Data Envelopment Analysis Journal > Vol 5 > Issue 2

Estimation of an Efficient Production Frontier with Increasing Marginal Product: The Case of the Canadian Oil and Gas Industry

Yan Ma, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Canada, yan.ma@ucalgary.ca , Han-Up Park, Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, park@edwards.usask.ca
 
Suggested Citation
Yan Ma and Han-Up Park (2021), "Estimation of an Efficient Production Frontier with Increasing Marginal Product: The Case of the Canadian Oil and Gas Industry", Data Envelopment Analysis Journal: Vol. 5: No. 2, pp 311-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/103.00000039

Publication Date: 17 Aug 2021
© 2021 Y. Ma and H.-U. Park
 
Subjects
Performance measurement,  Productivity measurement and analysis,  Robust estimation,  Estimation frameworks,  Economic Theory
 
Keywords
DEAdata envelopment analysisBCCBMproduction frontierincreasing marginal productoil and gasCanadian oil and gas industry
 

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In this article:
1 Introduction 
2 Models for Estimating Efficient Production Frontier under Increasing and Decreasing Marginal Product 
3 Increasing Marginal Product 
4 Simulation 
5 Empirical Analysis with Canadian Oil and Gas Data 
6 Conclusion 
References 

Abstract

The convexity axiom in conventional DEA models requires non-increasing marginal product (Banker et al., 1984, BCC). Banker and Maindiratta (1986, BM) suggest a DEA model with log-transformed input and output values that allow for both increasing and decreasing marginal products. By using simulated data and the Canadian oil and gas industry data, we document that the BM model outperforms the BCC model in estimating the efficiency frontier when the production function exhibits increasing marginal product. The BM model also reduces biases in the second-stage analysis of efficiency, providing additional insights that are not available from using the BCC model. Our analysis suggests that relatively small O&G companies may forego efficiency gains by not scaling up their businesses and that using the BM model is desirable when the production function is believed to exhibit increasing marginal product.

DOI:10.1561/103.00000039