Milan Martic

An application of DEA for comparative analysis and ranking of regions in Serbia with regards to social-economic development

Abstract In this paper, we use data envelopment analysis (DEA) to estimate how well regions in Serbia utilize their resources. Based on data for four inputs and four outputs we applied an output-oriented CCR DEA model and it appears that 17 out of 30 regions are efficient. For each inefficient unit, DEA identifies the sources and level of inefficiency for each input and output. An output-oriented set of targets is determined for 13 inefficient regions. In addition, the possibilities of combining DEA and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) in evaluating performance are explored. The efficient regions are ranked using a cross efficiency matrix and an output-oriented version of Andersen–Petersen’s DEA model and the results are analyzed and compared.

A fresh approach to evaluating the academic ranking of world universities

The aim of this article is to present new ideas in evaluating Shanghai University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). One issue frequently put forth in various publications is that the Shanghai rankings are sensitive to the relative weight they attribute to each variable. As a possible remedy to this issue, the statistical I-distance method is proposed to be used. Based on a sample containing the top 100 ranked universities, the results show a significant correlation with the official ARWU list. However, some inconsistencies concerning European universities have been noticed and elaborated upon.

How does the normalization of data affect the ARWU ranking

The aim of this paper is to present new ideas in evaluating Shanghai University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). In particular, this paper shall try to determine whether the normalization of data affects University ranks. In accordance with this, both the normalized and original (raw) data for each of the six variables has been obtained. Based on a sample containing the 54 US universities which are placed in the ARWU top 100, the statistical I-distance method was performed. The results showed great inconsistencies between university ranks obtained for the original and normalized data. These findings were then analyzed and the universities that had the greatest fluctuation in their ranks were noted.

Excelencia con liderazgo: el indicador rey del SCImago Institutions Rankings Iber report

Although there are many models for ranking higher education institutions, the SCImago Institutions Rankings methodology stands out for its ability to present quantitative and qualitative indicators of scientific output. Besides Total number of published papers, several indicators are concerned with quality dimensions of published papers, such as International collaboration, Scientific leadership or High quality publications. However, official rankings are provided solely on the basis of one indicator: Output (total number of published papers). This paper presents a statistical I-distance method that integrates all the indicators into one value, which therefore represent a rank and show which of the input indicators is the most important for the process of ranking. Our results clearly showed that Excellence with Leadership occupies the most significant spot. Nota: Este artículo puede leerse traducido al español en: http://www.elprofesionaldelainformacion.com/contenidos/2013/sept/13_esp.pdf Excellence with leadership: the crown indicator of SCImago Institutions Rankings Iber report El profesional de la información, 2013, septiembre-octubre, v. 22, n. 5. ISSN: 1386-6710 475

Sustainable development and public health: rating European countries

BackgroundSustainable development and public health quite strongly correlate, being connected and conditioned by one another. This paper therein attempts to offer a representation of Europe’s current situation of sustainable development in the area of public health.MethodsA dataset on sustainable development in the area of public health consisting of 31 European countries (formally proposed by the European Union Commission and EUROSTAT) has been used in this paper in order to evaluate said issue for the countries listed thereof. A statistical method which synthesizes several indicators into one quantitative indicator has also been utilized. Furthermore, the applied method offers the possibility to obtain an optimal set of variables for future studies of the problem, as well as for the possible development of indicators.ResultsAccording to the results obtained, Norway and Iceland are the two foremost European countries regarding sustainable development in the area of public health, whereas Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia, some of the European Union’s newest Member States, rank lowest. The results also demonstrate that the most significant variables (more than 80%) in rating countries are found to be “healthy life years at birth, females” (r2 = 0.880), “healthy life years at birth, males” (r2 = 0.864), “death rate due to chronic diseases, males” (r2 = 0.850), and “healthy life years, 65, females” (r2 = 0.844).ConclusionsBased on the results of this paper, public health represents a precondition for sustainable development, which should be continuously invested in and improved.After the assessment of the dataset, proposed by EUROSTAT in order to evaluate progress towards the agreed goals of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), this paper offers an improved set of variables, which it is hoped, may initiate further studies concerning this problem.

Data Envelopment Analysis - Basic Models and their Utilization

Data Envelopment Analysis - Basic Models and their Utilization Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a decision making tool based on linear programming for measuring the relative efficiency of a set of comparable units. Besides the identification of relatively efficient and inefficient units, DEA identifies the sources and level of inefficiency for each of the inputs and outputs. This paper is a survey of the basic DEA models. A comparison of DEA models is given. The effect of model orientation (input or output) on the efficiency frontier and the effect of the convexity requirements on returns to scale are examined. The paper also explains how DEA models can be used to assess efficiency.

Police officer scheduling using goal programming

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology for automatically determining the optimal allocation of police officers in accordance with the division and organization of labor. Design/methodology/approach – The problem is defined as the problem of the goal programming for which the mathematical model of mixed integer programming was developed. In modeling of the scheduling problem the approach police officer/scheme, based on predefined scheduling patterns, was used. The approach is applied to real data of a police station in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Findings – This study indicates that the determination of monthly scheduling policemen is complex and challenging problem, which is usually performed without the aid of software (self-rostering), and that it can be significantly facilitated by the introduction of scheduling optimization approach. Research limitations/implications – The developed mathematical model, in its current form, can directly be applied only to the scheduling of police o...

Evolutionary approach for automated component-based decision tree algorithm design

This paper proposes a framework for automated design of component-based decision tree algorithms. These algorithms are being constructed by interchanging components extracted from decision tree algorithms and their partial improvements. Manual selection of the best-suited algorithm for a specific problem is a complex task because of the huge algorithmic space derived from component-based design. The proposed framework searches through the algorithmic space with an evolutionary algorithm by interchanging components and tuning parameters, and finds a near optimal algorithm for a specific problem. Through experiments we show that using this meta-heuristic is justified in automated component-based algorithm design. This approach is useful not only as an algorithm design help, but also as a technology enhanced learning tool, which aids the understanding of the algorithms.

Mjerenje učinkovitosti nogometnih timova primjenom višestupanjskog DEA modela

Original scientific paper Using the nonparametric variable output-oriented DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model, this paper analyses technical efficiency of the observed national football team in the qualifications for 2010 FIFA World Cup. If DEA model has a two stage structure, the first stage uses inputs to generate outputs that then became the inputs to the second stage. The indexes of efficiency, previously generated for attack and defence, will be implemented as parameters in the second-stage DEA analysis in accordance with the initial aim of this paper, to present new results as the outcome of the comprehensive approach to both inseparable aspects of the football. This theoretical approach is structured as follows: the football teams are defined as DMU (DecisionMaking Units), then, the methodology is established, specifically, the stages of range and objectives, analysis of procedure and variables, and the description of the theoretical analysis used.

THREE-STAGE ENTRY GAME: THE STRATEGIC EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING

This paper analyzes the effects of investment in advertising in the three-stage entry game model with one incumbent and one potential entrant firm. It is shown that if a game theory is applied, under particular conditions, advertising can be used as a strategic weapon in the market entry game. Depending on the level of the advertising interaction factor, conditions for over-investment in advertising for strategic purposes are given. Furthermore, three specific cases are analyzed: strictly predatory advertising, informative advertising and the case when one firms advertising cannot directly influence the other firms profit. For each of them, depending on the costs of advertising and marginal costs, equilibrium is determined, and conditions under which it is possible to deter the entry are given. It is shown that if the value of the advertising interaction factor increases, power of using advertising as a weapon to deter entry into the market decreases. Thus, in the case of informative advertising, advertising cannot be used as a tool for deterring entry into the market, while in the case of predatory advertising, it can. Also, we have proved that in the case of strictly informative advertising an over-investment never occurs, while in the two other cases, there is always over-investment either to deter or to accommodate the entry.