Albert Assaf

Persistence in the Short- and Long-Term Tourist Arrivals to Australia

This study examines the persistence in the international monthly tourist arrivals to Australia by using a variety of models based on fractional integration and seasonal autoregressions. The results based on disaggregated monthly data indicate that the series are on average mean reverting, though highly persistent, and present intense seasonal patterns. A forecasting performance of several competing models was also conducted, and it was concluded that the models based on long-range dependence outperform other more standard ones based on nonseasonal and seasonal unit roots. The model based on long memory at zero and the seasonal frequencies seems to be the most accurate in this context. More detailed analysis of the results is also derived.

A fresh look at the productivity and efficiency changes of UK airlines

This article uses the bootstrapped Malmquist index methodology to measure and test the extent of efficiency and productivity changes in the UK airline sector. The aim of the bootstrap method is to overcome the statistical limitations of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, generally used to measure the distance functions of the Malmquist index. In applying the method we use input/output data on a sample of major UK airlines for the period 2004–2007. Results showed that most airlines have witnessed significant decrease in their productivity, efficiency, scale and technology measures. Using a second stage Tobit regression, this article attributed the sources of productivity and efficiency changes to factors such as stage length, load factor and airline size. This article also discussed the negative impacts of oil price using illustrations from the UK and other international airlines.

Improving the accuracy of DEA efficiency analysis: a bootstrap application to the health care foodservice industry.

This article analyses the efficiency of health care foodservice operations and its determinants using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) bootstrapping approach. The purpose of using the bootstrapping approach is two-fold: first, to obtain the bias corrected estimates and the confidence intervals of DEA-efficiency scores and second, to overcome the correlation problem of DEA-efficiency scores and to provide consistent inferences in explaining the determinants of health care foodservice efficiency. The approach was implemented on a sample of 89 health care foodservice operations. The results showed the presence of inefficiency in the sample, with an average efficiency level of 72.6%. Further, the results from analysing the determinants of health care foodservice operations provided policy implication regarding the factors that might improve the efficiency of health care foodservice operations.

A bootstrapped metafrontier model

The major aim of this article is to apply the bootstrapping methodology to the estimation of the metafrotnier model. The article has two parts. The first part deals with the technical details of the metafrontier model, and the second presents the application of the model using cross-sectional input/output data on health care foodservice operations. The results obtained by bootstrapping the metafrontier model are presented and discussed.

Bayesian and DEA efficiency modelling: an application to hospital foodservice operations

The significant impact of health foodservice operations on the total operational cost of the hospital sector has increased the need to improve the efficiency of these operations. Although important studies on the performance of foodservice operations have been published in various academic journals and industrial reports, the findings and implications remain simple and limited in scope and methodology. This paper investigates two popular methodologies in the efficiency literature: Bayesian “stochastic frontier analysis” (SFA) and “data envelopment analysis” (DEA). The paper discusses the statistical advantages of the Bayesian SFA and compares it with an extended DEA model. The results from a sample of 101 hospital foodservice operations show the existence of inefficiency in the sample, and indicate significant differences between the average efficiency generated by the Bayesian SFA and DEA models. The ranking of efficiency is, however, statistically independent of the methodologies.

Accounting for technological differences in modelling the performance of airports: a Bayesian approach

This article uses the innovative Bayesian random coefficient frontier model to account for technological differences in the efficiency measurement of UK airports. In separating cost efficiency from technological differences, the model provides more accurate efficiency measures for airports’ policy makers. The input/output data used in testing the model reflect on recent figures from the UK airport industry, and as a result link the efficiency measures with the current industry trends such as the increase in oil price, airport capital investments and market expansion. Results from the model estimation showed that the model fits the data well with all coefficients correctly signed and in line with the theoretical requirements. The average cost efficiency for 2007 was around 73.73%, indicating that UK airports are not operating close to a full efficiency level. This article attributed the sources of inefficiencies to the current industry trends and discussed the importance of heterogeneity in future policy formulations at UK airports.

Operational performance of health care foodservice systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to overcome the problems surrounding the operational performance of health care foodservice systems and provide a comprehensive comparison and analysis of the performance of all the different types of foodservice systems. The paper seeks to show that research addressing the operational performance of health care foodservice systems is subjective and outdated.Design/methodology/approach – Discussion with foodservice managers, coupled with a review of the literature, was undertaken to determine the variables of operational performance in the different types of foodservice systems. Statistical analysis was then used to determine the areas of difference between the systems based on a sample of 90 hospital foodservice operations.Findings – Results showed significant differences between the systems with regard to critical variables such as labor, skill level of employees and size of the production area. However, no significant differences were found for other variables suc...

Overcoming the limitations of efficiency modeling in the health care foodservice industry

Purpose - This paper aims to reflect on the sources of the technical inefficiency of health care foodservice operations, using a sample of Australian and American hospitals. Design/methodology/approach - The paper applies the stochastic frontier model to reflect on the technical inefficiency and its sources. The advantage of the model is that it allows the simultaneous parameters estimation of technical efficiency as well as the factors that explain variations in technical efficiency. A set of hypotheses are tested to ensure the applicability and suitability of the suggested model. Then the model parameters are estimated, discussed and checked against the theoretical requirements and the literature. Findings - Results show that all the variable coefficients are correctly signed and that the average technical efficiency is around 83 percent for Australia and 80 percent for the USA. Practical implications - The technical efficiency results, according to the introduced model, suggest that health care foodservice operations in both countries are not operating at a full efficient level. The results also reveal that factors such as managers education, managers experience, and size have a direct impact on reducing the level of technical inefficiency of these operations. Originality/value - This paper overcomes the limitations of the existing efficiency techniques in the area of health care foodservice and also provides policy implications by emphasizing on the sources of technical inefficiency of health care foodservice operations for Australia and USA.