and automation. Chapter 2 in: EBRD (2018): Transition Report 2018–19, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London, 2018),we see a broader move towards job polarization. We see this as distributive consequences of technological change and argue that the consequences of technology refashioning socio-economic development are influencing market processes, actors and inequalities. As in previous technological advances, coping with these changes will require efforts on the individual as well as on the political level.

Research paper thumbnail of Economic drivers of greenhouse gas-emissions in small open economies: A hierarchical structural decomposition analysis

The Paris agreement has prescribed strict Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction targets for participatin... more The Paris agreement has prescribed strict Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction targets for participating countries. Implementation of climate protection policies is challenging, especially if the economy is export driven. We introduce a hierarchical structural decomposition model in order to investigate the effects of exports, imports, economic structure, consumption patterns, consumption level, outsourcing and insourcing on national GHG emissions. This model is applied to the data of national environmental accounts and to a harmonized and price-deflated series of national input-output tables of Austria for the years 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Over the whole time period, the results indicate that the final demand effect was the main driver of GHG emissions, with exports as most important factor. Surprisingly, emission intensity contributed to an increase of GHG emissions during the period 2000-2005 as well, mostly due to increasing emission intensity in the transport sector.