ERIC Number: EJ1360769
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2050-7003
EISSN: EISSN-1758-1184
Benchmarking of Academic Departments Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)
Alam, Tasfiq E.; González, Andrés D.; Raman, Shivakumar
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, v15 n1 p268-285 2023
Purpose: The main objective of the paper is to develop an investment model using data envelopment analysis (DEA) that provides a decision-making framework to allocate resources efficiently, such that the relative efficiency is improved within an available investment budget. Design/methodology/approach: Firstly, DEA models are used to evaluate the efficiency of the departments relative to their peers and providing benchmarks for the less efficient departments. Secondly, the inefficiencies in departments are identified. Finally, for the less efficient departments, a decision-support system is introduced for optimizing resource allocation to improve efficiency. Findings: Five of the 18 academic departments were determined to be inefficient, and benchmark departments were found for those departments. The most prevalent causes for inefficiency were the number of undergraduate students per faculty and the number of graduate students. Results: from the investment model for department 12 suggest increasing the number of faculty by 2 units and H-Index by 0.5 units, thereby, improving the relative efficiency of the department by 6.8% (88%-94%), using $290,000 out of $500,000 investment budget provided. Originality/value: When an investment budget is available, no study has used DEA to develop a decision-support framework for resource allocation in academic departments to maximize relative efficiency.
Descriptors: Benchmarking, Departments, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Resource Allocation, Efficiency, Budgets, Universities
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A