A growing number of local public transport (LPT) companies diversify their production lines by providing a large set of services. We investigate the cost structure of a sample of LPT companies operating in Italy and assess the presence and the magnitude of scope economies. We split the whole sample of firms according to their diversification strategy: private firms, mainly diversifying in competitive transport-related services and public firms providing non-transport services in regulated markets. Scope economies appear sizeable for both groups but higher for firms pursuing a transport related strategy, suggesting caution in the multi-utility development pursued by public LPT firms in Italy.

Diversification strategies and scope economies: Evidence from a sample of Italian regional bus transport providers

OTTOZ, Elisabetta;DI GIACOMO, Marina
2012-01-01

Abstract

A growing number of local public transport (LPT) companies diversify their production lines by providing a large set of services. We investigate the cost structure of a sample of LPT companies operating in Italy and assess the presence and the magnitude of scope economies. We split the whole sample of firms according to their diversification strategy: private firms, mainly diversifying in competitive transport-related services and public firms providing non-transport services in regulated markets. Scope economies appear sizeable for both groups but higher for firms pursuing a transport related strategy, suggesting caution in the multi-utility development pursued by public LPT firms in Italy.
2012
44
2867
2880
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/raec20/current#.UYFLqbV7IZm
cost function; scope economies; transport companies
E. Ottoz; M. Di Giacomo
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/88000
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