Anup Kumar Bhandari

Bio: Anup Kumar Bhandari is an academic researcher from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The author has contributed to research in topics: Data envelopment analysis & Total factor productivity. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 22 publications receiving 210 citations. Previous affiliations of Anup Kumar Bhandari include Centre for Development Studies & Indian Statistical Institute.

Efficiency of Indian Manufacturing Firms: Textile Industry as a Case Study

Abstract: Translog stochastic frontier production functions are fit to firm-level cross-sectional data on India's textile firms for each of five selected years to estimate technical efficiency (TE) of firms. We find that average TE varies between 68 to 84% across these years and that individual TEs vary with firm-specific characteristics such as size and age. Further, public sector firms are found to be relatively less efficient.

Technical efficiency in the indian textiles industry: a non‐parametric analysis of firm‐level data

Abstract: The Indian textiles industry is now at the crossroads with the phasing out of the quota regime that prevailed under the Multi-Fiber Agreement until the end of 2004. In the face of a full integration of the textiles sector in the WTO, maintaining and enhancing productive efficiency is a precondition for competitiveness of the Indian firms in the new liberalized world market. In this paper, we use data obtained from the Annual Survey of Industries for a number of years to measure the levels of technical efficiency in the Indian textiles industry at the firm level. We use both a grand frontier applicable to all firms and a group frontier specific to firms from any individual state, ownership or organization type in order to evaluate their efficiencies. This permits us to separately identify how locational, proprietary and organizational characteristics of a firm affect its performance.

Total factor productivity growth and its decomposition : an assessment of the Indian banking sector in the 'true' liberalised era

Abstract: Assessments of the performance of Indian commercial banks are not new in the literature. However, most of the earlier studies consider relatively partial measures such as technical efficiency of the banks in assessing their performance. In this paper they have considered overall (Malmquist) total factor productivity improvement achieved by 68 Indian commercial banks from 1998-99 to 2006-07, the true liberalised era in some senses, and decomposed it into the three of its economically meaningful components, namely technical change, technical efficiency change and scale (efficiency) change factor using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology. [Working Paper No. 435]

Efficiency of the Indian leather firms: some results obtained using the two conventional methods

Abstract: Indian leather industry has massive potential for generating employment and achieving high export-oriented growth. However, its economic performance has not been assessed much till date. The present paper attempts to fill in this gap by examining technical efficiency (TE) of individual leather producing firms for some years since the mid-1980’s. Analyzing the industry’s firm-level data through the two conventional tools, viz., data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier analysis, the paper observes a significant positive association between a firm’s size and its TE, but no such clear relation between a firm’s age and TE. It also finds significant variation in TE across firms in different groups of states as well as under different organizational structures and observes some technological heterogeneity across states. Although, non-availability of panel data does not allow one to assess effects of economic reforms on the performance of the Indian leather firms, the average firm-level TE, however, seems to be on an increasing path, except for downswing in the immediate post-reform years.

Efficiency and related technological aspects of the Indian food processing industry: A non-parametric analysis

Abstract: With a continuously growing population, India faces a real challenge in fulfilling the target of food security for all of her citizen. Parallel to increment of food production, better processing of it as well plays a vital role in ensuring nutrient food to all in a sustainable fashion. Food processing industry may plays a vital role in this direction and, therefore, occupies an important place in India’s overall economic growth, in general and that of her manufacturing sector, in particular. For its significant share to the industrial output and both direct and indirect employment generating capacity, food processing industry is considered to be a remarkable pooling factor for the prosperity of agricultural sector as well. In this study, we explore the performance of the production units of this industry. We have analyzed data on Annual Financial Statements of food processing companies, collected through Prowess database of Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) during 2000-2015. We use a two stage methodology for our analyses. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method in the first stage, we obtain technical efficiency (TE) score of the individual production units of the industry. In this connection, we also examine the extent of diverse technologies used across its various sub-sectors, through a measure called technology closeness ratio (TCR), which we explain in the paper in details. We then explain such TE scores in terms of certain company -specific variables using simple ordinary least squares (OLS) regression method, to have an idea on the factors that may influence such performance. Results suggest that the units producing dairy products and sugar recorded relatively lower level of TE, whereas those producing vegetable oil and products are more technically efficient as compared to other sub-sectors within the industry. Overall TCR varies from 0.63 (for sugar and dairy products) to 0.93 (for vegetable oil and products), implying thereby that the former two have an opportunity to improve their overall performance to a sizeable extent through technological upgradation, whereas the latter does not have much scope to improve themselves in this regard, and can improve their overall performance only through more efficient utilization of available resources! Moreover, observed evidence of positive impact of R and D intensity and infrastructural factor on performance have a remarkable implication on the role of the government for providing necessary infrastructural facilities and (probably) initiating innovative scheme(s) to make research and development activities more attractive to them!

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

Abstract: Meeting: International Seminar on Information and Communication Technology Statistics, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 19-21 July 2010

An Empirical Survey of Frontier Efficiency Measurement Techniques in Local Government

Abstract: Local government in advanced economies is undergoing a period of rapid reform aimed at enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness Accordingly, the definition, measurement and improvement of organisational performance is crucial Despite the importance of efficiency measurement in local government it is only relatively recently that econometric and mathematical frontier techniques have been applied to local public services This paper attempts to provide a synoptic survey of the comparatively few empirical analyses of efficiency measurement in local government We examine both the measurement of inefficiency in local public services and the determinants of local public sector efficiency The implications of efficiency measurement for practitioners in local government are examined by way of conclusion