Title: Measuring the efficiency and productivity change of Greek universities over the time period 2005-2009

Authors: Panagiota Kyratzi; Constantinos Tsamadias; Dimitrios Giokas

Addresses: Department of Home Economics and Ecology, School of Geography, Ecology and Applied Economics, Harokopio University, El. Venizelou 70, Kallithea, 17671, Athens, Greece ' Department of Home of Economics and Ecology, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece ' Department of Economics, School of Economics and Political Science, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece

Abstract: The study investigates the efficiency and productivity in Greek public universities. It measures efficiency and productivity during 2005-2009, by using input-oriented data envelopment analysis and Malmquist analysis. The results of empirical analysis indicate that a number of universities operate inefficiently, that causes a significant waste of resources. The efficiency under constant returns to scale vary in interval [0.320-1.000] and under variable returns to scale in interval [0.581-1.000], with average efficiency score being 0.834 and 0.899 respectively. These reveal that universities could produce on average the same quantity of outputs with 16.6% or 10.1% less quantity of inputs. The scale efficiency varies in the interval [0.482-1.000] and the mean is 0.921. The findings suggest that universities on average refrain 7.9% from the optimal scale. The total factor productivity has risen by an annual average of 2.9% relatively to the base year 2005. The results provide 'tools' improving universities performance.

Keywords: Greek universities; performance evaluation; efficiency measurement; productivity measurement; data envelopment analysis; DEA; Malmquist analysis; higher education; total factor productivity; TFP; Greece; university efficiency; university productivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEED.2015.070620

International Journal of Education Economics and Development, 2015 Vol.6 No.2, pp.111 - 129

Received: 27 Nov 2014
Accepted: 06 Dec 2014
Published online: 14 Jul 2015 *

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