Showing papers by "Yao Chen published in 2005"

Context-dependent dea with an application to tokyo public libraries

Abstract: Data envelopment analysis (DEA) identifies an empirical efficient frontier of a set of peer decision making units (DMUs) with multiple inputs and outputs. The efficient frontier is characterized by the DMUs with an unity efficiency score. The performance of inefficient DMUs is characterized with respect to the identified efficient frontier. If the performance of inefficient DMUs deteriorates or improves (up to the frontier), the efficient DMUs still have an unity efficiency score. However, the performance of DMUs may be influenced by the context — e.g. a product may appear attractive against a background of less attractive alternatives and unattractive when compared to more attractive alternatives. With an application to Tokyo public libraries, the current paper presents and demonstrates a context-dependent DEA which measures the relative attractiveness of libraries on a specific performance level against libraries exhibiting poorer performance. The set of libraries are grouped into different levels of efficient frontiers. Each efficient frontier (on a specific performance level) is then used as evaluation context for the relative attractiveness. The performance of the efficient libraries changes as the inefficient libraries change their performance. The context-dependent DEA can also be used to differentiate the performance of efficient DMUs. The context-dependent DEA provides finer DEA results with respect to the performance of all DMUs.

On preference structure in data envelopment analysis

Abstract: The paper studies the result of Zhu21 and establishes a relationship between the efficiency in data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the pareto optimality under multiple objective linear programming (MOLP). It is shown that the DEA/preference structure models in Zhu21 can be derived by traditional MOLP techniques. Incorporation of tradeoffs or value judgments is a direct result of using MOLP techniques. New uses of DEA are developed and described. The approach is applied to a set of Chinese cities.

Interfaces with Other Disciplines Measuring super-efficiency in DEA in the presence of infeasibility

Abstract: Super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is obtained when a decision making unit (DMU) under evaluation is excluded from the reference set. Because of the possible infeasibility of super-efficiency DEA model, the use of super-efficiency DEA model has been restricted to the situations where constant returns to scale (CRS) are assumed. It is shown that one of the input-oriented and output-oriented super-efficiency DEA models must be feasible for a any efficient DMU under evaluation if the variable returns to scale (VRS) frontier consists of increasing, constant, and decreasing returns to scale DMUs. We use both input- and output-oriented super-efficiency models to fully characterize the super-efficiency. When super-efficiency is used as an efficiency stability measure, infeasibility means the highest super-efficiency (stability). If super-efficiency is interpreted as input saving or output surplus achieved by a specific efficient DMU, infeasibility does not necessary mean the highest super-efficiency. 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DEA Evaluation of Performance of E-Business Initiatives

Abstract: The Internet has experienced a phenomenal growth in attracting people and commerce activities over the last decade—from a few thousand people in 1993 to 150+ million in 1999, and about one billion by 2004 (Bingi et al., 2000). This growth has attracted a variety of organizations initially to provide marketing information about their products and services and, customer support, and later to conduct business transactions with customers or business partners on the Web. These electronic business (EB) initiatives could be the implementation of intranet and/or extranet applications like B2C, B2B, Web-CRM, Webmarketing, and others, to take advantage of the Webbased economic model, which offers opportunities for internal efficiencies and external growth. It has been recognized that the Internet economic model is more efficient at the transaction cost level and elimination of the middleman in the distribution channel, and also can have a big impact on the market efficiency. Web-enabling business processes are particularly attractive in the new economy, where product life cycles are short and efficient, while the market for products and services is global. Similarly, management of these companies expects a much better financial performance than their counterparts in the industry, which had not adopted these EB initiatives (Hoffman et. al., 1995; Wigand & Benjamin, 1995). EB allows organizations to expand their business reach. One of the key benefits of the Web is access to and from global markets. The Web eliminates several geographical barriers for a corporation that wants to conduct global commerce. While traditional commerce relied on value-added networks (VANs) or private networks, which were expensive and provided limited connectivity (Pyle, 1996), the Web makes electronic commerce cheaper with extensive global connectivity. Corporations have been able to produce goods anywhere and deliver electronically or physically via couriers. This enables organizations the flexibility to expand into different product lines and markets quickly, with low investments. Secondly, 24x7 availability, better communication with customers, and sharing of the organizational knowledge base allows organizations to provide better customer service. This can translate to better customer retention rates as well as repeat orders. Finally, the rich interactive media and database technology of the Web allows for unconstrained awareness, visibility, and opportunity for an organization to promote its products and services. This enhances organizations’ abilities to attract new customers, thereby increasing their overall markets and profitability. Despite the recent dot-com failures, EB has made tremendous inroads in traditional corporations. Forrester Research in its survey found 90% of the firms plan to conduct some ecommerce, business-to-consumer (B2C), or business-tobusiness (B2B), and predicts EB transactions to rise to about $6.9 trillion by 2004. As a result, the management has started to believe in the Internet because of its ability to attract and retain more customers, reduce sales and distribution overheads, and global access to markets with an expectation of an increase in sales revenues, higher profits, and better returns for the stockholders (Choi & Winston, 2000; Motiwalla & Khan, 2002; Steinfield & Whitten, 1999; White, 1999).