Determine Potential Efficiency of Publications Amount for Engineering Departments Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Abstract

This paper investigates the potential efficiency of researches from various departments under a common faculty in terms of their individual publications. The outcome in terms of the number of research publications of the eight departments working under the faculty of engineering at King Abdul-Aziz University was utilized as the case for these investigations. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is utilized for the benchmarking of the research potential efficiency of these departments. The results of these studies are useful to know the potential research efficiency of each department under investigation and enable the respective departments/administration to determine the number of research publications necessary from each department to reach their respective optimal levels. The present study is helpful in diverting the interest of university management towards the quality development in education and research. The study is important as it uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method to determine the relative efficiency of the publication amount for engineering departments at King Abdul-Aziz University. It further suggests some of the important measures required for the improvement.