Measuring the efficiency of decision making units. (English) Zbl 0416.90080

Charnes, A.; Cooper, W. W.; Rhodes, E.

Eur. J. Oper. Res. 2, 429-444 (1978).

Summary: A nonlinear (nonconvex) programming model provides a new definition of efficiency for use in evaluating activities of not-for-profit entities participating in public programs. A scalar measure of the efficiency of each participating unit is thereby provided, along with methods for objectively determining weights by reference to the observational data for the multiple outputs and multiple inputs that characterize such programs. Equivalences are established to ordinary linear programming models for effecting computations. The duals to these linear programming models provide a new way for estimating extremal relations from observational data. Connections between engineering and economic approaches to efficiency are delineated along with new interpretations and ways of using them in evaluating and controlling managerial behavior in public programs.

MSC:

90C90	Applications of mathematical programming
90B50	Management decision making, including multiple objectives
91B06	Decision theory

Keywords:

measuring the efficiency; decision making; nonlinear programming model; public programs; engineering; economic approaches to efficiency; managerial behavior; application of mathematical programming

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