Issue: 2022/Vol.32/No.3, Pages 80-91

A SLACKS-BASED NONLINEAR DEA MODEL WITH INTEGER DATA: AN APPLICATION TO DEPARTMENTS OF THE ISLAMIC AZAD UNIVERSITY, KARAJ BRANCH IN IRAN

Zahra Moazenzadeh , Saber Saati , Reza Farzipoor Saen , Reza Kazemi Matin , Sevan Sohraee 

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Cite as: Z. Moazenzadeh, S. Saati, R. F. Saen, R. K. Matin, S. Sohraee. A slacks-based nonlinear DEA model with integer data: an application to departments of the Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch in Iran. Operations Research and Decisions 2022: 32(3), 80-91. DOI 10.37190/ord220306

Abstract
Although Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) assumes that inputs and outputs take non-negative real values, in some realworld cases, data are integer-valued. In some situations, rounding a fractional value to the closest integer can lead to a misleading evaluation of efficiency and in some cases may lead to an infeasible projection point. To date, various radial and non-radial models have been presented. This paper proposes a slacks-based non-linear model that guarantees an integer-valued reference point for all integer targets. Also, the reference point of each target is feasible under the proposed model. The lack of a need to round answers to the closest whole value is an advantage of this method. In addition, the results of this model are compared with other models. An example is used to clarify the suggested method.

Keywords: data envelopment analysis, non-radial model, integer-valued data, slack based measure

Received: 31 January 2022    Accepted: 22 July 2022
Published online: 22 November 2022