Research activity information

• 公益事業におけるサステナビリティへの取り組みを促進するガバナンス要因に関する分析

  中村絵理

  Mar. 2024, 公益事業研究

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Do Consumers Really Pay for SDGs? Re-Evaluating Consumer Behaviour Using Surveys in the USA, Germany, and Japan

  Eri Nakamura, Kimitaka Nishitani, Fumitoshi Mizutani

  Abstract This study investigates the relationship between consumers’ evaluation on sustainable development goal (SDG)-related characteristics and the actual payment for these values, while revealing effective governmental policies and business activities to enhance sustainable consumption. Using survey data from the USA, Germany, and Japan, the following results were obtained. First, the relative importance of the core element is 35–41% and that of the elements related to SDGs 8, 9, 12, and 13 dominates 52–58% of the overall product value. Second, effective approaches to enhance sustainable consumption differ among product characteristics. Third, lifestyle influences only the long-term and the medium-term goods. Fourth, while consumers rely on their experience in the choice of short-term goods, they make more deliberate decisions considering their condition factors for the medium-term and long-term goods. Based on these results, some practical implications were derived. First, active advertisement emphasizing the importance of economic aspects and actions for economic goals could be effective. Second, describing the idea that underlies the concept of SDGs could be effective rather than emphasizing each SDG. Third, incentive schemes focusing on daily goods rather than durable goods could enhance sustainable consumption further, as consumers still exhibit limited concern for daily goods. (JEL codes: D12; M20; M30; Q01; Q56; and Q58)

  Lead, Oxford University Press (OUP), Aug. 2023, CESifo Economic Studies

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Organisational Governance Reducing Total Costs in Railway Business: Implications from Japanese Vertically Integrated Private Companies

  Eri Nakamura, Fumitoshi Mizutani

  Lead, Jul. 2023, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 57(3) (3), 177 - 198

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Cost Structure Changes in the Japanese Local Bus Sector in an Era of Deregulation: A Bayesian Gradual Switching Approach

  Nobuhiro Sanko, Hiroki Sakai, Kazuhiko Kakamu, Eri Nakamura

  Apr. 2023, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 57(2) (2), 151 - 176, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• An Analysis of the Effect of Demand Response on Electricity Consumption: Assessing the Households’ Heterogeneous Reaction to Dynamic Pricing

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Takuro Tanaka, E. Nakamura

  Feb. 2023, Current Issues in Public Utilities and Public Policy, edited by Mizutani, F., T. Urakami, and E. Nakamura, forthcoming, Springer.

  In book


• Effects of Sustainable Development Goals Engagement on Profit in Public Utilities: Comparison with General Private Companies

  Eri Nakamura

  Feb. 2023, Current Issues in Public Utilities and Public Policy, edited by Mizutani, F., T. Urakami, and E. Nakamura, forthcoming, Springer.

  In book


• Control and Coordination in Railway Business: Implications for Intermediate Organisational Forms between Vertical Separation and Integration

  Eri Nakamura, Hiroki Sakai

  Lead, Dec. 2022, Research in Transportation Business & Management, 45

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• 部分調整モデルによる包括委託におけるロックイン効果の推定： 日本の下水道事業のデータを用いた実証分析

  中村絵理, 中岡孝剛, 浦上拓也

  Lead, Sep. 2022, 国民経済雑誌, 226(3) (3), Japanese

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Does vertical integration facilitate coordination between infrastructure management and train operating units in the rail sector? Implications for Japanese railways

  Eri Nakamura, Hiroki Sakai

  Lead, Elsevier BV, Oct. 2020, Utilities Policy, 66, 101099 - 101099, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Necessary Demand and Extra Demand of Public Utility Product: Identification Using the Stochastic Frontier Model

  Eri NAKAMURA, Fumitoshi MIZUTANI

  Springer, Mar. 2019, Journal of Industrial and Business Economics: Economia e Politica Industriale, 46(1) (1), 45 - 64, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Managerial transfers to reduce transaction costs among affiliated firms: Case study of Japanese railway holding companies

  Eri Nakamura, Hiroki Sakai, Kenichi Shoji

  Elsevier Ltd, Aug. 2018, Utilities Policy, 53, 102 - 110, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Bayesian stochastic frontier model with endogenous regressors: An application to the effect of division of labor in Japanese water supply organizations

  Eri Nakamura, Takuya Urakami, KAKAMU KAZUHIKO

  2018, Jeliazkov, I. and Tobias, J.L. eds., Advances in Econometrics, Emerald Group Publishing, forthcoming, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• The effect of demand response on electricity consumption under the existence of the reference price effect: Evidence from a dynamic pricing experiment in Japan

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Takuro Tanaka, Eri Nakamura

  Elsevier Inc., Jan. 2018, Electricity Journal, 31(1) (1), 16 - 22, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Regulation, public interest, and private interest: an empirical investigation of firms in Japan

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Eri Nakamura

  Springer Verlag, Dec. 2017, Empirical Economics, 56(4) (4), 1 - 22, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• How do governance factors affect inefficiency? Stochastic frontier analysis of public utility firms in Japan

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Eri Nakamura

  Springer International Publishing, Sep. 2017, Economia e Politica Industriale, 44(3) (3), 267 - 289, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• 確率フロンティアモデルによる企業の環境保全努力の計測および他指標との比較

  NAKAMURA Eri

  神戸大学経済経営学会, Feb. 2017, 国民経済雑誌, 215(2) (2), 55 - 68, Japanese

  Research institution

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Electricity Saving Behavior of Households by Making Efforts, Replacing Appliances, and Renovations: Empirical Analysis using a Multivariate Ordered Probit Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Dec. 2016, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40(6) (6), 675 - 684, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Is Corporate Social Responsibility in Japanese Firms at the Appropriate Level? An Analysis of 'CSR Slack' Using a Stochastic Frontier Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Wiley, Jan. 2016, Business and Society Review, 121(2) (2), 271 - 295, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Policy and Regulations in the Postal Sector

  Fumitoshi MIZUTANI, Shuji URANISHI, Eri NAKAMURA, Christian JAAG

  Dec. 2015, Matthias FINGER and Christian JAAG (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Network Industries, Routledge, Chapter 12, 156 - 168, English

  [Invited]

  Scientific journal


• Governance and Strategies in the Postal Sector

  Fumitoshi MIZUTANI, Shuji URANISHI, Eri NAKAMURA

  Dec. 2015, Matthias FINGER and Christian JAAG (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Network Industries, Routledge, Chapter 21, 286 - 296, English

  [Invited]

  Scientific journal


• The bidirectional CSR investment – economic performance relationship

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Apr. 2015, Journal of Global Responsibility, 6(1) (1), 128 - 144, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Managerial Incentive, Organizational Slack, and Performance: Empirical Analysis of Japanese Firms' Behavior

  Fumitoshi MIZUTANI, Eri NAKAMURA

  Jan. 2014, Journal of Management and Governance, 18(1) (1), 245 - 284, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• The Impact of Shareholders’ Types on Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Japanese firms

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Sep. 2013, Journal of Global Responsibility, 4(1) (1), 113 - 130, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• Does Environmental Investment Really Contribute to Firm Performance? An Empirical Analysis Using Japanese Firms

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Oct. 2011, Eurasian Business Review, 1(2) (2), 91 - 111, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• 組織スラックはR&D投資と環境投資を促進するのか

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Thepurpose of this study is to investigate the effect of organizational slack-an excess of resources of a firm-on R & D investment and environmental investment. We make two contributions in this paper. First, we consider two types of simultaneous corporate investments: in R & D and in environmental conservation. Although corporate managers consider various types of investments in their decision-making processes, previous studies focus on a single form of investment as their dependent variable for organizational slack. By considering two investments simultaneously, we can discuss the comparative importance of each investment. Moreover, we extend an existing discussion concerning the absolute amount of each investment. That is, organizational slack can reduce the absolute amount of corporate investment. Previous studies focusing on only one type of investment consider that organizational slack increases various corporate investments. However, by including two types of investment, we consider the possibility that a firm can increase R & D investment by using the resources originally allocated to environmental investment. This leads to a decrease in the amount of environmental investment. The second contribution of this study is an empirical investigation of the relationship between organizational slack and corporate investments. Most previous studies consider this relationship from a theoretical perspective, but do not examine it empirically. Thus, empirical studies are required in the area of organizational slack and corporate investments. Using seemingly unrelated regression with a data set of 3225 Japanese firms in 2005, we obtained the following results. First, the hypothesis that organizational slack increases the R & D investment ratio and decreases the environmental investment ratio is supported in both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries. Second, however, the results differ between manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries concerning the absolute amount of each investment. While manufacturing firms increase R & D investment using environmental investment resources, nonmanufacturing firms increase both R & D and environmental investment simultaneously. This may reflect a difference in corporate strategies between these two industries.

  Japan Academy of Business Administration, Apr. 2011, 日本経営学会誌, 27, 15 - 26, Japanese

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• The effect of public involvement on firm inefficiency: evidence using Japanese private firms

  Eri Nakamura

  Nov. 2010, REVIEW OF MANAGERIAL SCIENCE, 4(3) (3), 217 - 258, English

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal


• 組織スラックと企業のパフォーマンスの関係についての分析：同時方程式による推定

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Kobe University, Sep. 2010, 六甲台論集, 57(2) (2), 29 - 42, Japanese

  Scientific journal


• Does Organizational Slack Equal Inefficiency?

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Eri Nakamura

  Kobe University, Apr. 2010, Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 201(4) (4), 29 - 41, Japanese

  [Refereed]

  Scientific journal

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• 日本企業における組織スラックの推定：確率フロンティアモデルによる分析

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Kobe University, Mar. 2010, 六甲台論集, 56(4) (4), 1 - 16, Japanese

  Scientific journal

• Different Responses to Travel Hindrances: Pandemic, Congestion, and Extreme Weather

  Eri Nakamura, Takeru Shibayama

  Lead, Jan. 2025, Thredbo paper series 8-2, English


• Social capital and information nudge impact on residents’ willingness to pay: Measures for financially sustainable water supply service

  Eri Nakamura, Takayoshi Nakaoka

  Lead, Jan. 2025, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series 2025-01, English


• Small-scale Public Transport for Social Capital Building – A Case of ‘Green Slow Mobility’ in Japan

  Ziyi Qin, Mayo Mieno, Eri Nakamura, Kiyohito Utsunomiya

  Dec. 2024, Thredbo paper series 7b-52.


• Organisational Governance Reducing Total Costs in Railway Business: Implications from Japanese Vertically Integrated Private Companies

  Eri Nakamura, Fumitoshi Mizutani

  Lead, Mar. 2021, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series 2021.12., English


• Measuring and Exploring Intra-Organisational Transaction Costs of Spontaneous and Intentional Governance: Case Study of the Austrian Telecommunication Industry

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Dec. 2017, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series, English

  Technical report


• Managers' temporary transfer to reduce transaction costs between business units: Case study on Japanese railway groups having holding company structure

  Eri Nakamura, Hiroki Sakai, Kenichi Shoji

  Mar. 2017, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series, English

  Technical report


• To What Extent Do Public Interest and Private Interest Affect Regulations? An Empirical Investigation of Firms in Japan

  Fumitoshi MIZUTANI, Eri NAKAMURA

  Oct. 2015, 神戸大学ディスカッションペーパー, English

  Technical report

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• The Effect of Demand Response on Electricity Consumption in Japan

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Takuro Tanaka, NAKAMURA Eri

  Feb. 2015, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series, English

  Technical report

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• An Analysis of Household Electricity Saving Behavior Using the Stochastic Frontier Function

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, NAKAMURA Eri

  Feb. 2015, Kobe University Discussion Paper Series, English

  Technical report

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• Postal Services: Governments and Firms’ Perspective

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, Shuji Uranishi, NAKAMURA Eri

  Sep. 2014, 神戸大学ディスカッションペーパー, English

  Technical report

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• What Most Affects A Firm’s Costs：Internal or External Factors, or Both?

  Fumitoshi Mizutani, NAKAMURA Eri

  Aug. 2014, 神戸大学ディスカッションペーパー, English

  Technical report


• Regulation, Competition, Diversification, Governance and Costs: An Empirical Analysis of Public Utility and Manufacturing Firms in Japan

  Mizutani Fumitoshi, Nakamura Eri

  The main purpose of this study is to investigate how regulation, competition, governance structure, and business diversification strategy affect the cost structure of firms. By using 358 observations comprised of public utility firms and manufacturing firms from 1989 to 2002, we estimate the translog cost function. From our empirical analysis, the following results are obtained: (i) The regulation factor does not affect the cost structure. (ii) Compared with the regulation factor, the competition factor shows a quite clear effect on a firm's cost reduction. (iii) As a company diversifies further from its core industry into other industries, all of the firm's business costs increase, indicating an apparent lack of economies of scope. (iv) The governance factor has an important effect on a firm's cost structure. As the ratio of foreign shareholders increases and there is more dependence on one main bank, the costs of a firm decrease.

  神戸大学大学院経営学研究科, Jun. 2013, 神戸大学経営学研究科 Discussion paper, 2013, English

  Link to Kobe Univ. Repository (Kernel)


• The Difference between Observed Level and Theoretically Possible Level of CSR Investments: Analysis of CSR Slack using Stochastic Frontier Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Jun. 2013, 信州大学スタッフペーパーシリーズ, (13-01) (13-01), English

  Technical report


• The Bidirectional Relationship between CSR Activities and Economic Performance: Analysis using a Simultaneous Equations Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Jul. 2012, 信州大学スタッフペーパーシリーズ, (12-01) (12-01), English

  Technical report


• 組織スラックが企業活動に与える影響についての実証研究

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Apr. 2011, 博士論文（神戸大学）, Japanese

  [Refereed]

  Others


• 組織スラックと企業のパフォーマンスの関係に関する実証研究

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Mar. 2008, 修士論文（神戸大学）, Japanese

  [Refereed]

  Others

• Current Issues in Public Utilities and Public Policy

  Mizutani, F, T. Urakami, E. Nakamura

  Joint editor, Springer, 2023

• Different Responses to Mobility Restrictions: Pandemic, Congestion, Extreme Weather and GHG Reduction

  Eri Nakamura

  International Conference Series on Competition and Ownership in Land Passenger Transport (Thredbo) 18, Oct. 2024, English

  Oral presentation


• Consumption with Strong Externalities in Emergencies:: Providing Information for Immediate Adaptation

  Eri Nakamura

  93rd Southern Economic Association (SEA), New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, The United States of America, Nov. 2023, English

  Oral presentation


• Information Delivery for Voluntary Civil Cooperation towards a Resilient Society: Evidence from Surveys in Japan, Germany, and the United States

  9th CIRIEC International Research Conference on Social Economy, Jul. 2023

  Oral presentation


• Control and Coordination in Railway Business: Implications for Intermediate Organisational Forms between Vertical Separation and Integration

  Eri Nakamura

  The 17th International Conference on Competition and Ownership in Land Passenger Transport, Sep. 2022, English

  Oral presentation


• The Lock-in Effect and Outsourcing Contract in Japan’s Sanitation Businesses

  Eri Nakamura

  The Japan Society Of Public Utility Economics, Jun. 2022, Japanese

  Oral presentation


• The Impact of Lock-in Effect on Costs in Comprehensive Outsourcing Contract: Empirical Analysis of Japanese Sanitation Businesses

  Eri Nakamura, Takayoshi Nakaoka

  The 20th International Conference of the Japan Economic Policy Association, Nov. 2021, English

  Oral presentation


• Organisational Coordination Mechanisms between Train Operating Unit and Infrastructure Management Unit in Japanese Railway Companies

  Eri Nakamura

  Kansai Conference of The Japan Society of Transportation Economics, Urban Transportation Research Institute, Apr. 2021, Japanese


• Coordination mechanisms to reduce misalignment among unbundled business units: A case study of vertically integrated Japanese

  中村 絵理

  公益事業学会若手研究会, Sep. 2019, Japanese, Domestic conference

  Oral presentation


• Coordination Mechanisms to Reduce Misalignment Among Unbundled Business Units: A Case Study of Vertically Integrated Japanese Railways

  NAKAMURA ERI

  WORLD CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORT RESEARCH SOCIETY, May 2019, English, Mumbai, India, International conference

  Oral presentation


• Bayesian stochastic frontier model with endogenous regressors: an application to the effect of division of labour in Japanese water supply organisations

  NAKAMURA Eri

  International Society for Bayesian Analysis, Jun. 2018, English, エジンバラ大学, International conference

  Poster presentation


• Bayesian stochastic frontier model with endogenous regressors: an application to the effect of division of labour in Japanese water supply organisations

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Advances in Econometrics Conference, Jun. 2018, English, UC Irvine, International conference

  Oral presentation


• Misalignments and Coordination inJapanese Integrated Rail SystemBased on Case Study

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Workshop on Railway Structure, Jan. 2018, English, Leeds University, International conference

  Oral presentation


• Managers' temporary transfer to reduce transaction costs between business units: Case study on Japanese railway groups having holding company structure

  NAKAMURA Eri

  European Regional Science Association, Aug. 2017, English, フローニンゲン大学, International conference

  Oral presentation


• To What Extent Do Public Interest and Private Interest Affect Regulations? An Empirical Investigation of Firms in Japan

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Corporate Governance in Network Industries, Oct. 2015, English, Vienna University of Economics and Business, International conference

  Oral presentation


• The Bidirectional Relationship between CSR Activities and Economic Performance: Analysis using a Simultaneous Equations Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Eurasia Business and Economics Society, Oct. 2013, English, Warsaw, International conference

  Oral presentation


• Is the Current Implementation of Corporate Social Responsibilities at the Appropriate Level? Analysis of “CSR Slack” using Stochastic Frontier Model

  NAKAMURA Eri

  International Academic Conference, Sep. 2013, English, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences, Prague, International conference

  Oral presentation


• The Impact of Shareholders’ Types on Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Japanese firms

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Eurasia Business and Economics Society, Jan. 2013, English, Sapienza University, International conference

  Oral presentation


• Does Environmental Investment Really Contribute to Firm Performance? An Empirical Analysis Using Japanese Firms

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Eurasia Business and Economics Society, Nov. 2010, English, Athens, International conference

  Oral presentation


• 組織スラックはR&D投資と環境投資を促進するのか

  NAKAMURA Eri

  日本経営学会第84回大会, Sep. 2010, Japanese, 石巻専修大学, Domestic conference

  Oral presentation


• The Effect of Public Involvement on Firm Inefficiency: Evidence using Japanese Private Firms

  NAKAMURA Eri

  11th Annual Conference of International Network for Economic Research, Sep. 2009, English, University of Stirling, International conference

  Oral presentation

• 日本交通学会


• 公益事業学会


• 日本経営学会

• Empirical Study on Sustainable Water and Wastewater Services under Accelerated Population Decline

  田中智泰, 浦上拓也, 中村絵理, 中岡孝剛, 北村友宏, 趙宇

  JSPS, KAKENHI, The Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (International Collaborative Research), Kindai University, Sep. 2023 - Mar. 2027


• Study on effective organisational design and coordination mechanisms in public utilities

  中村 絵理

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), Kobe University, 01 Apr. 2021 - 31 Mar. 2026

  申請者のこれまでの研究で、公益事業におけるインフラ維持部門と運営部門の間の最適な組織間調整システムについての研究を行った。しかし、これらの研究では、ソフト面である組織間調整システムの制度や運用方法が主な研究対象であり、ハード面である組織構造は「与件」であると仮定していた。これは、公益事業分野では多くの場合、政府の政策や規制によって組織構造が制限されるため、企業側の裁量性がほとんどないと考えてきたためである。このため、ソフト面とハード面の調和および両者を含めた組織全体の最適化については部分的に議論したのみであった。 本研究課題では、ソフト面としての組織の調整メカニズムと、ハード面としての組織構造をともに変数として扱うことで、それらのどのような組み合わせが効率性や生産性を最も上げるのかという全体最適を考えることが主な目的であった。本年度は、公益事業の組織最適化について、日本の鉄道事業を例として取り上げることでその費用効率性の決定要因を分析した。特に組織ガバナンスに焦点を当て、組織デザイン、戦略、コーポレートガバナンスの3つの要因が鉄道事業の生産費用に与える影響をトランスログ費用関数で実証的に分析した。その結果、経営陣のオーナーシップと多角化は費用を削減する効果があるが、大株主による株式所有とホールディングス制の採用、組織のスタッフ機能の拡大は費用を増加させることがわかった。その一方、多くの研究で重要な要因だとされている政府による株式所有は有意な影響を与えないことが明らかになった。


• 緊急時における公益事業を中心とした企業間連携と住民間協力体制の構築

  科学技術振興機構, さきがけ「パンデミックに対してレジリエントな社会・技術基盤の構築」, Oct. 2022 - Mar. 2026, Principal investigator


• Studies on Sustainable Transport: Focusing on the Regulatory Framework and the Role of Private Sector

  SHOJI Kenichi

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Kobe University, Apr. 2019 - Mar. 2022, Coinvestigator

  This research project examined sustainable transport policy based on the evaluations of transport policies in Japan. Several interesting findings are obtained by our empirical analyses. Especially, 1) even regulatory reform on entry/exit and fares, changes in the market environment may be the large momentum of the private rail’s response; 2) informal communication is significant for overall coordination and mechanisms enhancing informal communication are observed mainly at the task group and individual levels; 3) Japanese track access charges, calculated by the avoidable cost rule, is too low, causing difficulties in the promotion of a modal shift to rail freight; 4) High speed rail may be a stronger competitor for FSCs than LCCs.


• 垂直分離された公益事業における最適な組織間調整システムについての研究

  中村 絵理

  科学研究費補助金／若手研究, Apr. 2018 - Mar. 2021, Principal investigator

  Competitive research funding


• 公益企業における組織とガバナンス構造に関する計量分析

  水谷 文俊

  学術研究助成基金助成金／基盤研究(C), Apr. 2017 - Mar. 2021

  Competitive research funding


• The effect of introducing Public-Private-Partnership in public sector -from the viewpoint of transaction cost economics-

  Sakai Hiroki, Nakamura Eri, Shoji Kenichi, Takahashi Yoshinori, Didier van de Velde, Nash Chris, Smith Andrew

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), Kobe University, 01 Apr. 2016 - 31 Mar. 2019

  The findings of the research are as follows. First, we analyzed the coordination problem at the interface between train operating company and the infrastructure manager in the vertical separation system of the European railway business. Here, the entire railway business was classified into four steps: investment, planning, timetable design, and production, and an analysis was conducted as to which stage of coordination causes misalignment. In addition, in order to obtain suggestions for redesigning of EU railway policy, we analyzed the mechanism to reduce the transaction cost incurred between each division and subsidiary of a large private railway company in Japan. Second, we measured how well the form of governance is aligned from the perspective of transaction cost in the publicly owned water supply and bus companies PPP, and the effects of misalignment variable on performance indicators were examined.


• 取引費用理論による公益事業の最適組織形態と効率性の決定要因に関する実証研究

  中村 絵理

  学術研究助成基金助成金／若手研究(B), Apr. 2015 - Mar. 2018, Principal investigator

  Competitive research funding


• Research on the effect of industry regulation on business activity

  NAKAMURA Eri

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity start-up, Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity start-up, Shinshu University, 2011 - 2012, Principal investigator

  First, industry regulations do not have a significant effect on business activity while the pressures by the society expressed as corporate social responsibility (CSR) have a great effect on business activities. Second, among CSR activities, environmental investment decreases economic performance while the engagement in labor issues and social contribution enhances economic performance. Third, there is a relationship that CSR influences economic performance in addition to the relationship that economic performance influences CSR. Fourth, governance structure is the important determinant for CSR. Fifth, most shareholders focus on only the activity that they are interested in but ignore the whole CSR investment strategy. A company can improve economic performance more effectively by dispersed CSR investment than by concentrated CSR investment.