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Deregulation Process, Governance Structures and Efficiency: The U.S. Electric Utility Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Delmas, Magali

    (U of California, Santa Barbara and Stanford U)

  • Tokat, Yesim

    (U of Californai, Santa Barbara)

Abstract
This paper is an empirical assessment of the comparative efficiency of governance structures in an environment marked by high uncertainty. We analyze the short-term impact of retail deregulation on the productive efficiency of electric utilities in the United States. We argue that there are transitory costs linked to the process of deregulation. The business strategy literature suggests different governance structures to cope with uncertainty linked to changing regulatory environments. Transaction cost economics suggests that firms may reduce their exposure to the uncertainty created by the process of deregulation by adopting vertical integration strategies. Organizational scholars on the contrary argue that firms vertically disintegrate and adopt flexible governance structures to increase their adaptability to the new conditions. Our empirical analysis is based on 177 investor-owned electric utilities representing 83% of the total U.S. electricity production by utilities from 1998-2001. Our results show that the process of deregulation has a negative impact on firms' productive efficiency measured using Data Envelopment Analysis. However, firms that are vertically integrated into electricity generation or that rely on the market for the supply of their electricity are more efficient than firms that adopt hybrid structures combining vertical integration and contracting.

Suggested Citation

  • Delmas, Magali & Tokat, Yesim, 2003. "Deregulation Process, Governance Structures and Efficiency: The U.S. Electric Utility Sector," Research Papers 1790, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:stabus:1790
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Tsutsui, Miki & Goto, Mika, 2009. "A multi-division efficiency evaluation of U.S. electric power companies using a weighted slacks-based measure," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 201-208, September.
    6. Oetzel, Jennifer M. & Banerjee, Sudeshna Ghosh, 2008. "A case of the tortoise versus the hare? Deregulation process, timing, and firm performance in emerging markets," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 54-77, February.
    7. Hagen Worch & Bernhard Truffer & Mundia Kabinga & Jochen Markard & Anton Eberhard, 2012. "Tackling the Capability Gap in Utility Firms: Applying Management Research to Infrastructure Sectors," CID Working Papers 55, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
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    10. Triebs, T.P. & Pollitt, M.G. & Kwoka, J.E., 2010. "The Direct Costs and Benefits of US Electric Utility Divestitures," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1049, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    11. Jamasb, T. & Newbery, D. & Pollitt, M., 2004. "'Core Indicators for Determinants and Performance of Electricity Sector in Developing Countries’," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0438, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    12. Jamasb, T. & Mota, R. & Newbery, D. & Pollitt, M., 2004. "‘Electricity Sector Reform in Developing Countries: A Survey of Empirical Evidence on Determinants and Performance’," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0439, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    13. Po-Chi Chen & Ching-Cheng Chang & Chih-Li Lai, 2014. "Incentive regulation and performance measurement of Taiwan’s incineration plants: an application of the four-stage DEA method," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 277-290, April.
    14. Chen, I-Ju, 2014. "Financial crisis and the dynamics of corporate governance: Evidence from Taiwan's listed firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 3-28.
    15. Anokhin, Sergey & Schulze, William S., 2009. "Entrepreneurship, innovation, and corruption," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 465-476, September.
    16. Mota, R.L., 2004. "‘Comparing Brazil and USA electricity performance; what was the impact of privatisation?’," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0423, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    17. Worch, Hagen & Truffer, Bernhard & Kabinga, Mundia & Eberhard, Anton & Markard, Jochen, 2013. "A capability perspective on performance deficiencies in utility firms," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 1-9.
    18. Anokhin, Sergey & Wincent, Joakim, 2014. "Technological arbitrage opportunities and interindustry differences in entry rates," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 437-452.
    19. John Becker-Blease & Lawrence Goldberg & Fred Kaen, 2008. "Mergers and acquisitions as a response to the deregulation of the electric power industry: value creation or value destruction?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 21-53, February.
    20. Christian Engau & Volker Hoffmann, 2011. "Corporate response strategies to regulatory uncertainty: evidence from uncertainty about post-Kyoto regulation," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 44(1), pages 53-80, March.
    21. Lee, Yikuan & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2006. "Enhancing alliance performance: The effects of contractual-based versus relational-based governance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(8), pages 896-905, August.
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    23. Demirbag, Mehmet & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Glaister, Keith W. & Zaim, Selim, 2010. "Measuring strategic decision making efficiency in different country contexts: A comparison of British and Turkish firms," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(1-2), pages 95-104, February.
    24. Eva Jansson, 0. "Deregulation, property rights, and legal system," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-25.
    25. Kabir Malik & Maureen Cropper & Alexander Limonov & Anoop Singh, 2011. "Estimating the Impact of Restructuring on Electricity Generation Efficiency: The Case of the Indian Thermal Power Sector," NBER Working Papers 17383, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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