Analysis of productivity and efficiency of food system firms
Information from the course leader
A warm welcome to the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the course Analysis of productivity and efficiency of food system firms!
Below, you will find general information about the student account, registration for the course and other practical information.
The student account
You will need your student account to access e.g. your e-mail, Ladok and Canvas. For information regarding how to create your student account, follow this link: https://student.slu.se/en/study-support/it-support/support/new-student---start/
Registration for the course
You cannot self-register for this course. The course registration is made manually by the education administrator based on the attendance list from the course introduction. If you have any questions regarding your registration possibility, or if you are unable to attend at the start of the course, please contact the course leader.
Educational support
If you are entitled extra educational support, please inform the course leader at the start of the course so that special arrangements can be made.
For educational support for an exam, see instructions in the exam registration in Ladok Student. You need to register for alternative exam arrangements no later than 10 workings days prior to the examination day. More information here: https://student.slu.se/en/study-support/study-support/funka/.
Discontinuation of a course
If you want to discontinue the course, you should immediately notify the educational administrators at econ-edu@slu.se, who in turn will inform the course leader and register a non-completion of the course in Ladok after your approval. You are also able to register an early non-completion of the course (within three weeks after course start) in Ladok yourself.
Exams
You need to register for exams in Ladok. The registration closes 10 working days prior to the exam. You can find your anonymity code in Ladok Student. It's not possible to register for the exam after the deadline has passed.
On Wednesdays between 12:30-14:30 we have an exam hand out at the department (Ulls hus, 4th floor). Please remember to bring your ID-card.
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Do not hesitate to contact us at econ-edu@slu.se if you have any questions!
Kind regards,
The educational administrators
Course evaluation
Additional course evaluations for NA0198
Academic year 2023/2024
Analysis of productivity and efficiency of food system firms (NA0198-40174)
2024-04-26 - 2024-06-02
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
NA0198 Analysis of productivity and efficiency of food system firms, 7.5 Credits
Produktivitets- och effektivitetsanalys av företag i livsmedelssystemetSubjects
EconomicsEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 7.5 | 0001 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
Knowledge equivalent toBachelor’s degree of at least 180 credits, with the main field of study, at least 90 credits, in an economics or business subject
15 credits statistics
15 credits economics at second-cycle level
English 6
Objectives
The course aims at providing students with advanced understanding of performance measurement and assessment of firms in the food system, with a specific focus on the agricultural component of the system. The course also discusses performance in relation to various types of risk exposure of firms.
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
- conceptualise firm performance in terms of productivity and efficiency
- measure and estimate firm productivity and efficiency using empirical methods
- critically discuss reasons for production inefficiencies
- analyse risk exposure of firms and discuss how it can impact productivity and efficiency
- describe sustainability performance measurement and discuss it in relation to production efficiency.
Content
Subject content:
The course starts with a review of productivity and efficiency analysis and of how productivity and efficiency can be estimated using empirical methods. After this follows impact evaluation of production efficiency and a critical assessment of reasons for inefficiency. The course ends with a review on risk exposure and how it can affect productivity and efficiency and with a review of sustainability performance measurement and how it relates to production efficiency.
Course implementation:
The course uses different teaching methods to promote students' learning and discussions through:
Lectures, exercises, seminars, group work and individual studies.
The course focuses on the following general competences:
Critical thinking, scientific methods, independence.
The following components are compulsory:
Seminars.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Passed written exam
Approved participation in compulsory components.
Approved written report.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Responsible department
Department of Economics
Further information
Litterature list
Book:
- Coelli, T., Rao, D., O’Donnell, C., and Battese, G. (2005). An introduction to efficiency and productivity analysis. An Introduction To Efficiency and Producvitity Analysis.
Articles:
Färe, R., Grosskopf, S., Lovell, C. A. K., and Yaisawarng, S. (1993). Derivation of Shadow Prices for Undesirable Outputs - a Distance Function-Approach. The Review of Economics and Statistics 75: 374–380.
Brümmer, B., Glauben, T., and Thijssen, G. (2002). Decomposition of Productivity Growth Using Distance Functions: The Case of Dairy Farms inThree European Countries. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 84: 628–644.
Färe, R., Grosskopf, S., Noh, D.-W. W., and Weber, W. (2005). Characteristics of a polluting technology: theory and practice. Journal of Econometrics 126: 469–492.
Cuesta, R. a., Lovell, C. A. K. A. K., Zofío, J. L., and Zofio, J. L. (2009). Environmental efficiency measurement with translog distance functions: A parametric approach. Ecological Economics 68: 2232–2242.
Latruffe, L., and Nauges, C. (2014). Technical efficiency and conversion to organic farming: The case of France. European Review of Agricultural Economics 41: 227–253.
Njuki, E., and Bravo-Ureta, B. E. (2015). The Economic Costs of Environmental Regulation in U.S. Dairy Farming: A Directional Distance Function Approach. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 97: 1087–1106.
Picazo-Tadeo, A. J., Beltrán-Esteve, M., and Gómez-Limón, J. A. (2012). Assessing eco-efficiency with directional distance functions. European Journal of Operational Research 220: 798–809.
Guesmi, B., and Serra, T. (2015). Can we improve farm performance? The determinants of farm technical and environmental efficiency. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy 37: 692–717.
Pérez Urdiales, M., Lansink, A. O., and Wall, A. (2016). Eco-efficiency Among Dairy Farmers: The Importance of Socio-economic Characteristics and Farmer Attitudes. Environmental and Resource Economics 64: 559–574.
Huang, W., and Bruemmer, B. (2017). Balancing economic revenue and grazing pressure of livestock grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan-Plateau. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 61: 645–662.
Hansson, H. H., Manevska-Tasevska, G., and Asmild, M. (2018). Rationalising inefficiency in agricultural production - the case of Swedish dairy agriculture. European Review of Agricultural Economics 47: 1–24.
Martinez Cillero, M., Wallace, M., Thorne, F., and Breen, J. (2021). Analyzing the Impact of Subsidies on Beef Production Efficiency in Selected European Union Countries. A Stochastic Metafrontier Approach. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 103: 1903–1923.
Koiry, S., and Huang, W. (2023). Do Ecological Protection Approaches Affect Total Factor Productivity Growth of Cropland Production in Sweden? Ecological Economics 209: 107829.