Robustified expected maximum production frontiers

Abdelaati Daouia (), Jean-Pierre Florens and Leopold Simar

No 17-890, TSE Working Papers from Toulouse School of Economics (TSE)

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to construct a robust nonparametric estimator for the production frontier. We study this problem under a regression model with one-sided errors where the regression function defines the achievable maximum output, for a given level of inputs-usage, and the regression error defines the inefficiency term. The main tool is a concept of partial regression boundary defined as a special probability-weighted moment. This concept motivates a robustified unconditional alternative to the pioneering class of nonparametric conditional expected maximum production functions. We prove that both the resulting benchmark partial frontier and its estimator share the desirable monotonicity of the true full frontier. We derive the asymptotic properties of the partial and full frontier estimators, and unravel their behavior from a robustness theory point of view. We provide numerical illustrations and Monte Carlo evidence that the presented concept of unconditional expected maximum production functions is more efficient and reliable in filtering out noise than the original conditional version. The methodology is very easy and fast to implement. Its usefulness is discussed through two concrete datasets from the sector of Delivery Services, where outliers are likely to affect the traditional conditional approach.

Keywords: Boundary regression; Expected maximum; Nonparametric estimation; Production function; Robustnes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ecm and nep-eff
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Journal Article: ROBUSTIFIED EXPECTED MAXIMUM PRODUCTION FRONTIERS (2021)
Working Paper: Robustified expected maximum production frontiers (2020)
Working Paper: Robustified expected maximum production frontiers (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tse:wpaper:32439

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