Title: Assessment of the efficiency of Croatia compared to other European countries using data envelopment analysis with application of window analysis

Authors: Lorena Škuflić; Danijela Rabar; Bruno Škrinjarić

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Trg J.F. Kennedyja 6, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia. ' University of Pula 'Juraj Dobrile', Preradovićeva 1, 52 100 Pula, Croatia. ' The Institute of Economics, Zagreb, Trg J.F. Kennedyja 7, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract: Economic growth in the world today is extremely uneven. In the last decade we have witnessed a higher growth rates in industrial countries and in countries in transition. However, their growth is mostly based on external borrowing, creating a problem of higher external debt and budget deficit. As the growth rate of external debt exceeds the one of GDP, in the long run, countries will face problems of indebtedness and unsustainable growth. This paper analyses the model of economic growth in three different years in order to determine the significant growth factors in Croatia and EU countries plus Turkey and Switzerland. Countries that have applied efficient growth model and those that have not are distinguished using the data envelopment analysis (DEA). According to obtained results Croatia had the worst ranking in the achieved efficiency.

Keywords: economic growth; European Union; EU; efficiency; data envelopment analysis; DEA; sustainable economy; Croatia; sustainability; window analysis; Turkey; Switzerland; efficient growth models; Europe.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSE.2013.050601

International Journal of Sustainable Economy, 2013 Vol.5 No.1, pp.104 - 123

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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