Ranking efficient DMUs using cooperative game theory

The problem of ranking Decision Making Units (DMUs) in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) has been widely studied in the literature. Some of the proposed approaches use cooperative game theory as a tool to perform the ranking. In this paper, we use the Shapley value of two different cooperative games in which the players are the efficient DMUs and the characteristic function represents the increase in the discriminant power of DEA contributed by each efficient DMU. The idea is that if the efficient DMUs are not included in the modified reference sample then the efficiency score of some inefficient DMUs would be higher. The characteristic function represents, therefore, the change in the efficiency scores of the inefficient DMUs that occurs when a given coalition of efficient units is dropped from the sample. Alternatively, the characteristic function of the cooperative game can be defined as the change in the efficiency scores of the inefficient DMUs that occurs when a given coalition of efficient DMUs are the only efficient DMUs that are included in the sample. Since the two cooperative games proposed are dual games, their corresponding Shapley value coincide and thus lead to the same ranking. The more an ef- ficient DMU impacts the shape of the efficient frontier, the higher the increase in the efficiency scores of the inefficient DMUs its removal brings about and, hence, the higher its contribution to the overall discriminant power of the method. The proposed approach is illustrated on a number of datasets from the literature and compared with existing methods

Performance Evaluation of Airport Construction Energy-saving based on DEA Network Design and Performance Analysis

AbstractFuzzy Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) evaluation model in Airport Construction Energy-saving have improved incomplete weight deficiency of information processing. Firstly, indices values were converted to trapezoid fuzzy numbers, then with incomplete information on indices weights as constraints, a fuzzy DEA model with outputs only and preference was established, and then by applying the α-cut approach, the model was transformed to a family of crisp DEA models and was solved. Experiments demonstrated the feasibility and applicability of the method

Efficiency of the Portuguese metros. is it different from other European metros?

This research analyses the performance of Portuguese metros in the European context. By means of two non-parametric benchmarking techniques, respectively performance indicators and data envelopment analysis, we compute the efficiency of 37 European metros. In order to provide statistical inference and robustness to our results we apply the recent technique of bootstrap. We also use the partial frontiers (order-m) to identify outliers and the double bootstrap procedure in a second stage methodology to take into account the influence of the operational environment. The results show important levels of inefficiency both in the Portuguese metros and in other European metros.Metro; Efficiency; Portugal; Performance Indicator; Data Envelopment Analysis

Assessing the Efficiency of Mass Transit Systems in the United States

Frustrated with increased parking problems, unstable gasoline prices, and stifling traffic congestion, a growing number of metropolitan city dwellers consider utilizing the mass transit system. Reflecting this sentiment, a ridership of the mass transit system across the United States has been on the rise for the past several years. A growing demand for the mass transit system, however, necessitates the expansion of service offerings, the improvement of basic infrastructure/routes, and the additional employment of mass transit workers, including drivers and maintenance crews. Such a need requires the optimal allocation of financial and human resources to the mass transit system in times of shrinking budgets and government downsizing. Thus, the public transit authority is faced with the dilemma of “doing more with less.” That is to say, the public transit authority needs to develop a “lean” strategy which can maximize transit services with the minimum expenses. To help the public transit authority develop such a lean strategy, this report identifies the best-in-class practices in the U.S. transit service sector and proposes transit policy guidelines that can best exploit lean principles built upon best-in-class practices

Incorporating Both Undesirable Outputs and Uncontrollable Variables into DEA: the Performance of Chinese Coal-Fired Power Plants

There are two difficulties in doing an objective evaluation of the performance of decision-making units (DMUs). The first one is how to treat undesirable outputs jointly produced with the desirable outputs, and the second one is how to treat uncontrollable variables, which often capture the impact of the operating environment. Given difficulties in both model construction and data availability, very few published papers simultaneously consider the above two problems. This article attempts to do so by proposing six DEA-based performance evaluation models based on a research sample of the Chinese coal-fired power plants. The finding of this paper not only contributes for the performance measurement methodology, but also has policy implications for the Chinese coal-fired power sector

A rational road to effectiveness attainment

Operational effectiveness goes beyond efficiency while it incorporates exogenous variables, non-controllable by the service units. Effectiveness is a fundamental driver for the success of an operational unit within a competitive environment. In this context, we seek to identify the active units that meet both the high or technical efficiency and the perceived high quality criteria. We also aim to develop a roadmap for effectiveness for every operational unit and we consider the feasibility of the results produced by the effectiveness assessment process in the short run. The target values uncovered by comparative optimization techniques (e.g. Data Envelopment Analysis) for efficiency and effectiveness measurement generally have limited managerial implications due to production constraints, available resources, and legal status. This paper introduces a modified Quality-driven – Efficiency-adjusted Data Envelopment Analysis (MQE-DEA) model to assess effectiveness and provide a step-by-step path to achieve high quality and high efficiency in every operational unit under evaluation. The MQE-DEA model has particular applicability to the effectiveness assessment of homogenous service units in which an inverse relationship underlies the two dimensions of effectiveness embraced in this study (e.g. bank branches, restaurant chain stores, governmental one-stop-shops).Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA); Context-dependent DEA; Effectiveness; Efficiency; Perceived Quality

A Comparative Study of Efficiency in European Banking

The structure of European banking markets has substantially changed over the past decade, partially as a result of the creation of the Single Internal Market. The process of integration and accompanying deregulation has embodied an incentive for bank management to focus on improving efficiency, especially given the more competitive banking environment. In this paper, employing the non-parametric DEA approach, we investigate whether the productive efficiency of European banking systems has improved and converged towards a common European frontier between 1993 and 1997, following the process of EU legislative harmonisation. We also examine the determinants of European bank efficiency using a Tobit regression model approach. We then extend the established literature on the determinants bank efficiency by taking into account the problem of the inherent dependency of DEA efficiency scores when used in regression analysis. To overcome the dependency problem a bootstrapping technique is applied. Overall, the results suggest that since the EU's Single Market Programme there has been a small improvement in bank efficiency levels, although there is little evidence to suggest that these have converged. Efficiency differences across European banking markets appear to be mainly determined by country-specific factors.Efficiency, DEA, Bootstrap, European Banks.

Quantitative selection of hedge funds using data envelopment analysis

Previous studies have documented that Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) could be a good tool to evaluate fund performance,especially the performance of hedge funds as it can incorporatemultiple risk-return attributes characterizing hedge fund's nonnormal return distribution in an unique performance score. Thepurpose of this paper is to extend the use of DEA to the contextof hedge fund selection when investors must face multi-dimensionalconstraints, each one associated to a relative importance level.Unlike previous studies which used DEA in an empirical framework,this research puts emphasis on methodological issues. I showedthat DEA can be a good tailor-made decision-making tool to assistinvestors in selecting funds that correspond the most to theirfinancial, risk-aversion, diversification and investment horizonconstraints.hedge funds, data envelopment analysis, fund selection, performance measurement, alternative investment