Evolution of efficiency and its determinants in the retail sector in Spain: new evidence

Abstract

The purpose of this work is twofold: on the one hand, recent methodologies will be used to estimate technical efficiency and its determinants factors in Spain's retail sector. In particular, the order-m approach, which is based on the concept of expected minimum input function and quantile regression, for the analysis of the factors determinants of efficiency is used. On the other hand, the results obtained applying the methods mentioned in the Spanish retail sector can contribute to opening up a new field of analysis since the results may be compared by means of the methodologies proposed as well as those which already exist in the literature.

The paper used data envelopment analysis stochastic (order-m) to measure efficiency and quantile regression analysis for the second stage in Spanish retail.

For the second stage of analysis relative of the factors determinants of efficiency, we use quantile regression. We take account of heterogeneity between the different characteristics of firms, using quantile regression techniques. We find that firm size, age and market concentration are positively related to the efficiency along the quantiles considered in the analysis. The relationship between intensity of capital and better trained employees in the efficiency shows a curvilinear behavior. Also, there are significant differences by region to which the firm belongs.

The main contribution of this paper is to provide an efficiency analysis for Spanish retail sector using a non parametric approach with a robust estimator and quantile regression analysis for second stage. This methodology allows for a more careful analysis of what happens at firm level.

Keyword : efficiency, order-m, size, market share, retail sector, age, salary per worker