Analyzing the solutions of DEA through information visualization and data mining techniques: SmartDEA framework

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has proven to be a useful tool for assessing efficiency or productivity of organizations, which is of vital practical importance in managerial decision making. DEA provides a significant amount of information from which analysts and managers derive insights and guidelines to promote their existing performances. Regarding to this fact, effective and methodologic analysis and interpretation of DEA solutions are very critical. The main objective of this study is then to develop a general decision support system (DSS) framework to analyze the solutions of basic DEA models. The paper formally shows how the solutions of DEA models should be structured so that these solutions can be examined and interpreted by analysts through information visualization and data mining techniques effectively. An innovative and convenient DEA solver, SmartDEA, is designed and developed in accordance with the proposed analysis framework. The developed software provides a DEA solution which is consistent with the framework and is ready-to-analyze with data mining tools, through a table-based structure. The developed framework is tested and applied in a real world project for benchmarking the vendors of a leading Turkish automotive company. The results show the effectiveness and the efficacy of the proposed framework

DEA-Based Incentive Regimes in Health-Care Provision

A major challenge to legislators, insurance providers and municipalities will be how to manage the reimbursement of health-care on partially open markets under increasing fiscal pressure and an aging population. Although efficiency theoretically can be obtained by private solutions using fixed-payment schemes, the informational rents and production distortions may limit their implementation. The healthcare agency problem is characterized by (i) a complex multi-input multi-output technology, (ii) information uncertainty and asymmetry, and (iii) fuzzy social preferences. First, the technology, inherently nonlinear and with externalities between factors, yield parametric estimation difficult. However, the flexible production structure in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) offers a solution that allows for the gradual and successive refinement of potentially nonconvex technologies. Second, the information structure of healthcare suggests a context of considerable asymmetric information and considerable uncertainty about the underlying technology, but limited uncertainty or noise in the registration of the outcome. Again, we shall argue that the DEA dynamic yardsticks (Bogetoft, 1994, 1997, Agrell and Bogetoft, 2001) are suitable for such contexts. A third important characteristic of the health sector is the somewhat fuzzy social priorities and the numerous potential conflicts between the stakeholders in the health system. Social preferences are likely dynamic and contingent on the disclosed information. Similarly, there are several potential hidden action (moral hazard) and hidden information (adverse selection) conflicts between the different agents in the health system. The flexible and transparent response to preferential ambiguity is one of the strongest justifications for a DEA-approach. DEA yardstick regimes have been successfully implemented in other sectors (electricity distribution) and we present an operalization of the power-parameter p in an pseudo-competitive setting that both limits the informational rents and incites the truthful revelation of information. Recent work (Agrell and Bogetoft, 2002) on strategic implementation of DEA yardsticks is commented in the healthcare context, where social priorities change the tradeoff between the motivation and coordination functions of the yardstick. The paper is closed with policy recommendations and some areas of further work.Data Envelopment Analysis, regulation, health care systems, efficiency, Health Economics and Policy,

Measuring the Efficiency of Pesantren Cooperatives: Evidence in Indonesia

The Cooperative (Koperasi) as a non-Bank financial institution has the purpose of improving the welfare of its members as Koperasi Hidmat and the staffs of Latifah Mubarokiyah Koperasi Ponses Suryalaya that have been since decades ago. Over time, the ideal cooperative can show a significant development and increase the welfare of its members. This study aims to determine the efficiency of cooperative as a benchmark, because by known the performance value of a cooperation, it will known the weeknesses and advantages so that it can be improved the weaknesses and maintain the advantages.The method used is apply Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Inputs used from principal savings, mandatory savings, and fixed assets while the output used from savings in the cooperative, savings in other cooperative and SHU. As for result of this research indicates there are 9 perfect efficient DMUs (100 %) and inefficient DMU is 11 DMUs, consisting of 7 (IRS conditions) and 4 (DRS condition). The most inefficient cooperative is Koperasi Hidmat (2014) of 30.66% efficiency level.Kopkar IAILM is able to maintain its grade efficiency level from 2009 to 2015 when compared to other DMUs cooperatives in the observation, except in 2014. The calculation of efficiency level in this research is relative and it is not absolute, so that it is possible when the cooperative sample is added or the observation year is expanded, so it will get different result. The necessity of any cooperative or BMT based on Pondok Pesantren to make annual financial statements in order to increase accountability and transparency of fund management

Short-term Self-Scheduling of Virtual Energy Hub Plant within Thermal Energy Market

Multicarrier energy systems create new challenges as well as opportunities in future energy systems. One of these challenges is the interaction among multiple energy systems and energy hubs in different energy markets. By the advent of the local thermal energy market in many countries, energy hubs' scheduling becomes more prominent. In this article, a new approach to energy hubs' scheduling is offered, called virtual energy hub (VEH). The proposed concept of the energy hub, which is named as the VEH in this article, is referred to as an architecture based on the energy hub concept beside the proposed self-scheduling approach. The VEH is operated based on the different energy carriers and facilities as well as maximizes its revenue by participating in the various local energy markets. The proposed VEH optimizes its revenue from participating in the electrical and thermal energy markets and by examining both local markets. Participation of a player in the energy markets by using the integrated point of view can be reached to a higher benefit and optimal operation of the facilities in comparison with independent energy systems. In a competitive energy market, a VEH optimizes its self-scheduling problem in order to maximize its benefit considering uncertainties related to renewable resources. To handle the problem under uncertainty, a nonprobabilistic information gap method is implemented in this study. The proposed model enables the VEH to pursue two different strategies concerning uncertainties, namely risk-averse strategy and risk-seeker strategy. For effective participation of the renewable-based VEH plant in the local energy market, a compressed air energy storage unit is used as a solution for the volatility of the wind power generation. Finally, the proposed model is applied to a test case, and the numerical results validate the proposed approach

\u3ci\u3eThe Symposium Proceedings of the 1998 Air Transport Research Group (ATRG), Volume 2\u3c/i\u3e

UNOAI Report 98-4https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/facultybooks/1153/thumbnail.jp

Evaluating the Evidence on Electricity Reform: Lessons for the South East Europe (SEE) Market

This paper discusses the evidence on electricity reform and relates it to the current situation of the South East Europe (SEE) electricity market. We begin by discussing the main elements of the European Union (EU) electricity reform model. Then we go on to discuss emerging good practice in the regulation of national electricity markets in the EU. This is important because it reflects the key role placed on independent regulation of the electricity sector in the EU reform model. Next, we evaluate the empirical evidence on the success of the EU reform model in particular before and the success of electricity reforms more generally. This leads on to a discussion of the particular context of SEE electricity reform and what specific issues this raises. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of more general institutional context of SEE electricity reform. The paper suggests that it will be a substantial, but worthwhile, challenge to create a workable supra-national electricity market in the region

Using Fuzzy TOPSIS and Balanced Scorecard for Kaizen Evaluation

Background: Kaizen is a very important continuous improvement technique; however, measuring kaizen results/benefits have not been clearly and comprehensively addressed by the literature. Objectives: This paper aims to propose a kaizen measuring system by integrating a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and a Fuzzy Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS). Methods/Approach: Three research instruments were distributed to kaizen experts to allocate kaizen benefits into the four BSC perspectives. The best measures of kaizen benefits were determined by employing the Fuzzy TOPSIS technique. Results: The results present a kaizen performance evaluation system where the benefits were allocated into the four BSC perspectives, and the best measure for each kaizen benefit was chosen using fuzzy TOPSIS. Conclusions: The research contributes to the literature by proposing a kaizen measurement system that will pair each benefit of using kaizen with BSC perspectives and measures, thus expanding the advantages of adopting kaizen to any sector or industry

Abstracts of Invited and Selected Papers and Organized Symposia, WAEA Annual Meetings, San Francisco, California, July 6-8, 2005

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Adverse effects of Interbank funds on bank efficiency: evidence from Turkish banking sector

This paper investigates the relationship between interbank funds and efficiencies is for the commercial banks operating in Turkey between 2001-2006. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is executed to find the efficiency scores of the banks for each year, and fixed effects panel data regression is carried out, with the efficiency scores being the response variable. It is observed that interbank funds (ratio) has negative effects on bank efficiency, while bank capitalization and loan ratio have positive, and profitability has insignificant effects. Our study serves as an illustrative evidence that interbank funds can have adverse effects in an emerging market