In the nonparametric data envelopment analysis literature,scale elasticity is evaluated in two alternative ways:using either the technical efficiency model or the cost efficiency model.This evaluation becomes problema...In the nonparametric data envelopment analysis literature,scale elasticity is evaluated in two alternative ways:using either the technical efficiency model or the cost efficiency model.This evaluation becomes problematic in several situations,for example(a)when input proportions change in the long run,(b)when inputs are heterogeneous,and(c)when firms face ex-ante price uncertainty in making their production decisions.To address these situations,a scale elasticity evaluation was performed using a value-based cost efficiency model.However,this alternative value-based scale elasticity evaluation is sensitive to the uncertainty and variability underlying input and output data.Therefore,in this study,we introduce a stochastic cost-efficiency model based on chance-constrained programming to develop a value-based measure of the scale elasticity of firms facing data uncertainty.An illustrative empirical application to the Indian banking industry comprising 71 banks for eight years(1998–2005)was made to compare inferences about their efficiency and scale properties.The key findings are as follows:First,both the deterministic model and our proposed stochastic model yield distinctly different results concerning the efficiency and scale elasticity scores at various tolerance levels of chance constraints.However,both models yield the same results at a tolerance level of 0.5,implying that the deterministic model is a special case of the stochastic model in that it reveals the same efficiency and returns to scale characterizations of banks.Second,the stochastic model generates higher efficiency scores for inefficient banks than its deterministic counterpart.Third,public banks exhibit higher efficiency than private and foreign banks.Finally,public and old private banks mostly exhibit either decreasing or constant returns to scale,whereas foreign and new private banks experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale.Although the application of our proposed stochastic model is illustrative,it can be potentially applied to all firms in the information and distribution-intensive industry with high fixed costs,which have ample potential for reaping scale and scope benefits.展开更多
China implemented the public hospital reform in 2012. This study utilized bootstrapping data envelopment analysis(DEA) to evaluate the technical efficiency(TE) and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, C...China implemented the public hospital reform in 2012. This study utilized bootstrapping data envelopment analysis(DEA) to evaluate the technical efficiency(TE) and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the 2012 public hospital reform. Data from 127 county public hospitals(39, 45, and 43 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, respectively) were collected during 2012–2015. Changes of TE and productivity over time were estimated by bootstrapping DEA and bootstrapping Malmquist. The disparities in TE and productivity among public hospitals in the three regions of China were compared by Kruskal–Wallis H test and Mann–Whitney U test. The average bias-corrected TE values for the four-year period were 0.6442, 0.5785, 0.6099, and 0.6094 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, and the entire country respectively, with average non-technical efficiency, low pure technical efficiency(PTE), and high scale efficiency found. Productivity increased by 8.12%, 0.25%, 12.11%, and 11.58% in China and its three regions during 2012–2015, and such increase in productivity resulted from progressive technological changes by 16.42%, 6.32%, 21.08%, and 21.42%, respectively. The TE and PTE of the county hospitals significantly differed among the three regions of China. Eastern and Western China showed significantly higher TE and PTE than Central China. More than 60% of county public hospitals in China and its three areas operated at decreasing return scales. There was a considerable space for TE improvement in county hospitals in China and its three regions. During 2012–2015, the hospitals experienced progressive productivity; however, the PTE changed adversely. Moreover, Central China continuously achieved a significantly lower efficiency score than Eastern and Western China. Decision makers and administrators in China should identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and take appropriate measures to increase the efficiency of county public hospitals in the three areas of China, especially in Central China.展开更多
In this study we examine the potential determinants of technical efficiency for the Tunisian commercial banking sector over the period of 1995–2017.First,we estimate banking technical efficiency with a radial and non...In this study we examine the potential determinants of technical efficiency for the Tunisian commercial banking sector over the period of 1995–2017.First,we estimate banking technical efficiency with a radial and non-radial bootstrap data envelopment analysis.For the radial technique,we use an input-oriented approach and for non-radial we use the Range Adjusted Measure(RAM).Second,we use a double bootstrapping regression technique to estimate the influence of a set of eventual determinants on technical efficiency.Finally,based on all possible regressions,we gauge the overall effect of each determinant.Our results reveal that the input-oriented and RAM approach gave somewhat similar results.We found that the return on equity,the expense to income ratio,the loan to deposit ratio,and the growth rate are insignificant to Tunisian banking technical efficiency.In particular,banking technical efficiency increases with capitalization and inflation,whereas,it decreases with size,number of bank branches,management to staff ratio,and loan to asset ratio.In addition,we identified evidence supporting the moderate success of the last decade of reforms and a noticeable one for the post-revolution reforms in helping improve banking technical efficiency.The post-revolution reforms,largely revolving around reinforcing the rules of good governance and banking supervision,coupled with the restructuring of public banks,were found to be insufficient to raise overall banking technical efficiency despite improvement in the technical efficiency of private banks.展开更多
Environmental variables are widely recognized as a cause of differences in efficiency measurement.However,the existing literature on data envelopment analysis(DEA)in environmental factors ignores the impact of demand ...Environmental variables are widely recognized as a cause of differences in efficiency measurement.However,the existing literature on data envelopment analysis(DEA)in environmental factors ignores the impact of demand on output.To address this gap,we propose the Point-wise Minimization DEA model(PWMDEA),which considers contextual variables that affect demand and lead to differences in efficiency.The model obtains efficiency value by considering the minimum of virtual inputs and virtual demand.Then,efficiency is evaluated by minimizing the ratio of above minimum to virtual output.This one-step model avoids issues of multi-stage assumptions and requires less data,making it more applicable.Moreover,we demonstrate the accuracy of our new model by conducting simulations with given true efficiency values.The simulation results demonstrate that our model has the lowest ranking error when the output is affected by multiple inputs or when demand has a significant impact.In addition,we evaluate the efficiency of healthcare in 31 Chinese provinces by considering two environmental factors.The results suggest that provinces with lower financial investments or population loss received higher rankings from our proposed model.These findings provide plausible explanations and demonstrate the practical usefulness of our model.展开更多
Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has emerged as a potential alternative to carbon-based energies to meet theParis agreement commitment. This study investigates the effect of environmental variables on the efficiencyof s...Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has emerged as a potential alternative to carbon-based energies to meet theParis agreement commitment. This study investigates the effect of environmental variables on the efficiencyof solar PV panels. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to estimate efficiencies of 91 solar PV panelslocated in Australia during the time period 2010–2020. The effects of environmental variables on the estimatedefficiencies are quantified using the truncated regression model. Random forest is then used to predict efficiencyof solar PV panel in every city of Australia. The results allow to determine the most suitable location and regions for solar PV energy production in Australia. This study provides an interesting and easily interpretabletool for policy decision makers.展开更多
Energy consumption in agricultural products and its environmental damages has increased in recent centuries.Life cycle assessment(LCA)has been introduced as a suitable tool for evaluation environmental impacts related...Energy consumption in agricultural products and its environmental damages has increased in recent centuries.Life cycle assessment(LCA)has been introduced as a suitable tool for evaluation environmental impacts related to a product over its life cycle.In this study,optimization of energy consumption and environmental impacts of chickpea production was conducted using data envelopment analysis(DEA)and multi objective genetic algorithm(MOGA)techniques.Data were collected from 110 chickpea production enterprises using a face to face questionnaire in the cropping season of 2014-2015.The results of optimization revealed that,when applying MOGA,optimum energy requirement for chickpea production was significantly lower compared to application of DEA technique;so that,total energy requirement in optimum situation was found to be 31511.72 and 27570.61 MJ ha^-1 by using DEA and MOGA techniques,respectively;showing a reduction by 5.11%and 17%relative to current situation of energy consumption.Optimization of environmental impacts by application of MOGA resulted in reduction of acidification potential(ACP),eutrophication potential(EUP),global warming potential(GWP),human toxicity potential(HTP)and terrestrial ecotoxicity potential(TEP)by 29%,23%,10%,6%and 36%,respectively.MOGAwas capable of reducing the energy consumption from machinery,farmyard manure(FYM)diesel fuel and nitrogen fertilizer(the mostly contributed inputs to the environmental emissions)by 59%,28.5%,24.58%and 11.24%,respectively.Overall,the MOGA technique showed a superior performance relative to DEA approach for optimizing energy inputs and reducing environmental impacts of chickpea production system.展开更多
This paper considers a humanitarian logistics network(HTLN)design problem,including the emergency relief facilities(ERFs)location-allocation decision for the efficient distribution of emergency supplies from the ERFs ...This paper considers a humanitarian logistics network(HTLN)design problem,including the emergency relief facilities(ERFs)location-allocation decision for the efficient distribution of emergency supplies from the ERFs to the affected areas.A goal programming(GP)approach is applied to consider the multiple objectives simultaneously.Solving the GP model with a given weight assigned to each goal yields a single HTLN scheme,so there will be various schemes available by solving the GP with multiple values of the weights.For evaluating these schemes and identifying the most efficient one,we apply the data envelopment analysis(DEA)methods considering each scheme as a decision-making unit(DMU).Since the classical DEA(C-DEA)intrinsically aims to identify efficient DMUs and the efficient frontier,the use of C-DEA may not lead to a full ranking in many situations.There are several independent evaluation approaches to increasing discriminating power.Among them,this study integrates the multiple criteria DEA(MC-DEA)with the following three DEA methods,(i)stratification DEA(S^DEA),(ii)cross-efficiency DEA(CE-DEA),and(iii)super-efficiency DEA(SE-DEA),to make the most use of each method's strengths.Through a case study of designing the HTLN system for South Carolina,the procedure of implementing the integrated multiple criteria DEA(IMC-DEA)method is demonstrated.It is observed that the IMCDEA method performs well in terms of designing the HTLN system and would help the decision-makers consider more efficient options and make a final decision.展开更多
The aim of the paper is to benchmark the performance of the Indian fertilizermanufacturing organizations based on the ranking of efficiencies using a fuzzy data envelopment analysis(FDEA).FDEA has been used to find t...The aim of the paper is to benchmark the performance of the Indian fertilizermanufacturing organizations based on the ranking of efficiencies using a fuzzy data envelopment analysis(FDEA).FDEA has been used to find the relative efficiency and ranking of the fertilizer-manufacturing organizations.The last few years’data have been converted into the fuzzy inputs and outputs as minimum,mean,and maximum values,respectively.The performance of the fertilizer manufacturing organizations is based on the output maximization model of DEA.The frontier organizations set the benchmark for the lagging organizations for further improvement in the performance.This method can also be used to incorporate the data of the several years for multiple inputs and outputs instead of consideration of data of only one year.The proposed approach in this study may help organizations to improve its efficiency to fulfill its goal.展开更多
The way to deal with flexible data from their stochastic presence point of view as output or input in the evaluation of efficiency of the decision-making units(DMUs)motivates new perspectives in modeling and solving d...The way to deal with flexible data from their stochastic presence point of view as output or input in the evaluation of efficiency of the decision-making units(DMUs)motivates new perspectives in modeling and solving data envelopment analysis(DEA)in the presence of flexible variables.Because the orientation of flexible data is not pre-determined,and because the number of DMUs is fixed and all the DMUs are independent,flexible data can be treated as random variable in terms of both input and output selection.As a result,the selection of flexible variable as input or output for n DMUs can be regarded as binary random variable.Assuming the randomness of choosing flexible data as input or output,we deal with DEA models in the presence of flexible data whose input or output orientation determines a binomial distribution function.This study provides a new insight to classify flexible variable and investigates the input or output status of a variable using a stochastic model.The proposed model obviates the problems caused by the use of the large M number and using its different values in previous models.In addition,it can obtain the most appropriate efficiency value for decision-making units by assigning the chance of choosing the orientation of flexible variable to the model itself.The proposed method is compared with other available methods by employing numerical and empirical examples.展开更多
Highway agencies have been using many of the elements of asset management with the support of various decision-making tools.To determine the most effective investment strategy with scarce resources,the integration,and...Highway agencies have been using many of the elements of asset management with the support of various decision-making tools.To determine the most effective investment strategy with scarce resources,the integration,and hence better utilization,of existing tools and practices across asset classes is generally lacking.This paper applies data envelopment analysis(DEA)to benchmark different highway investment scenarios using existing data or data readily available through existing models.Three asset types,pavements,bridges,and traffic signage,are investigated.Asset investment analysis results from the Highway Economic Requirements System State Version(HERS-ST)application,the PONTIS bridge management system software,and purpose-built traffic signage spreadsheet are obtained to capture the changes of performance measures under various budget scenarios and are further used as the inputs for the DEA process to benchmark investment scenarios for each individual asset.Subsequently,the performance measures and budget levels are assembled in the Asset Manager-NT software,whose results are input into DEA to benchmark cross-assets resource allocation scenarios.Planning for the management of highway network is addressed via case studies in a systematic manner that recognizes the tradeoffs among different funding periods and objectives such as preserving existing investments,safety,roughness and user costs.This study has established a preliminary implementable framework of highway asset management by linking DEA approach and current widely used decision-making tools for more efficient investments within and cross assets,and better understand of the tradeoffs,costs and consequences of various asset management decisions.展开更多
The pulp and paper industry converts roundwood and recycled fibre,collected from wastepaper into printing and writing papers,and other specialty grades of paper.The pulp and paper mills in Ontario have been facing ext...The pulp and paper industry converts roundwood and recycled fibre,collected from wastepaper into printing and writing papers,and other specialty grades of paper.The pulp and paper mills in Ontario have been facing extreme competitive pressures,which have affected their performance leading to several mill closures.The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the relative performance of three types of Ontario’s pulp and paper mills(using all fibre,only roundwood fibre,and only recycled fibre).This study uses bootstrap data envelopment analysis in analyzing and comparing the operational efficiency of the Ontario’s pulp and paper mills,with 224 sample data observations over a period of 17 years.The results indicate low levels of overall technical and managerial efficiencies in the pulp and paper mills using recycled fibre.The results of the study highlight that the pulp and paper industry needs to divert their attention to streamlining the manufacturing processes,reducing costs,improving raw material usage,and making capital investments in the new and improved technology,in order to improve the operational efficiency and competitiveness of the Ontario’s pulp and paper mills.The pulp and paper mills using recycled fibre require huge capital investments,especially for installing the latest de-inking technology.The results of this study provide policy makers with detailed performance analysis so that future input resources can be reallocated to improve the performance of the pulp and paper mills in Ontario.展开更多
China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)aims to promote greater development and connectivity between 64 Eurasian countries.To accomplish this,China must increase its investments in the countries involved as well.The BRI...China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)aims to promote greater development and connectivity between 64 Eurasian countries.To accomplish this,China must increase its investments in the countries involved as well.The BRI’s investments are expected to positively influence the development and connectivity of countries along the BRI,but a low return of investment cannot reflect investment risks.This study proposes the assessment of the BRI’s investments through the lens of sustainable investing risk.Sustainable investing is an investment discipline that considers environmental,social and governance(ESG)dimensions to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact.A data envelopment analysis(DEA)model is used to calculate the composite indicators for each ESG dimension and country,and the average of the three indicators represents the sustainable investing risk score of each country.Results of the DEA reveal that Afghanistan has the lowest environmental rating(i.e.highest risk),Syria has the lowest social and governance ratings,Yemen has the lowest average rating,and Singapore has the highest rating.Moreover,no significant relationship is found between the BRI’s investment efforts and a country’s risk ratings,and an adequate risk ratio reflects the investments of the BRI.展开更多
A literature review shows that energy consumption in agricultural production in Iran is not efficient and a high degree of inefficiency in broiler production exists in Iran.Energy consumption of broiler production in ...A literature review shows that energy consumption in agricultural production in Iran is not efficient and a high degree of inefficiency in broiler production exists in Iran.Energy consumption of broiler production in Ardabil province of Iran was studied and the nonparametric method of data envelopment analysis(DEA)was used to analyze energy efficiency,separate efficient from inefficient broiler producers,and calculate wasteful use of energy to optimize energy.Data was collected using face-to-face questionnaires from 70 broiler farmers in the study area.Constant returns to scale(CCR)and variable returns to scale(BCC)models of DEA were applied to assess the technical efficiency of broiler production.The results indicated that total energy use was 154,283 MJ(1000 bird)^-1 and the share of fuel at 61.4%was the highest of all inputs.The indices of energy efficiency,energy productivity,specific energy,and net energy were found to be 0.18,0.02 kg MJ^-1,59.56 MJ kg^-1,and^-126,836 MJ(1000 bird)^-1,respectively.The DEA results revealed that 40%and 22.86%of total units were efficient based on the CCR and BCC models,respectively.The average technical,pure technical,and scale efficiency of broiler farmers was 0.88,0.93,and 0.95,respectively.The results showed that 14.53%of total energy use could be saved by converting the present units to optimal conditions.The contribution of fuel input to total energy savings was 72%and was the largest share,followed by feed and electricity energy inputs.The results of this study indicate that there is good potential for increasing energy efficiency of broiler production in Iran by following the recommendations for efficient energy use.展开更多
In this work,the Slacks-Based Measure(SBM)model within Data Envelopment Analysis was employed to establish a set of indicators for evaluating the energy efficiency of manufacturing workshops.The energy efficiency of 1...In this work,the Slacks-Based Measure(SBM)model within Data Envelopment Analysis was employed to establish a set of indicators for evaluating the energy efficiency of manufacturing workshops.The energy efficiency of 12 Company CW’s manufacturing workshops from 2016 to 2022 was assessed.The findings indicated that aside from a few workshops operating at the production frontier,the rest exhibit significant fluctuations in energy efficiency and generally low energy efficiency.Subsequently,a combined GRA-Tobit analysis model was introduced to identify factors influencing the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops.Regression analysis revealed that technological investments,employee quality,workshop production scale,investment in clean energy,and the level of pollution control all significantly impact the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops.By evaluating the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops and studying their influencing factors,this research aids company managers in understanding the energy efficiency of the manufacturing process.It optimizes the combination of various production elements,thereby offering effective guidance for improving the energy efficiency issues of the company’s manufacturing workshops,which can contribute to enhancing the corporation’s overall energy efficiency.展开更多
The investment problem of oilfield development is to trade off the investment exploration investment and development investment.With low return on investment got by using the existing method to solve this problem,we c...The investment problem of oilfield development is to trade off the investment exploration investment and development investment.With low return on investment got by using the existing method to solve this problem,we construct an optimal model to improve it based on Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)method and the relations about investment and proven reserves,investment and output as well as production cost.Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)method is used to present a method to determine the optimal scale of productivity construction investment in unit production.The relation between total cumulated proven reserves and cumulative exploration investment is denoted as an exponential model.The relation among productions and remaining recoverable reserves as well as production cost may be described as an exponential operational cost function.Based on above two relation models and investment effectiveness coefficients of every block,we establish an optimal model whose objective function is net present value(NPV)profit maximum,whose constrain conditions include investment,reserve/production ratio,production and some equality constraints under the mode of sustainable development.It can be solved by genetic algorithms.The result of case study shows that this optimal investment of oilfield development has multi-stage investment structure under given conditions;the model can provide scientific basic theory for oil companies to make a long-term strategic program and investment plan in oil exploration and development,may decrease the subjective blindness in the investment and bring about a reasonable and orderly exploration and development of oil resources.展开更多
This studyfirst proposes a definition for directional congestion in certain input and output directions within the framework of data envelopment analysis.Second,two methods from different viewpoints are proposed to es...This studyfirst proposes a definition for directional congestion in certain input and output directions within the framework of data envelopment analysis.Second,two methods from different viewpoints are proposed to estimate the directional congestion.Third,we address the relationship between directional congestion and classic(strong or weak)congestion.Finally,we present a case study investigating the analysis performed by the research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the methods developed in this study.展开更多
China's dairy farming has presented a striking development in recent years.Under the dual constraints of environment and resources,it is of practical significance to increase the output of dairy farming and ensure...China's dairy farming has presented a striking development in recent years.Under the dual constraints of environment and resources,it is of practical significance to increase the output of dairy farming and ensure the healthy and stable development of the dairy industry,by accurately comparing the differences in the farming efficiency of dairy farms at different scales and grasping key factors influencing the farming efficiency.This study,through the cost analysis of 263 scale farms across 23 provinces and regions of China in 2019,reaches a result that the cost of a single cow in a certain scale farm increases with the enlargement of the scale,and shows an inverted-U shaped curve with the relatively large scales(1001-2000 cows)at the highest point.It measures the farming efficiency of dairy farms at different scales through the data envelopment analysis and finds that the scale efficiency and allocation efficiency of scale farms in China are relatively high,while the technology efficiency and cost efficiency are relatively low.The efficiency of different scale farms is obviously different,where the cost efficiency,allocation efficiency and scale efficiency show a U-shaped curve as the scale enlarges(with the relatively large scale as the lowest point),while the technology efficiency gradually decreases as the scale expands.It is concluded that for the scale farms,feed conversion ratio and forage-to-concentrate ratio have a significantly negative impact on the scale efficiency,while the labor cost,number of employees,and depreciation of fixed assets are negatively correlated to the technology efficiency and cost efficiency of dairy farming.展开更多
Law enforcement remains to be the main strategy used to combat poaching and account for high budget share in protected area management. Studies on efficiency of wildlife law enforcement in the protected areas are limi...Law enforcement remains to be the main strategy used to combat poaching and account for high budget share in protected area management. Studies on efficiency of wildlife law enforcement in the protected areas are limited. This study analyzed economic efficiency of wildlife law enforcement in terms of resource used and output generated using three different protected areas (PAs) of Serengeti ecosystem namely Serengeti National Park (SENAPA), Ikorongo/Grumeti Game Reserves (IGGR) and Ikona Wildlife Management Area (IWMA). Three years (2010-2012) monthly data on wildlife law enforcement inputs and outputs were collected from respective PAs authorities and supplemented with key informant interviews and secondary data. Questionnaire surveys were conducted to wildlife law enforcement staff. Shadow prices for non-marketed inputs were estimated, and market prices for marketed inputs. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to estimate economic efficiency using Variable Return to Scale (VRS) and Constant Return to Scale (CCR) assumptions. Results revealed that wildlife law enforcement in all PAs was economically inefficient, with less inefficiency observed in IWMA. The less inefficiency in IWMA is likely attributed to existing sense of ownership and responsibility created through community-based conservation which resulted in to decrease in law enforcement costs. A slacks evaluation revealed a potential to reduce fuel consumption, number of patrol vehicles, ration and prosecution efforts at different magnitudes between studied protected areas. There is equal potential to recruit more rangers while maintaining the resting time. These finding forms the bases for monitoring and evaluation with respect to resource usage to enhance efficiency. It is further recommended to enhance community participation in conservation in SENAPA and IGGR to lower law enforcement costs. Collaboration between protected area, police and judiciary is fundamental to enhance enforcement efficiency. Despite old dataset, these findings are relevant since neither conservation policy nor institution framework has changed substantially in the last decade.展开更多
Objective: To measure the hospital operation efficiency, study the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency, analyze the importance of shortening average length of stay to the impro...Objective: To measure the hospital operation efficiency, study the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency, analyze the importance of shortening average length of stay to the improvement of the hospital operation efficiency and put forward relevant policy suggestion. Methods: Based on China provincial panel data from 2003 to 2012, the hospital operation efficiencies are calculated using Super Efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis model, and the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency is tested using Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. Results: From 2003 to 2012, the average of national hospital operation efficiency was increasing slowly and the hospital operations were inefficient in most of the areas. The national hospital operation efficiency is negatively correlated to the average length of stay. Conclusion: Measures should be taken to set average length of stay in a scientific and reasonable way, improve social and economic benefits based on the improvement of efficiency.展开更多
Water scarcity is the growing concern of present times, requiring its efficient utilization deemed as necessity. Rapidly growing population has significantly exerted pressure on its demand, in Pakistan. In order to fu...Water scarcity is the growing concern of present times, requiring its efficient utilization deemed as necessity. Rapidly growing population has significantly exerted pressure on its demand, in Pakistan. In order to fulfill it, all factors of production are required to be used in the possibly most efficient way. Good quality and quantity of water are the growing concerns of producers in Pakistan and around the globe. The efficient water utilization is crucial to optimize the farm returns under the selected sole and multiple cropping systems. This study considered the water efficiency analysis of multiple and sole cropping systems, with the aim of finding out cropping patterns more efficient in terms of water utilization in Pakistan. In order to estimate the water efficiency analysis, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is run to find out the water efficient cropping systems among sole and multiple cropping systems. The Tobit analysis is also used to find out the factors affecting the water efficiency of selected farms in the study area. The results of the study report an inefficient water usage in terms of irrigation, the inefficient use of water instigates the wastage of one of the most important as well as scarce farm inputs especially water, in case of multiple cropping system. Around 51% and 13% of water inefficiency </span><span>are</span><span> present under multiple and sole cropping systems, respectively. Basin irrigation is the method for irrigation, used by the farmers of the study area approximating to be 95%</span><span> </span><span>-</span><span> </span><span>97%. It is one of the most conventional and least efficient methods of irrigation. Only 2.67 and 4.67 percent of farms were using the Furrow irrigation method, which is way more efficient and steady as compared to Basin irrigation method, respectively. It appears as a requirement that the most efficient methods regarding water application in Pakistan should be recognized. Lack of management in water application on both selected cropping systems resulted in over utilization of water and depletion of one of the fundamental natural resource. In order to overcome the inefficiency in water management, farmers’ farming knowledge, adoption of new irrigation techniques, efficient application of inputs is needed.展开更多
文摘In the nonparametric data envelopment analysis literature,scale elasticity is evaluated in two alternative ways:using either the technical efficiency model or the cost efficiency model.This evaluation becomes problematic in several situations,for example(a)when input proportions change in the long run,(b)when inputs are heterogeneous,and(c)when firms face ex-ante price uncertainty in making their production decisions.To address these situations,a scale elasticity evaluation was performed using a value-based cost efficiency model.However,this alternative value-based scale elasticity evaluation is sensitive to the uncertainty and variability underlying input and output data.Therefore,in this study,we introduce a stochastic cost-efficiency model based on chance-constrained programming to develop a value-based measure of the scale elasticity of firms facing data uncertainty.An illustrative empirical application to the Indian banking industry comprising 71 banks for eight years(1998–2005)was made to compare inferences about their efficiency and scale properties.The key findings are as follows:First,both the deterministic model and our proposed stochastic model yield distinctly different results concerning the efficiency and scale elasticity scores at various tolerance levels of chance constraints.However,both models yield the same results at a tolerance level of 0.5,implying that the deterministic model is a special case of the stochastic model in that it reveals the same efficiency and returns to scale characterizations of banks.Second,the stochastic model generates higher efficiency scores for inefficient banks than its deterministic counterpart.Third,public banks exhibit higher efficiency than private and foreign banks.Finally,public and old private banks mostly exhibit either decreasing or constant returns to scale,whereas foreign and new private banks experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale.Although the application of our proposed stochastic model is illustrative,it can be potentially applied to all firms in the information and distribution-intensive industry with high fixed costs,which have ample potential for reaping scale and scope benefits.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.71473099)
文摘China implemented the public hospital reform in 2012. This study utilized bootstrapping data envelopment analysis(DEA) to evaluate the technical efficiency(TE) and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the 2012 public hospital reform. Data from 127 county public hospitals(39, 45, and 43 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, respectively) were collected during 2012–2015. Changes of TE and productivity over time were estimated by bootstrapping DEA and bootstrapping Malmquist. The disparities in TE and productivity among public hospitals in the three regions of China were compared by Kruskal–Wallis H test and Mann–Whitney U test. The average bias-corrected TE values for the four-year period were 0.6442, 0.5785, 0.6099, and 0.6094 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, and the entire country respectively, with average non-technical efficiency, low pure technical efficiency(PTE), and high scale efficiency found. Productivity increased by 8.12%, 0.25%, 12.11%, and 11.58% in China and its three regions during 2012–2015, and such increase in productivity resulted from progressive technological changes by 16.42%, 6.32%, 21.08%, and 21.42%, respectively. The TE and PTE of the county hospitals significantly differed among the three regions of China. Eastern and Western China showed significantly higher TE and PTE than Central China. More than 60% of county public hospitals in China and its three areas operated at decreasing return scales. There was a considerable space for TE improvement in county hospitals in China and its three regions. During 2012–2015, the hospitals experienced progressive productivity; however, the PTE changed adversely. Moreover, Central China continuously achieved a significantly lower efficiency score than Eastern and Western China. Decision makers and administrators in China should identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and take appropriate measures to increase the efficiency of county public hospitals in the three areas of China, especially in Central China.
文摘In this study we examine the potential determinants of technical efficiency for the Tunisian commercial banking sector over the period of 1995–2017.First,we estimate banking technical efficiency with a radial and non-radial bootstrap data envelopment analysis.For the radial technique,we use an input-oriented approach and for non-radial we use the Range Adjusted Measure(RAM).Second,we use a double bootstrapping regression technique to estimate the influence of a set of eventual determinants on technical efficiency.Finally,based on all possible regressions,we gauge the overall effect of each determinant.Our results reveal that the input-oriented and RAM approach gave somewhat similar results.We found that the return on equity,the expense to income ratio,the loan to deposit ratio,and the growth rate are insignificant to Tunisian banking technical efficiency.In particular,banking technical efficiency increases with capitalization and inflation,whereas,it decreases with size,number of bank branches,management to staff ratio,and loan to asset ratio.In addition,we identified evidence supporting the moderate success of the last decade of reforms and a noticeable one for the post-revolution reforms in helping improve banking technical efficiency.The post-revolution reforms,largely revolving around reinforcing the rules of good governance and banking supervision,coupled with the restructuring of public banks,were found to be insufficient to raise overall banking technical efficiency despite improvement in the technical efficiency of private banks.
基金supported by grants from the National Science Foundation of China[Grants 72122013,72221001 and 71801151].
文摘Environmental variables are widely recognized as a cause of differences in efficiency measurement.However,the existing literature on data envelopment analysis(DEA)in environmental factors ignores the impact of demand on output.To address this gap,we propose the Point-wise Minimization DEA model(PWMDEA),which considers contextual variables that affect demand and lead to differences in efficiency.The model obtains efficiency value by considering the minimum of virtual inputs and virtual demand.Then,efficiency is evaluated by minimizing the ratio of above minimum to virtual output.This one-step model avoids issues of multi-stage assumptions and requires less data,making it more applicable.Moreover,we demonstrate the accuracy of our new model by conducting simulations with given true efficiency values.The simulation results demonstrate that our model has the lowest ranking error when the output is affected by multiple inputs or when demand has a significant impact.In addition,we evaluate the efficiency of healthcare in 31 Chinese provinces by considering two environmental factors.The results suggest that provinces with lower financial investments or population loss received higher rankings from our proposed model.These findings provide plausible explanations and demonstrate the practical usefulness of our model.
文摘Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has emerged as a potential alternative to carbon-based energies to meet theParis agreement commitment. This study investigates the effect of environmental variables on the efficiencyof solar PV panels. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to estimate efficiencies of 91 solar PV panelslocated in Australia during the time period 2010–2020. The effects of environmental variables on the estimatedefficiencies are quantified using the truncated regression model. Random forest is then used to predict efficiencyof solar PV panel in every city of Australia. The results allow to determine the most suitable location and regions for solar PV energy production in Australia. This study provides an interesting and easily interpretabletool for policy decision makers.
基金The financial support provided by the University of Tehran,Iran,is duly acknowledged.
文摘Energy consumption in agricultural products and its environmental damages has increased in recent centuries.Life cycle assessment(LCA)has been introduced as a suitable tool for evaluation environmental impacts related to a product over its life cycle.In this study,optimization of energy consumption and environmental impacts of chickpea production was conducted using data envelopment analysis(DEA)and multi objective genetic algorithm(MOGA)techniques.Data were collected from 110 chickpea production enterprises using a face to face questionnaire in the cropping season of 2014-2015.The results of optimization revealed that,when applying MOGA,optimum energy requirement for chickpea production was significantly lower compared to application of DEA technique;so that,total energy requirement in optimum situation was found to be 31511.72 and 27570.61 MJ ha^-1 by using DEA and MOGA techniques,respectively;showing a reduction by 5.11%and 17%relative to current situation of energy consumption.Optimization of environmental impacts by application of MOGA resulted in reduction of acidification potential(ACP),eutrophication potential(EUP),global warming potential(GWP),human toxicity potential(HTP)and terrestrial ecotoxicity potential(TEP)by 29%,23%,10%,6%and 36%,respectively.MOGAwas capable of reducing the energy consumption from machinery,farmyard manure(FYM)diesel fuel and nitrogen fertilizer(the mostly contributed inputs to the environmental emissions)by 59%,28.5%,24.58%and 11.24%,respectively.Overall,the MOGA technique showed a superior performance relative to DEA approach for optimizing energy inputs and reducing environmental impacts of chickpea production system.
基金the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,US Department of Agriculture,Evans-Alien project number SCX-313-04-18.
文摘This paper considers a humanitarian logistics network(HTLN)design problem,including the emergency relief facilities(ERFs)location-allocation decision for the efficient distribution of emergency supplies from the ERFs to the affected areas.A goal programming(GP)approach is applied to consider the multiple objectives simultaneously.Solving the GP model with a given weight assigned to each goal yields a single HTLN scheme,so there will be various schemes available by solving the GP with multiple values of the weights.For evaluating these schemes and identifying the most efficient one,we apply the data envelopment analysis(DEA)methods considering each scheme as a decision-making unit(DMU).Since the classical DEA(C-DEA)intrinsically aims to identify efficient DMUs and the efficient frontier,the use of C-DEA may not lead to a full ranking in many situations.There are several independent evaluation approaches to increasing discriminating power.Among them,this study integrates the multiple criteria DEA(MC-DEA)with the following three DEA methods,(i)stratification DEA(S^DEA),(ii)cross-efficiency DEA(CE-DEA),and(iii)super-efficiency DEA(SE-DEA),to make the most use of each method's strengths.Through a case study of designing the HTLN system for South Carolina,the procedure of implementing the integrated multiple criteria DEA(IMC-DEA)method is demonstrated.It is observed that the IMCDEA method performs well in terms of designing the HTLN system and would help the decision-makers consider more efficient options and make a final decision.
文摘The aim of the paper is to benchmark the performance of the Indian fertilizermanufacturing organizations based on the ranking of efficiencies using a fuzzy data envelopment analysis(FDEA).FDEA has been used to find the relative efficiency and ranking of the fertilizer-manufacturing organizations.The last few years’data have been converted into the fuzzy inputs and outputs as minimum,mean,and maximum values,respectively.The performance of the fertilizer manufacturing organizations is based on the output maximization model of DEA.The frontier organizations set the benchmark for the lagging organizations for further improvement in the performance.This method can also be used to incorporate the data of the several years for multiple inputs and outputs instead of consideration of data of only one year.The proposed approach in this study may help organizations to improve its efficiency to fulfill its goal.
文摘The way to deal with flexible data from their stochastic presence point of view as output or input in the evaluation of efficiency of the decision-making units(DMUs)motivates new perspectives in modeling and solving data envelopment analysis(DEA)in the presence of flexible variables.Because the orientation of flexible data is not pre-determined,and because the number of DMUs is fixed and all the DMUs are independent,flexible data can be treated as random variable in terms of both input and output selection.As a result,the selection of flexible variable as input or output for n DMUs can be regarded as binary random variable.Assuming the randomness of choosing flexible data as input or output,we deal with DEA models in the presence of flexible data whose input or output orientation determines a binomial distribution function.This study provides a new insight to classify flexible variable and investigates the input or output status of a variable using a stochastic model.The proposed model obviates the problems caused by the use of the large M number and using its different values in previous models.In addition,it can obtain the most appropriate efficiency value for decision-making units by assigning the chance of choosing the orientation of flexible variable to the model itself.The proposed method is compared with other available methods by employing numerical and empirical examples.
基金supported by the University of DelawareUniversity Transportation Center+1 种基金Delaware Center for TransportationDelaware Department of Transportation。
文摘Highway agencies have been using many of the elements of asset management with the support of various decision-making tools.To determine the most effective investment strategy with scarce resources,the integration,and hence better utilization,of existing tools and practices across asset classes is generally lacking.This paper applies data envelopment analysis(DEA)to benchmark different highway investment scenarios using existing data or data readily available through existing models.Three asset types,pavements,bridges,and traffic signage,are investigated.Asset investment analysis results from the Highway Economic Requirements System State Version(HERS-ST)application,the PONTIS bridge management system software,and purpose-built traffic signage spreadsheet are obtained to capture the changes of performance measures under various budget scenarios and are further used as the inputs for the DEA process to benchmark investment scenarios for each individual asset.Subsequently,the performance measures and budget levels are assembled in the Asset Manager-NT software,whose results are input into DEA to benchmark cross-assets resource allocation scenarios.Planning for the management of highway network is addressed via case studies in a systematic manner that recognizes the tradeoffs among different funding periods and objectives such as preserving existing investments,safety,roughness and user costs.This study has established a preliminary implementable framework of highway asset management by linking DEA approach and current widely used decision-making tools for more efficient investments within and cross assets,and better understand of the tradeoffs,costs and consequences of various asset management decisions.
文摘The pulp and paper industry converts roundwood and recycled fibre,collected from wastepaper into printing and writing papers,and other specialty grades of paper.The pulp and paper mills in Ontario have been facing extreme competitive pressures,which have affected their performance leading to several mill closures.The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the relative performance of three types of Ontario’s pulp and paper mills(using all fibre,only roundwood fibre,and only recycled fibre).This study uses bootstrap data envelopment analysis in analyzing and comparing the operational efficiency of the Ontario’s pulp and paper mills,with 224 sample data observations over a period of 17 years.The results indicate low levels of overall technical and managerial efficiencies in the pulp and paper mills using recycled fibre.The results of the study highlight that the pulp and paper industry needs to divert their attention to streamlining the manufacturing processes,reducing costs,improving raw material usage,and making capital investments in the new and improved technology,in order to improve the operational efficiency and competitiveness of the Ontario’s pulp and paper mills.The pulp and paper mills using recycled fibre require huge capital investments,especially for installing the latest de-inking technology.The results of this study provide policy makers with detailed performance analysis so that future input resources can be reallocated to improve the performance of the pulp and paper mills in Ontario.
文摘China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)aims to promote greater development and connectivity between 64 Eurasian countries.To accomplish this,China must increase its investments in the countries involved as well.The BRI’s investments are expected to positively influence the development and connectivity of countries along the BRI,but a low return of investment cannot reflect investment risks.This study proposes the assessment of the BRI’s investments through the lens of sustainable investing risk.Sustainable investing is an investment discipline that considers environmental,social and governance(ESG)dimensions to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact.A data envelopment analysis(DEA)model is used to calculate the composite indicators for each ESG dimension and country,and the average of the three indicators represents the sustainable investing risk score of each country.Results of the DEA reveal that Afghanistan has the lowest environmental rating(i.e.highest risk),Syria has the lowest social and governance ratings,Yemen has the lowest average rating,and Singapore has the highest rating.Moreover,no significant relationship is found between the BRI’s investment efforts and a country’s risk ratings,and an adequate risk ratio reflects the investments of the BRI.
文摘A literature review shows that energy consumption in agricultural production in Iran is not efficient and a high degree of inefficiency in broiler production exists in Iran.Energy consumption of broiler production in Ardabil province of Iran was studied and the nonparametric method of data envelopment analysis(DEA)was used to analyze energy efficiency,separate efficient from inefficient broiler producers,and calculate wasteful use of energy to optimize energy.Data was collected using face-to-face questionnaires from 70 broiler farmers in the study area.Constant returns to scale(CCR)and variable returns to scale(BCC)models of DEA were applied to assess the technical efficiency of broiler production.The results indicated that total energy use was 154,283 MJ(1000 bird)^-1 and the share of fuel at 61.4%was the highest of all inputs.The indices of energy efficiency,energy productivity,specific energy,and net energy were found to be 0.18,0.02 kg MJ^-1,59.56 MJ kg^-1,and^-126,836 MJ(1000 bird)^-1,respectively.The DEA results revealed that 40%and 22.86%of total units were efficient based on the CCR and BCC models,respectively.The average technical,pure technical,and scale efficiency of broiler farmers was 0.88,0.93,and 0.95,respectively.The results showed that 14.53%of total energy use could be saved by converting the present units to optimal conditions.The contribution of fuel input to total energy savings was 72%and was the largest share,followed by feed and electricity energy inputs.The results of this study indicate that there is good potential for increasing energy efficiency of broiler production in Iran by following the recommendations for efficient energy use.
文摘In this work,the Slacks-Based Measure(SBM)model within Data Envelopment Analysis was employed to establish a set of indicators for evaluating the energy efficiency of manufacturing workshops.The energy efficiency of 12 Company CW’s manufacturing workshops from 2016 to 2022 was assessed.The findings indicated that aside from a few workshops operating at the production frontier,the rest exhibit significant fluctuations in energy efficiency and generally low energy efficiency.Subsequently,a combined GRA-Tobit analysis model was introduced to identify factors influencing the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops.Regression analysis revealed that technological investments,employee quality,workshop production scale,investment in clean energy,and the level of pollution control all significantly impact the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops.By evaluating the energy efficiency of Company CW’s manufacturing workshops and studying their influencing factors,this research aids company managers in understanding the energy efficiency of the manufacturing process.It optimizes the combination of various production elements,thereby offering effective guidance for improving the energy efficiency issues of the company’s manufacturing workshops,which can contribute to enhancing the corporation’s overall energy efficiency.
文摘The investment problem of oilfield development is to trade off the investment exploration investment and development investment.With low return on investment got by using the existing method to solve this problem,we construct an optimal model to improve it based on Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)method and the relations about investment and proven reserves,investment and output as well as production cost.Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA)method is used to present a method to determine the optimal scale of productivity construction investment in unit production.The relation between total cumulated proven reserves and cumulative exploration investment is denoted as an exponential model.The relation among productions and remaining recoverable reserves as well as production cost may be described as an exponential operational cost function.Based on above two relation models and investment effectiveness coefficients of every block,we establish an optimal model whose objective function is net present value(NPV)profit maximum,whose constrain conditions include investment,reserve/production ratio,production and some equality constraints under the mode of sustainable development.It can be solved by genetic algorithms.The result of case study shows that this optimal investment of oilfield development has multi-stage investment structure under given conditions;the model can provide scientific basic theory for oil companies to make a long-term strategic program and investment plan in oil exploration and development,may decrease the subjective blindness in the investment and bring about a reasonable and orderly exploration and development of oil resources.
基金We would like to acknowledge the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,Nos.71201158,71671181)The other supports of data and related materials from the Institutes of Science and Development,Chinese Academy of Sciences are also acknowledged.
文摘This studyfirst proposes a definition for directional congestion in certain input and output directions within the framework of data envelopment analysis.Second,two methods from different viewpoints are proposed to estimate the directional congestion.Third,we address the relationship between directional congestion and classic(strong or weak)congestion.Finally,we present a case study investigating the analysis performed by the research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the methods developed in this study.
基金the Fund for Technological Innovation Project"Evaluation of Transformation Efficiency of Green Animal Husbandry Technology Achievements:Taking Dairy Industry as an Example".
文摘China's dairy farming has presented a striking development in recent years.Under the dual constraints of environment and resources,it is of practical significance to increase the output of dairy farming and ensure the healthy and stable development of the dairy industry,by accurately comparing the differences in the farming efficiency of dairy farms at different scales and grasping key factors influencing the farming efficiency.This study,through the cost analysis of 263 scale farms across 23 provinces and regions of China in 2019,reaches a result that the cost of a single cow in a certain scale farm increases with the enlargement of the scale,and shows an inverted-U shaped curve with the relatively large scales(1001-2000 cows)at the highest point.It measures the farming efficiency of dairy farms at different scales through the data envelopment analysis and finds that the scale efficiency and allocation efficiency of scale farms in China are relatively high,while the technology efficiency and cost efficiency are relatively low.The efficiency of different scale farms is obviously different,where the cost efficiency,allocation efficiency and scale efficiency show a U-shaped curve as the scale enlarges(with the relatively large scale as the lowest point),while the technology efficiency gradually decreases as the scale expands.It is concluded that for the scale farms,feed conversion ratio and forage-to-concentrate ratio have a significantly negative impact on the scale efficiency,while the labor cost,number of employees,and depreciation of fixed assets are negatively correlated to the technology efficiency and cost efficiency of dairy farming.
文摘Law enforcement remains to be the main strategy used to combat poaching and account for high budget share in protected area management. Studies on efficiency of wildlife law enforcement in the protected areas are limited. This study analyzed economic efficiency of wildlife law enforcement in terms of resource used and output generated using three different protected areas (PAs) of Serengeti ecosystem namely Serengeti National Park (SENAPA), Ikorongo/Grumeti Game Reserves (IGGR) and Ikona Wildlife Management Area (IWMA). Three years (2010-2012) monthly data on wildlife law enforcement inputs and outputs were collected from respective PAs authorities and supplemented with key informant interviews and secondary data. Questionnaire surveys were conducted to wildlife law enforcement staff. Shadow prices for non-marketed inputs were estimated, and market prices for marketed inputs. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to estimate economic efficiency using Variable Return to Scale (VRS) and Constant Return to Scale (CCR) assumptions. Results revealed that wildlife law enforcement in all PAs was economically inefficient, with less inefficiency observed in IWMA. The less inefficiency in IWMA is likely attributed to existing sense of ownership and responsibility created through community-based conservation which resulted in to decrease in law enforcement costs. A slacks evaluation revealed a potential to reduce fuel consumption, number of patrol vehicles, ration and prosecution efforts at different magnitudes between studied protected areas. There is equal potential to recruit more rangers while maintaining the resting time. These finding forms the bases for monitoring and evaluation with respect to resource usage to enhance efficiency. It is further recommended to enhance community participation in conservation in SENAPA and IGGR to lower law enforcement costs. Collaboration between protected area, police and judiciary is fundamental to enhance enforcement efficiency. Despite old dataset, these findings are relevant since neither conservation policy nor institution framework has changed substantially in the last decade.
文摘Objective: To measure the hospital operation efficiency, study the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency, analyze the importance of shortening average length of stay to the improvement of the hospital operation efficiency and put forward relevant policy suggestion. Methods: Based on China provincial panel data from 2003 to 2012, the hospital operation efficiencies are calculated using Super Efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis model, and the correlation between average length of stay and hospital operation efficiency is tested using Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. Results: From 2003 to 2012, the average of national hospital operation efficiency was increasing slowly and the hospital operations were inefficient in most of the areas. The national hospital operation efficiency is negatively correlated to the average length of stay. Conclusion: Measures should be taken to set average length of stay in a scientific and reasonable way, improve social and economic benefits based on the improvement of efficiency.
文摘Water scarcity is the growing concern of present times, requiring its efficient utilization deemed as necessity. Rapidly growing population has significantly exerted pressure on its demand, in Pakistan. In order to fulfill it, all factors of production are required to be used in the possibly most efficient way. Good quality and quantity of water are the growing concerns of producers in Pakistan and around the globe. The efficient water utilization is crucial to optimize the farm returns under the selected sole and multiple cropping systems. This study considered the water efficiency analysis of multiple and sole cropping systems, with the aim of finding out cropping patterns more efficient in terms of water utilization in Pakistan. In order to estimate the water efficiency analysis, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is run to find out the water efficient cropping systems among sole and multiple cropping systems. The Tobit analysis is also used to find out the factors affecting the water efficiency of selected farms in the study area. The results of the study report an inefficient water usage in terms of irrigation, the inefficient use of water instigates the wastage of one of the most important as well as scarce farm inputs especially water, in case of multiple cropping system. Around 51% and 13% of water inefficiency </span><span>are</span><span> present under multiple and sole cropping systems, respectively. Basin irrigation is the method for irrigation, used by the farmers of the study area approximating to be 95%</span><span> </span><span>-</span><span> </span><span>97%. It is one of the most conventional and least efficient methods of irrigation. Only 2.67 and 4.67 percent of farms were using the Furrow irrigation method, which is way more efficient and steady as compared to Basin irrigation method, respectively. It appears as a requirement that the most efficient methods regarding water application in Pakistan should be recognized. Lack of management in water application on both selected cropping systems resulted in over utilization of water and depletion of one of the fundamental natural resource. In order to overcome the inefficiency in water management, farmers’ farming knowledge, adoption of new irrigation techniques, efficient application of inputs is needed.
