Title: Technical efficiency estimation and team performance: implications from the professional basketball leagues in Thailand

Authors: Sanpat Srisuphan; Piriya Pholphirul

Addresses: Digital Government Development Agency (Public Organisation), 17th Floor, Bangkok Thai Tower Building 108 Rangnam Road, Phayathai, Ratchatewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand ' Centre of Development Economics Studies, Graduate School of Development Economics, National Institute of Development Administration, Serithai Road, Klong-Chan, Bangkapi, Bangkok, 10240, Thailand

Abstract: Estimation of technical efficiency is one of the economic techniques used in measuring performance, not only in terms of production of the manufacturing and service industries but also in sport competitions. This research aims to estimate the technical efficiency of professional basketball league competition tournaments in Thailand by analysing the factors influencing a team's victory. Using data from Thai professional basketball teams' play in 2014 collected from ten professional basketball teams that played in that year's tournament, we analyse the technical efficiency of each team and discover that the capacity of a team to win is about 88.7% on average. The significant influencing factors for a team to win were having a two-point shot, an offensive rebound, skill at passing and mastery of ball control. Thus, a team was able to gain a victory by attaching considerable significance to its specific skills and strengths. This strategy was more significant than focusing on the quality of resources, especially on individual players. The results of this research can pave the way for improvements in team management in general.

Keywords: technical efficiency; frontier efficiency; professional basketball league; team performance; Thailand.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2022.127544

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2022 Vol.37 No.4, pp.481 - 495

Received: 14 Oct 2020
Accepted: 14 Feb 2021
Published online: 07 Dec 2022 *

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