The aim of this paper is to estimate the impact of the technical efficiency on farm expansion. The research relies on the sample of the Lithuanian family farms operated throughout 2004-2009. The graph DEA model was employed to estimate the efficiency scores, whereas the rank-sum test was employed to test the relationships between efficiency and expansion variables. Farm expansion was analyzed by considering multiple criteria. The rank-sum test indicated that the farms expanded in terms of ESU and UAA were specific with lower efficiency during the preceding periods. Meanwhile, labour input and assets were not related to different populations of efficiency scores. Therefore, one can expect for decrease in efficiency given no managerial decisions are undertaken.
Key words: efficiency, family farms, expansion, Lithuania, data envelopment analysis.
JEL codes: C440, C610, Q100, Q130.
Baležentis, T. Technical efficiency and expansion of Lithuanian family farms (2004-2009): graph data envelopment analysis and rank-sum test // Vadybos mokslas ir studijos - kaimo verslų ir jų infrastruktūros plėtrai = Management theory and studies for rural business and infrastructure development / Aleksandro Stulginskio universitetas. Lietuvos agrarinės ekonomikos institutas. 2012, nr. 2 (31), p. 26-35, ISSN 1822-6760 (EBSCO host: Business Source Complete; Ulrich’s; IndexCopernicus).
