This book explores the important role that economic performance measurement is playing in the regulation of network utilities in many countries today. The contributors to the book - researchers from academia, regulatory agencies and consulting firms - address the use of efficiency measures in price regulation and in assessing the effects of past regulatory reforms. Industries examined include electricity supply, water supply, telecommunications and airlines, across a range of countries including the USA, UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.Performance Measurement and Regulation of Network Utilities is unique in that, unlike many other books in this area, it is devoted to the use of performance measurement in these regulatory settings. It is a timely contribution to the literature, given that performance measurement is an integral part of the new incentive regulation methods which have been adopted by many regulatory agencies around the world. Academics specialising in regulation and performance measurement and students of regulatory economics courses, organization studies and public sector economics will all find this book of great interest. It will also appeal to regulators, regulatory consultants and regulatory sections of major utilities.

An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Analysis is designed as a primer for anyone seeking an authoritative introduction to efficiency and productivity analysis. It is a systematic treatment of four relatively new methodologies in Efficiency/Production Analysis: (a) Least-Squares Econometric Production Models, (b) Total Factor Productivity (TFP) Indices, (c) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and (d) Stochastic Frontiers. Each method is discussed thoroughly. First, the basic elements of each method are discussed using models to illustrate the method's fundamentals, and, second, the discussion is expanded to treat the extensions and varieties of each method's uses. Finally, one or more case studies are provided as a full illustration of how each methodology can be used. In addition, all four methodologies will be linked in the book's presentation by examining the advantages and disadvantages of each method and the problems to which each method can be most suitably applied. The book offers the first unified text presentation of methods that will be of use to students, researchers and practitioners who work in the growing area of Efficiency/Productivity Analysis. The book also provides detailed advice on computer programs which can be used to calculate the various measures. This involves a number of presentations of computer instructions and output listings for the SHAZAM, TFPIP, DEAP and FRONTIER computer programs.