On Research Efficiency: A Micro-Analysis of Dutch University Research in Economics and Business Management

Laurens Cherchye and Piet Vanden Abeele

Public Economics Working Paper Series from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centrum voor Economische Studiën, Working Group Public Economics

Abstract: We argue that efficiency assessments of academic research should focus on micro-units of research production rather than on conventionally employed (aggregated) macro-units, and show that such a detailed analysis of research performance provides interesting insights. In addition, we propose a non-parametric methodology that is specially tailored for analyzing the productive efficiency of research: it starts from a specification of the managerial objectives of research activities while imposing minimal structure on the (typically unknown) production technology. We illustrate our points by assessing the productive efficiency of research in Economics and Business Management faculties at Dutch universities. Next to measuring productive efficiency, we look for specific patterns in efficiency distributions over universities, years and areas of specialization. In addition, we investigate the impact of external funding and of the size of research programs on academic research efficiency.

Keywords: productive efficiency of research; micro-units of production; non-parametric analysis; research in economics; determinants of research efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A11 C14 C24 C61 D24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 24 pp.
Date: 2002
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mic
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Journal Article: On research efficiency: A micro-analysis of Dutch university research in Economics and Business Management (2005)
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