Technical change and efficiency measures: the post-privatisation in the gas distribution sector in Argentina

In this paper we use a stochastic frontier approach to analyse the technica l change in the post-privatisation period in the gas distribution sector in Argentina. We found that there is both a catching up effect and a shift in the frontier, which shows that the sector as a whole improved its efficien cy in the reviewed period. Moreover, this phenomenon holds not only for the average but also for every firm in the sample. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.