Economic efficiency of Embrapa's research centers and the influence of contextual variables

Abstract

ResumoNeste artigo é medida a eficiência econômica dos centros de pesquisa da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). É usado o modelo DEA BCC, cuja medida de eficiência é modelada como função linear das variáveis contextuais capacidade de geração de receita, intensidade de parcerias, melhoria de processos administrativos, racionalização de custos, tamanho e tipo de centro. O modelo é do tipo painel dinâmico, assume correlação intra-temporal estruturada entre os centros de pesquisa e inter-temporal não estruturada. Para desempatar as unidades eficientes é usado um índice heurístico de eficiência que agrega os resultados de eficiência em relação às fronteiras DEA clássica e invertida. O efeito positivo das parcerias na medida de eficiência, invalida as críticas de que o processo de avaliação prejudica a integração e cooperação entre os centros de pesquisa. A melhoria de processos administrativos é a variável mais importante do ponto de vista da significância estatística das variáveis contextuais.Palavras-chave: análise de envoltória de dados; eficiência econômica; variáveis contextuais. AbstractIn this paper we measure, with a DEA BCC model, the economic efficiency of Embrapa's (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) research centers. We model the DEA economic efficiency as a linear function of the contextual variables revenue generation capacity, partnership intensity, improvement of administrative processes, cost rationalization, size and type of research centers. The model used is of the type dynamic panel and assumes a structured correlation matrix intra times and unstructured inter times. In order to better discriminate the efficient units we used a heuristic efficiency score that aggregates the efficiencies in relation to the original and inverted DEA frontiers. Partnerships positive effect in the efficiency scores does not confirm the thoughts that Embrapa's performance evaluation process discourages the integration and cooperation of its research centers. From the point of view of statistical significance, the improvement of administrative processes is the most important indicator among the contextual variables.

Probabilistic measures of efficiency and the influence of contextual variables in nonparametric production models: an application to agricultural research in Brazil

“…Two periods are necessary for that to be achieved. These results are not in agreement with the analysis carried out by Souza et al (2007), notably with respect to financial resource acquisition and management change. The differences are due more to the response used than to the statistical methods used.…”

“…In Embrapa, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technical efficiencies have been computed since 1996 under constant returns to scale. Recently, Souza (2006) and Souza et al (2007) assessed the influence of covariates on the DEA efficiency measurements using analysis of variance, dynamic panel data and maximum likelihood methods. A potential problem arises in this approach: the contextual variables used may affect the production frontier.…”

Two-stage inference in experimental design using dea: an application to intercropping and evidence from randomization theory

“…Our experience is that the correlation is not sufficiently strong to invalidate the analysis. In a previous study (Souza et al, 2007), we did not find that the correlation was significant.…”

Efficiency and sustainability assessment for a group of farmers in the Brazilian Amazon

“…Sohn (2006) has used the Logit regression. Recently, Souza et al (2007) have used Dynamic Panel Data to explain that contextual variables do affect DEA efficiency indexes.…”