The impact of public reforms on the productivity of Spanish ports: A parametric distance function approach

This paper analyses the evolution of total factor productivity and its decomposition between 1986 and 2005 in the Spanish port authorities using a parametric distance function approach. During this period, the Spanish port authorities experienced three important regulatory changes. The results show that technical progress and scale efficiency gains improved the total factor productivity, whereas technical efficiency losses reduced the total factor productivity. The change in the model of port management from a tool port model to a landlord port model, the Spanish economic policy in the early nineties, the adoption of particular technologies and the ports’ overcapacity could explain these results. ► We study the total factor productivity of the Spanish port authorities. ► We examine the impact of regulatory changes on productivity. ► The regulatory changes increased the total factor productivity of the port authorities. ► Technical progress and scale efficiency gains improved the total factor productivity of the port authorities. ► Technical efficiency negatively affected the total factor productivity of the port authorities.