Are Dual and Primal Estimations Equivalent in the Presence of Stochastic Errors in Input Demand?

Abstract

This study investigates the primal and dual approaches for production in the presence of stochastic errors in output and input demands, and policy implications when such errors are not taken into account. A synthetic dataset is used to econometrically estimate the primal and dual functions associated with a given technology. Results show that both formulations are unbiased, consistent and efficient, even in the presence of a Cobb-Douglas technology. Not accounting for such errors can lead to wrong policy recommendations in a productive sector. Any kind of policy created to improve the total production of a particular sector should consider these issues before applying them to real data.