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The efficiency of postal services in the age of market liberalization and the internet: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe

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  • Tochkov, Kiril
Abstract
The rise in electronic communications and the recent liberalization of the postal market in the European Union have put national postal-service providers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) under pressure to restructure and optimize their operations. The paper employs non-parametric methods to measure the relative technical and cost efficiency of CEE postal operators in terms of quantity-based and quality-based output indicators. The results indicate that inefficiency varies between 20% and 30%. Regression analysis attributes efficiency gains to increased competition, institutional reforms, less burdensome customs procedures, and population density, while use of electronic mail was negatively related to postal-service efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Tochkov, Kiril, 2015. "The efficiency of postal services in the age of market liberalization and the internet: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 35-42.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:36:y:2015:i:c:p:35-42
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2015.09.004
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    2. Šarac, Dragana & Unterberger, Marija & Jovanović, Bojan & Kujačić, Momčilo & Trubint, Nikola & Ožegović, Spasenija, 2017. "Postal network access and service quality: Expectation and experience in Serbia," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 69-75.
    3. Anna Drab-Kurowska & Agnieszka Budziewicz-Guźlecka, 2021. "The Digital Post Ecosystem—Example of Poland in the Context of Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Ioana-Ruxandra LIE & Niculae V. Mihaita, 2016. "Scenarios For Regionalization: Analysis On Romania’S Services Using Onicescu Informational Statistics," Journal of Social and Economic Statistics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 49-59, DECEMBER.
    5. Blagojević, Mladenka & Ralević, Predrag & Šarac, Dragana, 2020. "An integrated approach to analysing the cost efficiency of postal networks," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

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