We evaluate, by means of mathematical programming formulations, the relative technical and scale efficiencies of decision making units (DMUs) when some of the inputs or outputs are exogenously fixed and beyond the discretionary control of DMU managers. This approach further develops the work on efficiency evaluation and on estimation of efficient production frontiers known as data envelopment analysis (DEA). We also employ the model to provide efficient input and output targets for DMU managers in a way that specifically accounts for the fixed nature of some of the inputs or outputs. We illustrate the approach, using real data, for a network of fast food restaurants. Subject dassificalion: 504 exogenously fixed inputs and outputs, 638 data envelopment analysis.

Data Envelopment Analysis has now been extensively applied in a range of empirical settings to identify relative inefficiencies, and provide targets for improvements. It accomplishes this by developing peer groups for each unit being operated. The use of categorical variables is an important extension which can improve the peer group construction process and incorporate "on-off" characteristics, e.g., presence of drive-in window or not in a banking network. It relaxes the stringent need for factors to display piecewise constant marginal productivities. In so doing, it substantially strengthens the credibility of the insights obtained. The paper treats the cases when the categorical variable can be controllable or uncontrollable by the manager, for the cases of technical and scale inefficiency. The approach is illustrated using real data.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract