Data envelopment analysis - DEA and fuzzy sets to assess the performance of academic departments: a case study at Federal University of Santa Catarina - UFSC

Abstract

This paper address the issue of performance evaluation -productivity and quality -of academic departments at an University. A DEA model was used to simulate a process of cross-evaluation between departments. The results of DEA in the dimensions of teaching, research, service and quality were modeled as fuzzy numbers and then aggregated through a weighted ordered aggregator. A single index of performance for each department was generated. The proposal is to identify departments with low performance in one or more dimensions that should receive additional evaluation from an external auditing committee. A by-product of the model is to enlarge the possibility of working with more variables than a conventional DEA model. The model applied to a set of fifty-eight departments of a Brazilian University showed fifteen with low performance. Zero correlation between department teaching, research and service were observed. Weak correlation was detected between research productivity and quality. Weak scale effects were detected.Keywords: data envelopment analysis, productivity analysis, fuzzy logic. ResumoEste artigo trata da avaliação do desempenho -produtividade e qualidade -de departamentos acadêmicos de uma Universidade. Um modelo DEA foi usado para simular um processo de avaliação cruzada entre departamentos. Os resultados de DEA nas dimensões de ensino, pesquisa, extensão e qualidade foram modelados como números difusos e então agregados através de um agregador ponderado. Um único índice de desempenho para cada departamento foi gerado. A proposta é identificar departamentos com fraco desempenho em uma ou mais dimensões que deveriam receber priorização para avaliação por um comitê externo. Um resultado adicional do modelo proposto é a possibilidade de inclusão de um número maior de variáveis do que no DEA convencional. O modelo aplicado a cinqüenta e oito departamentos de uma Universidade Brasileira apontou quinze com baixo desempenho. Nenhuma correlação entre produtividade em ensino, pesquisa e extensão foi observada. Uma correlação fraca foi encontrada entre produtividade em pesquisa e qualidade. Fracos efeitos de escala foram detectados.

Performance modeling of Indian business schools: a DEA‐neural network approach

“…The authors have also observed that several non-discretionary input variables can influence the efficiency scores but some of them are not in direct control of management of the school. Lopes and Lanzer (2002) have addressed the issue of performance evaluation, productivity, and quality of academic departments at a university using a DEA model for cross-evaluation between departments considering the dimensions of teaching, research, and service quality. The authors have observed zero correlation between department teaching, research, and service and weak correlation between research productivity and quality.…”

Performance evaluation for Egyptian's Computers and Information Faculties: Using a Stochastic Input Oriented Data Envelopment Analysis Model

“…Johnes et al [14] used DEA method to investigate the technical efficiency of U.K. university departments of economics as producers of research. Lopes and Lanzer [15] addressed the issue of performance evaluation of academic departments at a University using a DEA model which used to simulate a process of cross-evaluation between departments. Martín [16] applied the DEA methodology to assess the performance of departments at the University of Zaragoza (Spain).…”

Assessment of academic departments efficiency using data envelopment analysis

“…As for the second type of studies, Lopes and Lanzer (2002) used data envelopment analysis and fuzzy sets to assess the performance of academic departments at Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. The model applied to a set of fiftyeight departments showed fifteen with low performance.…”