Title: ABC classification using DEA: classification of Iranian universities from students welfare foundation viewpoint

Authors: Mohammad Khodabakhshi; Mohsen Rezaee; Kourosh Aryavash

Addresses: Department of Mathematics, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Economics, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Mathematics, Lorestan University, Khorram Abad, Iran

Abstract: The motivation of this paper is to classify a set of decision making units (DMUs) into three classes A, B, and C using an optimistic-pessimistic approach of data envelopment analysis technique. To this end, the minimum and maximum possible efficiency scores of DMUs are estimated under the assumption that the sum of their scores equals to unity. Then, all DMUs are ranked two times. First, they are ranked according to their minimum scores, and then according to their maximum scores. Finally, the class of each DMU is ascertained according to its ranks in two rankings. We apply the proposed method for classifying the welfare funds of students for the universities in Iran.

Keywords: data envelopment analysis; DEA; optimistic-pessimistic approach; ABC classification; university classification; Iran; higher education; student welfare foundations; decision making units; DMUs; efficiency scores; welfare funds; universities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIDS.2016.076510

International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences, 2016 Vol.8 No.2, pp.179 - 186

Received: 28 Apr 2014
Accepted: 10 Oct 2014
Published online: 11 May 2016 *

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