help! stochastic frontier estimation?!

[sav]

Hey there people!.. can somebody please help me with EViews!?! Im currently writing my final year dissertation/project, based on strategic management. I intend to conduct an analysis on the UK financial sector - looking at a few banks, i.e - the co-operative bank plc, hsbc, halifax bank, natwest, etc.. however, i have never used any software package like this before..i have tired playing around with it, but im useless at it!

i simply want to create a graph that compares the level on investement in research and development (R+D)/input of a bank, in comparison to the level of profitability/output of that same bank -

from this, i would like to create an estimation of the highest potential output the bank could have achieved in realtion to the amount of capital/input the bank initally invested..

i have tried to simplyfy what im trying to do below:

input vs output = actual profitability

in comparison to

input vs output = realistic estimation of maximum potential of profit

from the above, i wish to create a simple comparsion between actual profit, and the maximum potential of profit

..i would like to be able to analysis the banks listed above n the same graph..is this possible?

i would appreciate any help - my knowledge of EViews is below basic! sorry for any confusion in the explination above!

Sav
(mastersav@hotmail.com)