Title: Assurance region context-dependent DEA with an application to Taiwanese hotel industry

Authors: Hilary Cheng, Yi-Chuan Lu, Jen-Tsung Chung

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Chung-Li 32003, Taiwan. ' Department of Information Management, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Chung-Li 32003, Taiwan. ' Graduate School of Management, Yuan Ze University, 8F-2, No.1–9, Sec. 1, Suiyuan Road, North District, Taichung 40446, Taiwan

Abstract: This study proposes assurance region (AR) context-dependent data envelopment analysis (DEA) and applies the restricted weights derived by analytic hierarchy process in measuring the performance of 34 selected Taiwanese international tourist hotels during the years 1997–2006. Empirical results indicate that: AR context-dependent DEA has more of an efficiency segment than context-dependent DEA; the market differentiates 10 performance levels that form the benchmark structure for 34 hotels; hotels with higher attractiveness can serve as learning targets for hotels at lagging levels so as to establish the best path for performance improvement; and hotels at leading levels can use lower progress to analyse potential competitors at lagging levels. The results of this study can provide hotel managers with insights into competitive advantage and can help them with strategic decision-making.

Keywords: assurance regions; context-dependent DEA; data envelopment analysis; international tourist hotels; Taiwan; tourism; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; performance measurement; hotel management; strategic decision making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2010.033541

International Journal of Operational Research, 2010 Vol.8 No.3, pp.292 - 312

Published online: 04 Jun 2010 *

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