Economic performance in European telecommunications, 1978-1998: a comparative study

The European telecommunications sector is undergoing major structural change in the face of new technology, privatisation and European Commission directives requiring market liberalisation. This study considers the comparative performance of the major European telecommunications operators between 1978 and 1998. This period encompasses an era of state monopolies, market liberalisation initiatives and a number of privatisations. The objectives are to assess: the extent so far to which market liberalisation and privatisation have impacted on the efficiency with which telecommunications services are provided in Europe; and changes in the performance of the different telecommunications operators over time with a view to providing an insight into the comparative efficiency performance of the different telecommunications operators in Europe. Performance is measured in terms of profit margins and labour and total factor productivity.

[1]  G. Fraquelli,et al.  Privatization in Italy: an analysis of factors productivity and technical efficiency , 1999 .

[2]  Keith Hartley,et al.  Organisational Status, Ownership and Productivity , 1991 .

[3]  D. Parker.  Price cap regulation, profitability and returns to investors in the UK regulated industries , 1997 .

[4]  L. Hunt,et al.  Competition in UK Telecommunications: Restructure BT? , 1991 .

[5]  John Vickers,et al.  Privatization: An Economic Analysis , 1988 .

[6]  W. Diewert.  THE MEASUREMENT OF PRODUCTIVITY , 1992 .

[7]  Stephen Martin,et al.  The impact of privatisation : ownership and corporate performance in the UK , 1997 .

[8]  R. Duch.  Privatizing the Economy: Telecommunications Policy in Comparative Perspective , 1991 .

[9]  John E. Jr. Kwoka.  The effects of divestiture, privatization, and competition on productivity in U.S. and U.K. telecommunications , 1993 .

[10]  Sören Wibe,et al.  An introduction to cost and production functions , 1987 .

[11]  D. Commerce.  Statistical abstract of the United States , 1978 .

[12]  J. Foreman-Peck,et al.  How Well is BT Performing? An International Comparison of Telecommunications Total Factor Productivity , 1988 .

[13]  D. Bös.  Privatization in Europe: A Comparison of Approaches , 1993 .

[14]  J. Kay,et al.  On the Application of Accounting Rates of Return , 1986 .

[15]  John Kay,et al.  Privatisation: A Policy in Search of a Rationale , 1986 .

[16]  R. Werle,et al.  Corporate Actor Networks in European Policy-Making: Harmonizing Telecommunications Policy , 1994 .

[17]  Tae Hoon Oum,et al.  Concepts, methods and purposes of productivity measurement in transportation , 1992 .

[18]  Peter J. Curwen.  Restructuring Telecommunications: A Study of Europe in a Global Context , 1997 .

[19]  D. Thompson,et al.  Nationalised industry performance: still third-rate? , 1987 .

[20]  Switzerland. Eidgenössisches Statistisches Bureau,et al.  Statistisches Jahrbuch der Schweiz , 1891 .