Benchmarking in Data Envelopment Analysis: An Approach Based on Genetic Algorithms and Parallel Programming. (13th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aparicio, Juan; Lopez-Espin, Jose J.; Martinez-Moreno, Raul; Pastor, Jesus T.
• Other Names: Yan Shangyao Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Advances in operations research. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-02-13
• Subjects: Operations research -- Periodicals; Operations research; Periodicals; 003
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/431749
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-9147

Abstract

Abstract : Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a nonparametric technique to estimate the current level of efficiency of a set of entities. DEA also provides information on how to remove inefficiency through the determination of benchmarking information. This paper is devoted to study DEA models based on closest efficient targets, which are related to the shortest projection to the production frontier and allow inefficient firms to find the easiest way to improve their performance. Usually, these models have been solved by means of unsatisfactory methods since all of them are related in some sense to a combinatorial NP-hard problem. In this paper, the problem is approached by genetic algorithms and parallel programming. In addition, to produce reasonable solutions, a particular metaheuristic is proposed and checked through some numerical instances.