Intellectual capital: a determinant of firms' operational efficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanishka Gupta ◽  
T.V. Raman
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
The Impact

PurposeIntellectual capital (IC) has been recognized in improving the efficiency of businesses and gaining competitive edge in the developed world. The present study offers perspectives into the effect of IC on the efficiency of the Indian financial sector companies.Design/methodology/approachFor the purpose of evaluating efficiency, the research has used stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). All Indian financial sector companies listed in National Stock Exchange (NSE-500) for the timeframe of ten years (2008–2018) have been considered. The paper has employed modified Pulic's Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAICTM) as a proxy to measure IC. Correlation and panel data regression have been used in order to examine the relationship.FindingsThe results of the study indicate positive and significant relationship between IC and efficiency of the firm. The results also show that all the components of IC, that is, human capital, relational capital, process capital and capital employed have a significant impact on firms' efficiency. Additionally, it has been seen that sample companies do not invest in research and development leading to no innovation capital.Practical implicationsThe research will assist managers in managing and controlling the IC, investors in matters related to investment and financial experts in improving the company's IC and value creation.Originality/valueThe current research is one of the pioneering studies in the context of Indian financial sector that examines the impact of modified VAIC on operational efficiency calculated using SFA.

Performance analysis of electricity distribution sector post the implementation of electricity act 2003: empirical evidence from India

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 669-696
Author(s):  
Pavan Khetrapal
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Electricity Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Utility Managers

PurposeThe objective of the present study is to evaluate and analyse the performance of Indian electricity distribution utilities post the implementation of landmark Electricity Act 2003.Design/methodology/approachStochastic frontier analysis (SFA) that incorporates exogenous influences on operational efficiency is adopted in the present study. Specifically, a stochastic frontier production function model with a technical inefficiency effects model (Battese and Coelli, 1995) is chosen as a preferred model. In this model, the function that explains the inefficiency scores is estimated in a single stage with the production technology. This avoids the problem of inconsistency which is possible in the two-stage approach.FindingsThe sample involved 52 Indian electricity distribution utilities for seven-year period from 2006 to 2013. Major findings of SFA show that Indian electricity distribution utilities post the implementation of Electricity Act (2003) had, on average, experienced efficiency improvement during the observed period. The overall mean technical effciency score is estimated as 78.5% which indicates that there exist wide scope for effciency improvement in the sector. Further, the empirical findings also indicate that publicly owned distribution utilities obtain average technical efficiencies of 71.3%, which is lower than privately owned distribution utilities, which achieve average technical efficiencies of 85.7%.Research limitations/implicationsPower supply quality indicators such as SAIFI, SAIDI, CAIFI, etc. and unobserved heterogeneity also influence the efficiency analysis of electricity distribution utilities. Hence, these parameters as explanatory variables can be incorporated in the future work.Practical implicationsThe results obtained from this empirical study would likely be helpful for utility managers and policymakers to know how well they are performing, and how a better corporate strategy a particular utility can formulate to improve its operational efficiency and also its position in the marketplace.Originality/valueThis paper is amongst the first significant attempts that implement SFA approach to the panel dataset over a longer period of time – 2006 to 2013, so, as to evaluate and analyse the operational efficiency of Indian electricity distribution utilities in a single framework after the enactment of Electricity Act (2003). Unlike previous studies, this study investigates the degree to which various exogenous (or environmental) factors influence efficiency levels in these utilities.

Benchmarking the economic and environmental performance of water utilities: a comparison of frontier techniques

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Molinos-Senante ◽  
Alexandros Maziotis ◽  
Ramon Sala-Garrido
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Efficiency Assessment ◽  
Lower Variability ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to estimate and compare the efficiency of several water utilities using three frontier techniques. Moreover, this study estimates the impact of several qualities of service variables on water utilities’ performance.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes three frontier techniques such as data envelopment analysis (DEA), stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and stochastic non-parametric envelopment of data (StoNED) to estimate efficiency scores.FindingsEfficiency scores for each methodological approach were different being on average, 0.745, 0.857 and 0.933 for SFA, DEA and StoNED methods, respectively. Moreover, it was evidenced that water leakage had a statistically significant impact on water utilities’ costs.Research limitations/implicationsThe choice of an adequate and robust method for benchmarking the efficiency of water utilities is very relevant for water regulators because it affects decision making process such as water tariffs and design incentives to improve the performance and quality of service of water utilities.Originality/valueThis paper evaluates and compares the performance of a sample of water utilities using three different frontier methods. It has been revealed that the choice of the efficiency assessment method matters. Unlike SFA and DEA, a lower variability was shown in the efficiency scores obtained from the StoNED method.

Exploring the long-term trade-off between efficiency and value creation in horizontal M&As

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mfon Nathaniel Udo Akpan ◽  
Nai Chiek Aik ◽  
Peter Fernandes Wanke ◽  
Wong Hong Chau
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Operating Performance ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Scale Size ◽  
Residual Income Valuation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the voluntary horizontal M&A impact on operating performance in Nigeria between 1995 and 2012 under different complementary approaches. Design/methodology/approach Residual income valuation (RIV), economic value-added (EVA), data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Findings Results showed a statistically significant improvement in the technical efficiency of both bidder and target companies, the reduced efficiency levels of the bidder firms under DEA scores reveals the specifics of the productive technology. This may suggest that resulting merged companies in Nigeria may have not even become too big in scale or even reached the most productive scale size, despite their almost monopolistic position in the sector. This happens because the scale size of the sector is small per se, implying that the investments necessary to achieve synergistic gains have to be partially covered by price increases. Practical implications This study will guide both the M&A practitioners, investment banks, and the policy makes. In terms of having to review M&A policy as well as seeing to the improvement in the infrastructural needs. Social implications With improved performance, employment can be created thereby giving employment to the youths. This will reduce social problems. Originality/value From the literature and records, no long-term operating performance on voluntary mergers and acquisitions has not been carried out in Nigeria. The paper seeks to know the fundamental value of the firms after these transactions with the current methodology that is acceptable from the literature.

Ownership structure and bank performance in EU-15 countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Migliardo ◽  
Antonio Fabio Forgione
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Bank Performance ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ownership structure on bank performance in EU-15 countries. Specifically, it examines to what extent shareholder type and the degree of shareholder concentration affect the banks’ profitability, risk and technical efficiency.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a sample of 1,459 banks operating in EU-15 countries from 2011 to 2015. It constructs a set of continuous variables capturing the ownership nature, the concentration and their interactions, and estimates an instrumental variable random effect (IV-RE) model. In addition, a panel data stochastic frontier analysis is conducted to estimate the time-varying technical efficiency for profitability and costs.FindingsThe empirical analysis shows that bank performance is affected by shareholder type. When regressed against the entrenchment behavior of the controlling owner hypothesis, banks with large-block shareholders are more profitable, less risky and more profit efficient. Further, ownership concentration reverts the negative effect related to the institutional, bank and industry ownership.Research limitations/implicationsThe results support the hypothesis that concentrated ownership helps to overcome agency problems. They also confirm that managerial involvement in banks’ capital enhances a bank’s profit and its volatility.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to consider the ownership nature, the concentration and their interaction using continuous variables, which allows for more precise inferences. The results provide new evidence that bank profitability, cost efficiency and risk are affected by the type of direct shareholders.

The impact of intellectual capital on firm performance: a study of Indian firms listed in COSPI

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Smriti ◽  
Niladri Das
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Share Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital (IC) on financial performance (FP) for Indian companies listed on the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Overall Share Price Index (COSPI). Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were developed according to theories and literature review. Secondary data were collected from Indian companies listed on the COSPI between 2001 and 2016, and the value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) of Pulic (2000) was used to measure IC and its components. A dynamic system generalized method of moments (SGMM) estimator was employed to identify the variables that significantly contribute to firm performance. Findings Indian listed firms appear to be performing well and efficiently utilizing their IC. Overall, human capital had a major impact on firm productivity during the study period. Furthermore, the empirical analysis showed that structural capital efficiency and capital employed efficiency were equally important contributors to firm’s sales growth and market value. The growing importance of the contribution of IC to value creation was consistently reflected in the FP of these Indian companies. Practical implications This study has robust theoretical grounds and employs a validated methodology. The present study extends knowledge of IC among academicians and managers and highlights its contribution to value creation. The findings may help stakeholders and policymakers in developing countries properly reallocate intellectual resources. Originality/value This study is the first study to evaluate IC and its relationship with traditional measures of firm performance among Indian listed firms using dynamic SGMM and VAIC models.

The effect of intangible assets on sustainable growth and firm value – Evidence on intellectual capital investment in companies listed on Bucharest Stock Exchange

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalin Ionita ◽  
Elena Dinu
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Intangible Assets ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Growth Rate ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe present study investigates the connection between company investments in intellectual capital (IC) and how they translate into financial value. The aim is to test the impact of intangible assets on the firm value and its sustainable growth.Design/methodology/approachThe research employs computation models to determine the sustainable growth rate (SGR) and the firm value (FV), and by using the ordinary least squares (OLS) model through a linear regression assesses the relationship between the dependent variables and expenditures on intangibles like R&D, IT programs and patents. A sample of 42 companies has been selected out of the 78 listed at Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE), based on the appropriateness of the information disclosed in the financial reports for the period 2016–2019.FindingsThe results show that intangibles classified as innovative competences (R&D and Patents) do not have a positive impact on SGR and FV in listed companies from Romania. Moreover, R&D has a negative and significant effect on FV, while IT Programs have a positive and significant impact on FV, but not on the SGR. Variables categorised as economic competencies (Brands, Shares held in associates and jointly controlled entities) and firm structure-specific variables (Leverage, Firm Performance) seem to have a significant effect on SGR and FV. Shares held in associates and jointly controlled entities is the variable that can have the biggest impact when it comes to FV for companies listed at BSE.Research limitations/implicationsDue to non-disclosure of specific information by some companies, or lack of investments in intangibles the sample had to be reduced and does not cover all listed companies.Practical implicationsCompanies listed on the Regulated Market from the Bucharest Stock Exchange should maintain their scale of liabilities at a reasonable level when financing intangible assets in order to ensure corporate long-term and sustainable development. Also, these companies should maintain awareness about the importance of intangible assets and invest more in specific sub-components, in order to sustain competitive advantage. Recognizing the roles of intangibles, managers need to develop strategies to invest in profitable intangibles by reasonably allocating their limited resources, in order to achieve sustainable growth and increase company success.Originality/valueStudies concerning the relation between investments in intangibles and sustainable growth rate and firm value of listed Romanian companies are very scarce. This paper reveals new research, never before undertaken, concerning expenditures on intangibles by Romanian companies and the valuation of such investments on Bucharest Stock Exchange.

scholarly journals International R&D Spillovers and Innovation Efficiency

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Liu ◽  
Kai Lu ◽  
Shixiong Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Capital Stock ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of international research and development (R&D) spillovers on innovation efficiency of specific R&D outcomes, employing the country-level panel data for 44 countries in the 1996–2013 period. Fully considering the heterogeneity of different R&D outputs, scientific papers, PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) patents, US patents, and domestic patents are observed separately, which enriches the angles of measuring international R&D spillovers. By applying a stochastic frontier analysis to knowledge production function, we find that foreign R&D capital stock positively contributes to the innovation efficiency of scientific papers, but suppresses the productivity of domestic patents, whereas it does not really matter for PCT or US patents. These results are robust to control for a set of institutional factors and also in sensitivity analyses. Hence, dependence on international R&D spillovers seems neither to be the right way for emerging economies to catch up, nor to be a sustainable model for developing countries to fill the technical gap. Local R&D capital stock, instead, keeps an essential contributor to all four R&D outputs, so raising internal R&D expenditure is actually the key to improving innovation level and sustainable development ability.

Corporate governance and the social performance: investigation on Tunisian financial institutions

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 1412-1431
Author(s):  
Nejia Nekaa ◽  
Sami Boudabbous
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Questionnaire Method ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to show the specificities of the corporate governance of Tunisian financial institutions and the impact of the internal mechanisms of corporate governance of these institutions on their social performance. It is therefore interesting to establish the existing relationship between these mechanisms of corporate governance and the performance of a financial firm. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to study the financial sector, generally characterized by its opacity, its regulation, its evolution and its obscurity. Therefore, a study based on the questionnaire method was recommended. The questionnaire is intended for managers. Therefore, the authors interviewed 138 managers of Tunisian financial institutions dispersed between agencies and headquarters in different regions (Gabes, Tozeur, Gafsa, Sfax, Sousse and Tunisia). Findings As a result, an impact on performance was observed according to the empirical study. Therefore, the authors can conclude an essential role of internal mechanisms for improving the social performance of a financial institution. The empirical findings in this paper lead to important conclusions. Indeed, the variables measuring the governance mechanisms have divergent effects on the social performance of the financial institutions subject to the sample. For the variables board of directors, confidence, culture, auditing, they have a positive effect. While, the incentive remuneration effect negatively the social performance. Originality/value This study will be based essentially on the financial sector in Tunisia: the credit institutions (22 banks), the establishments of leasing (eight companies of leasing), two factoring companies and two banks of cases which are listed on the Stock Exchange of Tunis (BVMT).

Intellectual capital and firm performance in emerging economies: the case of India

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santi Gopal Maji ◽  
Mitra Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Traditional Sector ◽  
Steel Sector ◽  
Capital Efficiency ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on Indian traditional sector and compare the relative importance of IC on corporate performance of Indian knowledge-based sector (engineering sector) and traditional sector (steel sector). Design/methodology/approach Secondary data on 100 listed Indian firms, comprising of 44 firms from the engineering sector and 56 from the steel sector, are collected from “Capitaline Plus” Corporate database for a period of 14 years from 1999-2000 to 2012-2013. IC and its components are computed using Pulic’s value-added intellectual coefficient model and firm performance is measured by return on asset. Fixed effect regression model is used to investigate the hypothetical relationship between IC and firm performance. Further, quantile regression is used to check the robustness of the results. Findings The results indicate that IC efficiency and physical capital efficiency are positively and significantly associated with the firm performance for both the sectors. Regarding the components of IC, the coefficient of human capital efficiency is positive and significant, but the present effort fails to disentangle any significant influence of structural capital efficiency on firm performance. However, the results indicate that the influence of IC efficiency on firm performance is significantly greater in case of knowledge-based sector than that of traditional sector. Practical implications The findings of the study are useful for the decision makers, as the results indicate that the IC plays crucial role in value creation not only for knowledge-based firms but also for the firms belonging to the traditional manufacturing sector. Originality/value In the Indian context, this is the first study to examine the relative importance of IC in a knowledge-based sector and a traditional sector using appropriate methodology.

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