本研究使用隨機共同邊界模型衡量去比較2003年到2010年APEC 主要行動電信業者的技術效率與技術缺口，並且探討營運規模、擁有權、市場結構與經濟發展對行動業者效率的影響。本研究共有四個步驟。第一，利用FRONTIER 4.1 軟體找出依據群組計算的技術效率值(TEs)。第二，將25的APEC的業者依據國際貨幣基金組織(2012)分成兩個群組：先進國家與開發中國家。第三，利用經濟軟體GAUSS 依據共同邊界計算共同技術效率值(TE*s)。最後，共同技術缺口以及共同技術缺口比率(TGR)則可得知。
研究結果整理如下：大致上，APEC行動業者持續地投資在變動相當快速的電信技術上，以至於其技術效率與技術缺口每年呈現上升的趨勢。接著，先進國家群的技術效率比開發中國家群高，而其技術缺口也較小。然而，比起先進國家群的業者，開發中國家群裡的業者卻具有新進者的優勢，其可參考先進國家群的業者，直接採用最新的技術。在先進國家群中，NTT DOCOMO、Telecom New Zealand 以及 KT 有著最高的TE* 與TGR值，而Optus的值為最差。就開發中國家群而言，China Mobile 與 China Unicom的TE* 與TGR值最高，Celcom則是表現最差的業者。非常令人訝異的是，研究發現業者的營運規模與擁有權類別以及所處的市場之結構並不影響其技術效率以及技術缺口的表現。這和以往長期的認知有所矛盾，從一般管理和經濟的角度上，認為私有化能讓組織為了追求自身利益而採用具有競爭力和有效的策略，也因此獲得較好的效率表現，且透過市場的競爭(無形的雙手)也會將資源送到價值較高的地方，存活下來的業者也將會是比較有效率的。最後，本研究藉由所得研究成果提供管理與政策的建議，用以來改善行動業者的技術效率和技術缺口。

This study measures and compares the technical efficiency and technology gap of the APEC major mobile operators using stochastic metafrontier model during the time period of 2003 to 2010. The impact of operating scale, ownership, market structure, and economic development on the mobile operators’ technical efficiency is also investigated. The four steps of the research procedure are adopted. First, the parameters for the individual firm-specific SFA models are estimated using FRONTIER 4.1 software to derive the technical efficiency value relative to the group frontier (TEs). Second, the 25 APEC operators are divided into group of advanced economies and group of emerging and developing economies according to IMF (2012). Third, the parameters of the metafrontier using GAUSS economic software are estimated to derive the technical efficiency values with respect to the metafrontier (TE*s). In the end, the technology gaps between the group frontier and the metafrontier (TGR) are obtained.
The results of the study are summarized as follow. In general, the technical efficiency and technology gap of the APEC mobile operators is found to display an improving trend year by year, which was driven by the substantial investments in rapidly changing telecommunications technologies. Second, the operators in the group of advanced economies are found to have higher technical efficiency scores but smaller technology gaps on average than those in the group of emerging and developing economies. However, the operators in the emerging and developing economies did show a latecomer’s advantage by making a jump-start via deploying the latest technologies as compared to the ones in the advanced economies. In the group of advanced economies, NTT DOCOMO, Telecom New Zealand and KT had the highest TE* and TGR values, but Optus had the lowest TE*s and TGRs. In the group of emerging and developing economies, China Mobile and China Unicom had the highest TE* and TGR values, but Celcom had the lowest TE*s and TGRs. Surprisingly, none of operating scale, ownership, and market structure is found to have an impact on the technical efficiency and technology gap of a mobile operator. This contradicts the widespread managerial and Economics belief that the privatization initiates the incentives for the executive managers of organizations to pursue their own interests by adopting competitive and effective strategies and thus, would have higher efficiencies in operations, that the competition in a market (i.e., the invisible hand) sends the resources to the ones that have the highest valuations and thus, the surviving operators should be fully efficient. Finally, the managerial and policy suggestions are drawn from the results of this study to improve technical efficiency and reduce technology gap of mobile operators.

1.Aigner, D., Lovell, C. K., & Schmidt, P. (1977). Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models. Econometrics. 6(1), 21-37.
2.AIS (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://investor.ais.co.th/ AricleListA2011ISIRNews.aspx?mid=77 >.
3.American Telephone & Telegraph Mobility (AT&T Mobility) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: <http://www.att.com/gen/ investor-relations?pid=5691>.
4.Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) (2011). Retrieved from: < http://www.apec.org/ >.
5.Barros, C.P. (2006). Analysing the rate of technical change in the Portuguese hotel industry. Tourism Economics. 12(3), 325-346.
6.Barros, C.P., & Dieke, P.U.C. (2008). Technical efficiency of African hotels. Hospitality Management. 27(3), 438-447.
7.Battese, G.E., & Rao, D.S.P. (2002). Technology gap, efficiency, and a stochastic metafrontier function. International Journal of Business and Economics. 1(2), 87-93.
8.Battese, G.E., Rao, D.S.P., & O’Donnell, C.J. (2004). A metafrontier production function for estimation of technical efficiencies and technology gaps for firms operating under different technologies. Journal of Productivity Analysis. 21(1), 91-103.
9.Bell Canada Enterprise (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010 Retrieved from: < http://www.bce.ca/en/investors/financialperformance/annualreporting >.
10.Boshrabadi, H.M, Villano, R., & Fleming, E., (2007). Production relations and technical inefficiency in pistachio farming systems in Kerman Province of Iran. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods. 17(2), 141-155.
11.Bos, J.W.B., & Schmiedel, H. (2007). Is there a single frontier in a single European banking market? Journal of Banking & Finance. 31(7), 2081-2102.
12.BuddeComm (2011). Asia- mobile, broadband, and digital economy. Retrieved from: < https:// www.budde.com.au/ Research/ 2010-Asia-Mobile-Broadband- and-Digital-Economy.html?r=51 >.
13.Chakraborty, C., & Nandi, B. (2003). Privatization, telecommunications and growth in selected Asian countries: An econometric analysis. Communications and Strategies. 52(4), 31–47.
14.Chen, C.F., & Wang T.Y. (2003). Measuring Efficiencies of the International Tourist Hotels: The stochastic frontier approach. Tourism Management. 3(1), 63-77.
15.Chen, C.F. (2007). Applying the stochastic frontier approach to measure hotel managerial efficiency in Taiwan. Tourism Management. 28(3), 696-702.
16.Chen, Z., & Song, S. (2008). Efficiency and technology gap in China's agriculture: A regional meta-frontier analysis. China Economic Review, Elsevier. 19(2), 287-296.
17.China Mobile (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www. chinamobileltd.com/ir.php?menu=3 >.
18.China Unicom (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www. chinaunicom.com.hk/tc/investor/ir_report.html >.
19.China Telecom (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http:// www.chinatelecom-h.com / eng/ir/reports.php?cat=2010 >.
20.Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.cht.com.tw/ >.
21.Ceccobelli, M., Gitto, S., & Mancuso, P. (2012). ICT capital and labour productivity growth: A non-parametric analysis of 14 OECD countries. Telecommunications Policy. 36(4), 282-29.
22.Celcom (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.axiata.com/sites/default/files/ir/financial_reports.html >.
23.Coelli, T.J. (1996). A guide to frontier version 4.1: A computer program for stochastic frontier production and cost function estimation. CEPA Working Paper, Department of Econometrics University of New England, Armidale NSW Australia. 7(96), 33.
24.CSL (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://telstra.com/index. jsp?SMIDENTITY=NO >.
25.Diaz, M.A., & Sanchez, R. (2007). Firm size and productivity in Spain: A stochastic frontier analysis. Small Business Economics. 30(3), 315-323.
26.DiGi (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.digi.com.my/aboutus/digi_ir/financialReports_annualReports.do >.
27.Färe, R., Grosskopf, S., & Weber, W.L. (1989). Measuring school district performance. Public Finance Review. 17(4), 409¬-428.
28.Fenn, P., Vencappa, D., Diacon, S., Klumpes, P., & O’Brien, C. (2008). Market structure and the efficiency of European insurance companies: A stochastic frontier analysis. Banking & Finance. 32(1), 86-100.
29.Globe Telecom (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://site.globe.com.ph/about_globe/about_us/investor_relations/reports?sid = S3uSN8uxpRYAABxH2JYAAACce >.
30.Groff, J.E., Lien, D., & Su, J. (2007). Measuring efficiency gains from hospital mergers. Research in Healthcare Financial Management. 11(1), 77-90.
31.Gruber, H., & Verboven, F. (2001). The diffusion of mobile telecommunications services in the European Union. European Economic Review. 45(3), 577-588.
32.Grubesic, T.H. (2010). Efficiency in broadband service provision: A spatial analysis. Telecommunications Policy. 34(3), 117-131.
33.Hayami, Y. (1969). Sources of agricultural productivity gap among selected countries. Agricultural Economics. 51(3), 564–575.
34.Hayami, Y., & Ruttan, V.W. (1970). Agricultural productivity differences among countries. American Economic Review. 60(5), 895-911.
35.Hayami, Y., & Ruttan, V.W. (1971). Agricultural development: an international perspective. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
36.Hisali, E., & Yawe, B. (2011). Total factor productivity growth in Uganda’s telecommunications industry. Telecommunications Policy. 35(1), 12-19.
37.Hung, C.J., Hung, T.H., & Liu, N.H. (2012). A New Approach to Estimating the Metafrontier Production Function Based on a Stochastic Frontier Framework.
38.Indosat (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.indosat.com/ Investor_Relations >.
39.International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2012). Retrieved from: < http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm >.
40.International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (2011). Mobile cellular subscriptions. Retrieved from: < http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/index.html >.
41.Jha, R., & Majumdar, S. K. (1999). A matter of connections: OECD telecommunications sector productivity and the role of cellular technology diffusion. Information Economics and Policy. 11(3), 243-269.
42.Kokusai Denshin Denwa Inc (KDDI) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: <http://www.kddi.com/ English/corporate/ir/ library/ annual_report/ index.html>.
43.Korea Telecom (KT) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.kt.com/eng/index.jsp >.
44.Lam, P.L., & Shiu, A. (2008). Productivity analysis of the telecommunications sector in China. Telecommunications Policy. 32(8), 559-571.
45.Lam, P.L., & Shiu, A. (2010). Economic growth, telecommunications development and productivity growth of the telecommunications sector: Evidence around the world. Telecommunications Policy. 34(4), 185-199.
46.Lau, L.J., & Yotopoulos, P.A. (1989). The Meta-Production Function Approach to Technological Change in World Agriculture. Development Economics. 31(2), 241-269.
47.Lee, D., & Hwang, J (2011). Network neutrality and difference in efficiency among Internet application service providers: A meta-frontier analysis. Telecommunications Policy. 35(8), 764-772.
48.Lien, D., & Peng, Y. (2001). Competition and production efficiency of telecommunications in OECD countries. Information Economics and Policy. 13(1), 51–76.
49.Liao, C.H., & Lien, C.Y. (2012). Measuring the technology gap of APEC mobile telecommunication operators. Telecommunications Policy, forthcoming.
50.Li, Y., & Price, C.W. (2011). Effect of regulatory reform of mobile telecommunications on efficiency. Paper presented at Competition and regulation European summer school and conference. Abstract retrieved February 7, 2011, from < http://www.cresse.info/ uploadfiles/ 2011_3108_ ConferenceProgramme.pdf >.
51.Lin, Y.H., Hsu, G.J.Y., & Hsiao, C.K. (2007). Measuring efficiency of domestic banks in Taiwan: Application of data envelopment analysis and Malmquist index. Applied Economics Letters. 14(11), 821-827.
52.Madden, G., & Savage, S.J. (1999). Telecommunications productivity, catch-up and innovation. Telecommunications Policy. 23(1), 65-81.
53.Maxis (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://maxis.com.my/personal/about_us/investor/financialreport.asp?iStruct=0:2:0>.
54.Mazumdar, M., & Rajeev, M. (2009). Comparing the Efficiency and Productivity of the Indian Pharmaceutical Firms: A malmquist-meta-frontier approach. Business and Economics. 8(2), 159-181.
55.Meeusen, W., & van den Broeck, J. (1977). Efficiency estimation from Cobb–Douglas production functions with composed error. International Economic Review. 18(2), 435−444.
56.Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT) (2011). The operating status of telecommunications industry. Retrieved from: < http://www.miit.gov.cn/n11293472/n11293832/n11294132/ n12858447/ 14293382.html >.
57.Mundlak, Y., & Hellinghausen, R. (1982). The Intercountry Agricultural Production Function: Another View. Agricultural Economics. 64(4), 664-672.
58.Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.mtsgsm.com/ resources/annual_reports/ >.
59.Moreira, V.H., & Bravo-Ureta, B.E. (2010). Technical efficiency and metatechnology ratios for dairy farms in three southern cone countries: a stochastic meta-frontier model. Journal of Productivity Analysis. 33(1), 33-45.
60.National Communications Commission (NCC) (2011). The operating status of mobile service of 2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.ncc.gov.tw/ >.
61.Nippon Telegraph and Telephone DOCOMO (NTT DOCOMO) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.nttDOCOMO.co.jp/ english/corporate/ ir/library/ annual/index.html >.
62.OANDA (2012). Retrieved from: < http:// www.oanda.com/lang/ cnt/currency/historical-rates/ >.
63.O’Donnell, C.J., Rao, D.S.P., & Battese, G.E. (2008). Metafrontier frameworks for the study of firm-level efficiencies and technology ratios. Empirical Economics. 34(2), 231-255.
64.Optus (2012). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.optus.com.au/aboutoptus/About+Optus>.
65.Parkin, M. (8th Editions). (2007). Economics. Boston : Pearson Addison-Wealey.
66.Petrović, M., Gospić, N., Tarle1, S.P., & Bogojević, D. (2011). Benchmarking telecommunications in developing countries: A three-dimensional approach. Scientific Research and Essays. 6(4), 729-737.
67.Rosko, M.D. (2001). Cost efficiency of U.S. Hospitals: A stochastic frontier approach. Health Economics. 10(6), 539-551.
68.Rogers Wireless (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel= investor_1_1&investor_1_1_actionOverride=%252Fportlets%252Fconsumer%252Finvestor%252FshowLandingPageAction&_pageLabel=IR_LANDING >.
69.Ruttan, V.W., Binswanger, H.P., Hayami, Y., Wade W.W., & Weber , A. (1978). Factor Productivity and Growth: A historical interpretation. Induced Innovation: Technology, Institution, and Developments, Binswanger, H.P. and V.W. Ruttan, eds., Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.
70.Sadjadi, S.J., & Omrani, H (2010). A boostrapped robust data envelopment analysis model for efficiency estimating of telecommunication companies in Iran. Telecommunications Policy. 34(4), 221-232.
71.Seo, H., & Shin, J. (2011). The impact of incentive regulation on productivity in the US telecommunications industry: A stochastic frontier approach. Information Economics and Policy. 23(1), 3-11.
72.SingTel (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: http://info.singtel.com/ node/ 1788 >.
73.Smart Communications (2011) Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www1.smart.com.ph/about/newsroom/press-releases>.
74.Sprint Nextel (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.sprint.com/index_p.html?context=CP >.
75.SK Telecom (SKT) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www. sktelecom.com/eng/ >.
76.Symeou, P.C. (2011). Economy size and performance: An efficiency analysis in the telecommunications sector. Telecommunications Policy. 35(5), 426-440.
77.Telecom New Zealand (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www. telecom.co.nz/homepage >.
78.Telekomsel (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.telkomsel. com/web/annual_report >.
79.Telus Wireless (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://about.telus.com/ >.
80.Taiwan Mobile (TMB) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www. taiwanmobile.com/ >.
81.Telstra (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.telstra.com.au/ >.
82.T-Mobile (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010 Retrieved from: < http://www.t-mobile.com/ >.
83.Total Access Communication (DTAC) (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.dtac.co.th/tha/ir/index_en.html >.
84.Tsai, H.C., Chen, C.M., & Tzeng, G.H. (2006). The comparative productivity efficiency for global telecoms. International Journal of Production Economics. 103(2), 509-526.
85.Verizon Wireless (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://investor. verizon.com/financial/quarterly/index.aspx >.
86.Vimpelcom (2011). Annual reports 2003-2010. Retrieved from: < http://www.vimpelcom. com/investor/reports.wbp >.
87.Yang, H.H, & Chang C.Y. (2009). Using DEA window analysis to measure efficiencies of Taiwan’s integrated telecommunication firms. Telecommunications Policy. 30(1-2), 98-108.
88.Yang, Y.Y, & Jia, H.J. (2007). Estimation of the Asian telecommunication technical efficiencies with panel data. Posts and Telecommunications. 14(1), 111-114.