Malcolm Abbott

TL;DR: In this article, non-parametric techniques are used to estimate technical and scale efficiency of individual Australian universities and the results show that regardless of the output-input mix, Australian universities as a whole recorded high levels of efficiency relative to each other.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the efficiency and productivity of Australian airports during the 1990s by using a Malmquist total factor productivity index and data envelopment analysis and found that Australia's largest airports fare reasonably well in comparison to airports overseas, although they still possess the potential to realise further gains.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the efficiency of Australian and New Zealand public universities and investigate the impact of competition for students from overseas on efficiency, finding that competition for overseas students has led to increased efficiency in Australian universities.

Abstract: Economic theory suggests that competitive pressures will impact on organisational efficiency. In recent years, universities in Australia and New Zealand have faced increased competition for students. The aim of this paper is to explore the efficiency of Australian and New Zealand public universities and to investigate the impact of competition for students from overseas on efficiency. Output distance functions are estimated using panel data for the period 1995-2002 for Australia and 1997-2003 for New Zealand. The results show that competition for overseas students has led to increased efficiency in Australian universities. However, competition for overseas students appears to have had no effect on efficiency in New Zealand.

TL;DR: The authors explored the links between research output, research income, academic and non-academic labour and some of the characteristics of Australian universities and found that research income and academic staff and postgraduates are positively associated with research output.