Eficiência técnica das unidades federativas brasileiras - padrões e determinantes

Abstract

This article analyses the Brazilian regional economy using panel data. The Brazilian federal units are classified under Farrell's concept of technical efficiency (1957). To this end, the Brazilian production frontier curve is estimated through a translog flexible specification. Then, possible regional inequality factors are examined, from which agglomeration economies and human capital appear to be the most important ones. Also, the Brazilian federal units are analyzed under the criterion of output elasticity in relation to changes in input and returns to scale, showing the Brazilian economy's low competitiveness given that all units present decreasing returns to scale. This analysis utilizes two data sources tor labor input: PNAD 1985-1990 and RAIS 1986-1993, and then both results are compared. This comparison shows that productivity is overestimated under RAIS sources as they include only the formal sector of the labor market.