Search

Scientific research results represent a country’s innovation capability. To previous statistics, the scientific research results of Chinese university laboratories are more focused on the basic research stage, while the industrialization and commercialization stages of the results are often broken. In this paper, by using the DEA model to determine the relationship between input and output, decision unit, and efficiency variables, the input-output indexes are selected for the calculation to obtain the comprehensive efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency of the transformation of scientific research results in university laboratories; subsequently, the output slack variables of non-DEA validity decision unit are analyzed differently. The results show a 63.41% difference between the maximum comprehensive efficiency value and the minimum value of the transformation of scientific research results in 30 universities, and the slack variable variance analysis reveals that there is 42.27% input redundancy and 31.87% output deficiency in 30 universities. This paper improves the conversion rate of laboratory scientific research results based on the improvement of input and output indicators from the decision-making level; and proposes the tripartite collaboration model of laboratories governments, and enterprises, which promotes the acceleration of scientific research results into the market and the industrialization of scientific research results.

With the changing structure of the e-commerce industry, the analysis of economic efficiency influencing factors helps to optimize the layout of the e-commerce industry. This paper analyzes the spatial correlation of regional e-commerce economic development by constructing a spatial weight matrix, thus proposing a geographically weighted regression model combining spatial correlation and spatial measurement and constructing a statistical GWR data sample of 11 prefecture-level cities in Jiangxi Province. Then, the DEA model was used to quantify the economic efficiency of the e-commerce industry in these 11 prefecture-level cities, and on this basis, the influencing factors of the e-commerce development efficiency and their related role coefficients were studied based on the GWR model. The average value of the e-commerce industry efficiency of the 11 prefecture-level cities in 2018 was 0.656, which did not reach DEA validity, and the comprehensive technical efficiency of the e-commerce industry varied widely across the regions, and the efficiency of the e-commerce industry in many places The most significant impact on the overall efficiency is the efficiency of the e-commerce industry. The population size, which reaches 0.856 on average, is the most significant impact on comprehensive efficiency. The information facility base is the most significant impact on pure technical efficiency, which averages 0.823. This study effectively quantifies the role of different influencing factors on the economic efficiency of different sides of the e-commerce industry and can provide an effective reference for the optimization of the structural layout of the e-commerce industry.

This paper aims to improve the service quality of Chinese civil aviation and objectively evaluate the service quality of Chinese civil aviation through the DEA model. Based on C2R model and C2GS2 model, the DEA model is optimized and improved to establish C2WH model. Based on the principle of the gray correlation cone of constraints, a gray correlation cone of constraints DEA model is established, and the optimized DEA budget process is constructed. Using the gray correlation constraint cone DEA model to budget and evaluate the service quality data of Chinese civil aviation, combined with the data analysis, the strategy to improve IT intelligence and flight transit service level is proposed. The results show that the items of baggage claim speed, security check waiting time and the Internet have the lowest scores, which are below 4.40. Catering facilities and charges and flight information screen also scored low, below 4.45. The number of passengers checking in for their boarding passes through self-check-in is growing rapidly at a rate of 18%, with this segment exceeding 50% of total passengers. Airport signage optimization resulted in a 45% reduction in airport traffic. This study is beneficial to improve the science of service quality evaluation of civil aviation in China.

In this paper, an evaluation model is constructed to evaluate the new talent cultivation model of liberal arts under the OBE concept by analyzing the steps and ways of the model. The system of talent cultivation is determined by establishing the sample value and the whitening weight function of the gray class, and the system indicators are represented using the gray clustering weights, clustering coefficients, and clustering vectors. Then the system indexes are processed, and a multi-level DEA model is introduced on the basis of the gray clustering talent cultivation evaluation system. Finally, the multi-level gray clustering talent cultivation comprehensive evaluation model was constructed. The evaluation of the talent cultivation model is B=(0.4, 0.51, 0.09, 0, 0), and the overall evaluation result of the talent cultivation model is “excellent” according to the principle of maximum affiliation according to the calculation results.

This paper efficiently develops cultural and creative product design based on the DEA model, using input-oriented super-efficient expression data and the input surplus of the first stage as the explanatory variable to measure the efficiency value of cultural and creative products. A pre-determined control level conversion value is used to measure the initial standard value of cultural and creative inefficiency, and a further generalized likelihood ratio test is used. It was found that the total revenue of cultural and creative products increased from 1.172 million yuan to 1.784 million yuan, the liking of cultural and creative products clothing series was significantly high as 98%, and the highest scale efficiency of network entertainment application was 0.827. Enhancing local cultural identity and improving national cultural confidence can be achieved by implementing cultural and creative product design based on the DEA model with Shanxi regional characteristics.

The panel data of Anhui Province from 2010 to 2020 were selected and DEA model was used to measure the agricultural water use efficiency of 16 cities in Anhui Province,and Malmquist index method was used to further analyze the changing rules and characteristics of agricultural water use efficiency in Anhui Province. The result showed that in 2010, 2015 and 2020, the comprehensive efficiency of agricultural water use in Anhui Province was not effective, and showed a trend of slow decline;from 2010 to 2020, the total factor production efficiency of agricultural water in Anhui Province generally increased, and the growth rate fluctuated greatly; the total factor production efficiency of agricultural water use in Anhui Province showed the distribution law of high in the north and south ends and low in the middle,technological progress was the main factor affecting agricultural water use efficiency in Anhui Province. It is necessary to strengthen the construction of agricultural infrastructure and upgrade agricultural irrigation technology to shorten the gap between different cities as soon as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (high-tech SMEs) play a driving role in the economic transformation of the China Yangtze River Delta. However, comparatively little research and attention has been paid to evaluating the financing efficiency and investigating both external and internal influencing factors on financing efficiency based on the information of these enterprises. This study evaluates the financing efficiencies in a homogeneous environment of high-tech SMEs of information technology industry in the China Yangtze River Delta for the period 2014 to 2020 employing the panel three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis model. We have concluded that the financing technical efficiency presents a U-shaped trend from 2014 to 2020, at a moderate level due to the low pure technical efficiency; financing efficiency shows different spatial distribution patterns; most decision-making units are in the quasi-relatively inefficient range, while only a minority are at the efficiency frontier. Furthermore, the external and internal environmental factors are investigated based on Panel Stochastic Frontier Analysis and Tobit model. According to the empirical results, the optimization of the financial and technical environment contributes to financing efficiency; by contrast, a good economic and policy environment appears to restrict it; internal environmental factors such as growth ability, debt solvency, and the average age of managers have significant impacts on financing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the provincial panel data of ten years in China, theDEA method was used to analyze the performance of regional competitive sports and its influencing factors. The results showed that the average technical efficiency of regional competitive sports efficiency in China was 0.776, the average pure technical efficiency was 0.817, the average scale efficiency was 0.949, and the average relative efficiencywas 0.824.From the overall development trend, the four efficiencies were all on the rise. The number of effective units showed an upward trend, and the standard deviation showed a downward trend. The sales of sports lottery and the number of athletes of technical level had a positive impact on the efficiency of regional competitive sports. The number of competitive sports employees, the expenditure of competitive sports funds and the proportion of the number of competitive sports employees in the tertiary industry had no obvious and negative impact on the efficiency of regional competitive sports, the number of sports venues had no significant influence on the efficiency of regional competitive sports. Proposal: Local governments can choose to increase investment and strengthen management, maintain investment and strengthen management, reduce or reduce investment and increase management according to the actual situation of their respective regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of 11 provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China from 2011 to 2018, the DEA model and Malmquist index were used to calculate the industrial carbon unlocking efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in a static and dynamic way, and the Tobit model was used to empirically test its influencing factors. The results show that (1) the overall efficiency of industrial carbon unlocking in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is on the rise, but there are regional differences. The efficiency of industrial carbon unlocking in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River is higher than that in the upper and middle reaches. (2) The total factor productivity of industrial carbon unlocking in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has increased steadily on the whole, and technological progress is the main source of growth. (3) Industrial carbon unlocking efficiency is affected by many factors. Environmental regulation and degree of openness have a promoting effect on industrial carbon unlocking efficiency, while government investment and innovation level have a restraining effect on industrial carbon unlocking efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inland ports have become elements of the modern transport and logistics infrastructure hub and play an important role in shaping urban spatial texture. However, the spatial dimensions of their development have received little attention in the existing literature. This paper explores the spatial value concept for inland ports, i.e., the node and place values, by using a node-place model that was adopted for passenger terminals such as metro stations or train terminals. After measuring the node and place values, our research further evaluates the efficiency of node value's impact in improving place value, which indicates the effects of node value on regional development. This paper examines the impact of inland port activities on regional development, studying 12 Chinese inland ports with various models. The results show that half of the inland ports are balanced in terms of node value and place value. Only 50% of the inland ports are efficient, in terms of the contribution of node value to place value, in promoting the regional economy. Inland ports in a balanced position are usually more efficient. This study provides new evidence of inland ports promoting regional development, as well as a basis for policy-making for future inland ports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green technological innovation has gained in importance in regional policy making towards gaining competitive advantage and sustainable development. This paper used the data envelopment analysis method to calculate regional green innovation efficiency in China, and empirically tested the effect of fiscal decentralization through Tobit model. The regression results show that the local governments with higher fiscal autonomy would prefer to strengthen environmental protection; thus, the regional green innovation efficiency was improved. After the guidance of relevant national development strategies, these effects became more apparent. Our research provided theoretical support and practical guidance for promoting regional led green innovation, improving environmental quality, achieving carbon neutrality, and promoting the high-quality and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective/Meaning】The rebound effect of agricultural water use was introduced to quantify the rating of various regions in Xinjiang, and the influence of agricultural technological progress on the total amount of agricultural water use and watersaving effect in Xinjiang was studied, so as to provide the basis for improving the water saving of agricultural technology in Xinjiang. 【Methods/Procedures】Based on the panel data of various prefectures in Xinjiang from 2005 to 2020, the DEA model was used to measure the rate of agricultural technological progress in Xinjiang. Through the rebound effect of agricultural water use with the rate of agricultural technological progress, combined with the actual situation, the relationship among the agricultural watersaving technological progress, the rebound effect of agricultural water use and the total amount of agricultural water use was explored. 【Results/Conclusions】The results showed that: (1) The rate of agricultural technological progress in Xinjiang and its various prefectures was positive and the mean value was greater than 0.9. (2) The mean value of the rebound effect of water use in Xinjiang was 0.96. The agricultural water-saving technology increased the utilization efficiency of water resources and reduced the total amount of agricultural water use, but the effect was not obvious. (3) The rebound effect of agricultural water use was different in different states and there were different degrees of rebound effect of agricultural water use, among which the rebound effect in southern Xinjiang was the most average and the total rebound was the lowest. The distribution of rebound effect in northern Xinjiang was discrete and there was a phenomenon of “tempering”, while the rebound effect in eastern Xinjiang was relatively average. (4) The progress in agricultural technology had a significant impact on the rebound effect of agricultural water consumption in various regions and prefectures of Xinjiang. Accordingly, the corresponding improvement measures were put forward, including strengthening the adjustment of planting structure, implementing the differentiated implementation and supervision measures to “define land based on water”, accelerating the construction of water conservancy projects, promoting the policy of graded subsidy for water use, and introducing the water-saving policies according to the local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract According to the connotation and structure of government service resources, data of government service resources in L city from 2019 to 2021 are used to calculate the efficiency of government service resource allocation in each county and region in different periods, particularly by adding the government cloud platform and cloud computing resources to the government service resource data and applying the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, which has practical significance for the development and innovation of government services. On this basis, patterns and evolutionary trends of government service resource allocation efficiency in each region during the study period are analyzed and discussed. Results are as follows. i) Overall efficiency level in the allocation of government service resources in L city is not high, showing an increasing annual trend among the high and low staggering. ii) Relative difference of allocation efficiency of government service resources is a common phenomenon of regional development, the existence and evolution of which are the direct or indirect influence and reflection of various aspects, such as economic strength and reform effort. iii) Data analysis for the specific points indicates that increased input does not necessarily lead to increased efficiency, some indicators have insufficient input or redundant output. Therefore, optimization of the physical, human, and financial resource allocation methods; and the intelligent online processing of government services achieved by the adoption of government cloud platform and cloud computing resources are the current objective choices to realize maximum efficiency in the allocation of government service resources.

China is a country highly vulnerable to natural disasters, resulting in significant losses in terms of human casualties, injuries, property damage, economic losses, infrastructure destruction, and so on each year. We propose a conceptual model based on the Data Envelopment Analysis model to evaluate regional vulnerability in mainland China using the annual data of Chinese official statistics from 2006 to 2021. The proposed model includes five input variables: regional total population, per capita GDP, population density, GDP per square kilometer, and regional total fixed investment in water conservancy, environment, and public facilities management. Additionally, it incorporates two output variables: affected people and direct economic loss. The results indicate that the vulnerability level generally decreases from West China through Central China to East China. Based on the new classification method proposed in this study, the regions are divided into five areas. These findings can serve as a reference for policymakers in enhancing disaster planning and improving the efficiency of natural disaster prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial elements and R&D elements are significant drivers for enhancing regional innovation efficiency. This paper measures financial elements by financial development scale and the marketization level of the financial industry and R&D elements by the inputs and flow of R&D personnel and R&D capital and specifically considers R&D element flow to quantify the consequential spatial spillover effects. Based on provincial panel data from 2008 to 2018, the paper firstly estimates the regional innovation efficiency of China's 30 provincial-level administrative regions using super-efficiency DEA and then conducts an empirical analysis of the influence of financial elements and R&D elements on regional innovation efficiency by the use of the Tobit model and three spatial econometric models. It is found that, by and large, the financial development scale, the marketization level of the financial industry, the inputs of R&D personnel and R&D capital, and R&D capital flow all have significant effects on regional innovation efficiency. Nonetheless, by region, R&D personnel flow in central China can significantly boost regional innovation efficiency while fails in eastern and western China. From the spatial perspective, both financial elements and R&D elements have significant positive spatial spillover effects. Therefore, in order to bolster regional innovation efficiency, it is crucial to improve the allocation of financial elements and R&D elements and build a tight regional collaborative innovation network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of scientific analysis of the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics and influencing factors of grain production efficiency have far-reaching implications for optimizing agricultural resource allocation efficiency and promoting grain production quality and efficiency. Based on the statistical data of 134 counties ( districts) in Shandong Province, we performed data envelopment analysis to measure the comprehensive efficiency ( TE), pure technical efficiency ( PTE), and scale efficiency ( SE) of grain production in Shandong Province. Our aim was to examine the characteristics of their temporal and spatial variations. Therefore, we used the Tobit panel regression model to explore the factors influencing grain production efficiency. The results showed that, from 2000 to 2019, the overall grain production levels of TE, PTE, and SE in Shandong Province were high, with mean values of 0.963, 0.996, and 0.967, respectively. All indicators showed a fluctuating upward trend, with notable periodic characteristics, especially after 2002. The regional spatial differentiation in grain production efficiency in Shandong Province was remarkable, with TE and PTE showing a pattern of decreasing distribution from the western to eastern regions, and SE showing a trend of gradual concentration from contiguous high-value regions to the western region. TE, PTE, and SE showed significant positive spatial correlation, the agglomeration effect was relatively notable in the western region, whereas the spatial randomness was stronger in the eastern coastal areas. The results of our analysis of influencing factors showed that the levels of economic development, natural conditions, production conditions, resource endowment and policy system impacted the TE, PTE, and SE, but the direction and degree of influence differed. Among the factors considered, per capita disposable income, multiple cropping index, effective irrigation rate, and agricultural planting structure effectively improved grain production efficiency. Our findings indicate that in the future, although the layout of grain production should be scientifically planned, emphasis should be placed on improving the efficiency of grain production by raising farmer income level, improving agricultural infrastructure, and optimizing the structure of agricultural cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important research direction in the field of traffic light recognition of autonomous systems is to accurately obtain the region of interest (ROI) of the image through the multi-sensor assisted method. Dynamic evaluation of the performance of the multi-sensor (GNSS, IMU, and odometer) fusion positioning system to obtain the optimum size of the ROI is essential for further improvement of recognition accuracy. In this paper, we propose a dynamic estimation adjustment (DEA) model construction method to optimize the ROI. First, according to the residual variance of the integrated navigation system and the vehicle velocity, we divide the innovation into an approximate Gaussian fitting region (AGFR) and a Gaussian convergence region (GCR) and estimate them using variational Bayesian gated recurrent unit (VBGRU) networks and a Gaussian mixture model (GMM), respectively, to obtain the GNSS measurement uncertainty. Then, the relationship between the GNSS measurement uncertainty and the multi-sensor aided ROI acquisition error is deduced and analyzed in detail. Further, we build a dynamic estimation adjustment model to convert the innovation of the multi-sensor integrated navigation system into the optimal ROI size of the traffic lights online. Finally, we use the YOLOv4 model to detect and recognize the traffic lights in the ROI. Based on laboratory simulation and real road tests, we verify the performance of the DEA model. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is more suitable for the application of autonomous vehicles in complex urban road scenarios than the existing achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/purpose: The paper presents a model for the selection of a route for the transport of dangerous goods using DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) models and fuzzy logic systems. The presented model is used to define the risk on road sections during the transport of dangerous goods as well as to select the optimal route for the realization of the transport task. Methods: The model consists of two phases. The first phase includes the application of DEA models in which formed input and output models are connected in the output DEA final form which shows routes with a satisfactory level of traffic safety and at the same time eliminates routes with low traffic safety. The second phase involves the application of fuzzy logic systems, and as a way out of the fuzzy system, preference is given to one route. Route evaluation is based on six criteria, namely: route length, number of access points, AADT (annual average daily traffic), the number of traffic accidents with fatalities, the number of traffic accidents with the injured and the number of traffic accidents with material damage. When the values of the input criteria are entered, a calculation and evaluation is performed, and, as an exit from the fuzzy system, preference is given to one of the entered routes (the route with the lowest level of risk). The criteria used were defined on the basis of expert assessments. Results: A user program that represents decision support in traffic service. Conclusion: The user platform was created for the Matlab R2015a software package with the ability to be adapted to specific problems.

Ensuring sustainable levels of rice yield has become a significant concern in recent years. To improve yields in rice production, it is essential to increase factor inputs and productivity. However, current research primarily focuses on general grain productivity, rather than rice. In this study, utilize the DEA-Malmquist index to present a comprehensive temporal and spatial analysis of rice productivity and its determinants in China. Our findings reveal that the overall efficiency of rice production in China exhibits a fluctuating upward trend, with technological progress being the primary driver of improvement in production efficiency. Moreover, rice production efficiency demonstrates a distribution pattern that decreases from east to west, with resource endowment, production conditions, socioeconomic development levels, and the political system being crucial factors influencing efficiency. This study proposes novel ideas for structural adjustments and regional divisions within China's rice industry and provides a theoretical foundation for governments to develop evidence-based policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research is the first attempt in Iran to analyze the efficiency of the research centers of ANRREO in implementing student theses joint with MSRT Methods: This research used data envelope analysis (DEA) to measure the efficiency of the AREEO research units in conducting theses and dissertations. Results: Based on the results, over 50% and 42% of the research units were efficient from the research perspective in conducting Ph.D. dissertations and master’s theses, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results, the priority of faculty members and research centers is the number of theses and dissertations supervised or advised, so it is recommended to work on downgrading the priority of the quantity of theses and dissertations for the sake of upgrading the priority of efficiency, quality, and research outputs.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agricultural Outlook (1673-3908) is the property of Institute of Agricultural Information, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the interactive effects of digital finance and environmental, social responsibility, and corporate governance (ESG) performance on corporate financing efficiency using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and panel data analysis. Our empirical results demonstrate that higher ESG performance and digital finance enhance corporate financing efficiency at the 1% significance level, and digital finance alleviates the positive marginal effect of ESG performance on corporate financing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial sector, the backbone of China's economic development, is a key field that requires environmental management. The purpose of this study is to propose an improved data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to analyze the performance of provincial industrial systems (ISs) from 2011 to 2020 in China. To comprehensively characterize the operational framework of ISs, this study proposes an improved meta-frontier network DEA model. Unlike the existing models, the one proposed in this study not only considers the technical heterogeneity of ISs, but also reflects the interaction between IS subsystems. The empirical analysis yields valuable research findings. First, the overall environmental performance of Chinese ISs is generally low, with an average performance of 0.50, showing a U-shaped trend during the study period. Furthermore, significant regional differences are observed in the environmental performance of Chinese ISs. Second, the average performance of the production subsystem is 0.75, while the average performance of the pollution control subsystem (PTS) is 0.44. The low performance of the PTS pulls down the overall performance of Chinese ISs. Third, the technological level of Chinese ISs is low, with about 50% improvement potential. Finally, targeted suggestions to promote the green development of ISs are proposed on the basis of the empirical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the connotation and structure of government service resources, data of government service resources in L city from 2019 to 2021 are used to calculate the efficiency of government service resource allocation in each county and region in different periods, particularly by adding the government cloud platform and cloud computing resources to the government service resource data and applying the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, which has practical significance for the development and innovation of government services. On this basis, patterns and evolutionary trends of government service resource allocation efficiency in each region during the study period are analyzed and discussed. Results are as follows. i) Overall efficiency level in the allocation of government service resources in L city is not high, showing an increasing annual trend among the high and low staggering. ii) Relative difference of allocation efficiency of government service resources is a common phenomenon of regional development, the existence and evolution of which are the direct or indirect influence and reflection of various aspects, such as economic strength and reform effort. iii) Data analysis for the specific points indicates that increased input does not necessarily lead to increased efficiency, some indicators have insufficient input or redundant output. Therefore, optimization of the physical, human, and financial resource allocation methods; and the intelligent online processing of government services achieved by the adoption of government cloud platform and cloud computing resources are the current objective choices to realize maximum efficiency in the allocation of government service resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual-carbon target brings severe challenges to enterprise financing. Low-carbon supply chain financing has become a key measure by which enterprises break through the financing bottleneck. How to accurately evaluate and optimize the financial efficiency of a low-carbon supply chain is of great significance. We developed a financial behavior scale of the low-carbon supply chain for enterprises and constructed the evaluation index system for financing efficiency of enterprises' low-carbon supply chain. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data of 205 listed companies, we combine the PCA model with the DEA–Malmquist model to conduct static and dynamic analysis of the financing efficiency of enterprises' low-carbon supply chain. The results show that the financing efficiency of the culture, sports, and entertainment industries needs to be improved. The pure technical efficiency of information transmission, software, and information technology services is low. The total factor productivity index of water conservancy, environment and public facilities management, and the real estate industry fluctuated significantly. In this regard, enterprises must combine the characteristics of the industry and improve the financing efficiency of the supply chain using low-carbon processes of improvement, selection of low-carbon environmental protection materials, and collaborative supply chain emission reduction to break the financing constraints of enterprises and promote the realization of the national dual-carbon target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to understand whether national culture is linked with operative performance of organic agriculture. The ultimate goal is, indeed, to measure the impact of social change on technical innovation and sustainability issues. We built an econometric model where the impact of some of the six dimensions of national culture by Geert Hofstede is tested on inputs and outputs of organic production, on a country‐based scale. We collected data about the evolution of organic agriculture through the last two decades, extracting data about 27 countries of the European Union from 2000 to 2017. We tested the dataset into two passages: we first employed a DEA model to assess efficiency of organic farming, and then we correlated results to Hofstede 6‐D model of national culture. We observed the existence of a relationship between culture and innovation, explaining the importance of determined values in people's management within the firm. The operative performance of organic agriculture is linked to determined culturally influenced business values. We used efficiency results as variables for measuring innovation approach based on cultural models. It has been enhanced the relevance to the nexus innovation‐culture approaching to one of the most innovation‐resistant industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rural finance has an important impact on agricultural development. This study is to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of rural agriculture financial support in China and empirically analyze its influencing factors. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2014 to 2018, this study uses the DEA model to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of rural agriculture financial support and uses the panel Tobit model to form an empirical analysis of its influencing factors. The results show that: (1) The efficiency of rural agriculture financial support in the eastern region is significantly higher than that in the central and western regions; (2) The efficiency of rural agriculture financial support in Beijing, Zhejiang, and Guangdong are on the production frontier over the years, while other provinces have a large space to improve efficiency; (3) The strength of rural financial support as well as the level of regional economic development has a significant positive impact on the efficiency of rural agriculture financial support, while the intensity of rural financial services, as well as the scale of agricultural production and operation, has a significant negative impact. Finally, this study puts forward policy recommendations on rural financial support for the development of "agriculture, rural areas and farmers". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an essential part of the food safety chain, agricultural products have become a symbol of a country's development and technological level. This paper improves the traditional (DEA) model by studying the cold chain logistics of agricultural products in the green supply chain in Northeast China. The network DEA model, combined with qualitative and quantitative analysis, is applied to evaluate the efficiency of cold chain logistics of agricultural products in Northeast China. The results show that the formation of the cold chain logistics agricultural product model is related to the development and evolution of the system. Different socio-economic environments in different regions lead to different directions and speeds of developing and evolving agricultural cold chain systems. Even if the initial models are similar, different performance models will eventually evolve. The traditional DEA model is different from the network DEA model in measuring the efficiency of the agricultural cold chain. The network DEA measurement shows that the third-party cold chain network DEA has the highest average efficiency at 0.7838, which is the highest average efficiency among the four models. DEA's agricultural product cold chain network is the most efficient dairy product cold chain, and the least efficient is the fishery cold chain. This research can provide a policy reference for the government to improve the efficiency of the cold chain of agricultural products, promote its sustainable development, and provide research experience for follow-up related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to develop theoretical and methodological foundations for the development of tools for assessing the level of financial and technical efficiency of oil and gas companies and identifying reserves for improving efficiency based on the influence of external and internal factors. The theoretical basis of the research consists of the authors' works devoted to the problems of assessing financial efficiency, technical efficiency, innovation, market and environmental efficiency of companies. Modeling was carried out on the basis of tools for building DEA models, logistic regression, methods of correlation and regression analysis using the functionality of the software product R. The data of 7 companies with the largest revenue in the oil and gas industry by the end of 2020 and macroeconomic indicators of the financial and economic market of the Russian Federation are also components of the information base of the study. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the development of theoretical provisions and methodological tools for evaluating the effectiveness of companies in effective identification by assessing financial and technical efficiency, developing models of the phenomenon and forecasting the effectiveness of companies in the oil and gas industry.

The "Belt and Road" initiative proposed by China has received much attention from the international community. Natural disasters along the route have posed considerable challenges to the "Belt and Road" economic construction. Southeast Asia, as the main thoroughfare of the Maritime Silk Road, always suffers from floods. It is necessary to evaluate flood risk to enhance disaster emergency management. Based on the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, inputs consist of four factors: the number of deaths, victims, frequency of occurrence, and economic losses caused by meteorological disasters. To study the vulnerability to flood disasters in Southeast Asian countries, the four factors caused by flood disasters were taken as outputs, respectively. The relative efficiency values of Laos, Malaysia and Cambodia exceed 0.8. They are most vulnerable to floods. The following four countries, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines, are also vulnerable to flood disasters. The vulnerability of Vietnam is relatively lower than the others. In brief, the risk of flood disasters in Southeast Asia is high. Risk assessment for Southeast Asia is essential to ensure the implementation of the "Belt and Road" initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A merger is an important tactical instrument used by corporations to improve the performance of acquiring companies. Mergers and acquisitions can result in a variety of benefits for both the acquiring and target companies, including cost savings and higher profits. Mergers and acquisitions create a strong institution framework while also increasing efficiency and strengthening balance sheets. Using the tobit regression model, this study work attempts to evaluate numerous efficiency indicators for the acquiring organisation, as well as determine the determinants of the acquiring firm. The impact of ten sample listed corporations that underwent mergers and acquisitions between 2010 and 2017 is examined in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/purpose: The paper presents a model for the selection of a route for the transport of dangerous goods using DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) models and fuzzy logic systems. The presented model is used to define the risk on road sections during the transport of dangerous goods as well as to select the optimal route for the realization of the transport task. Methods: The model consists of two phases. The first phase includes the application of DEA models in which formed input and output models are connected in the output DEA final form which shows routes with a satisfactory level of traffic safety and at the same time eliminates routes with low traffic safety. The second phase involves the application of fuzzy logic systems, and as a way out of the fuzzy system, preference is given to one route. Route evaluation is based on six criteria, namely: route length, number of access points, AADT (annual average daily traffic), the number of traffic accidents with fatalities, the number of traffic accidents with the injured and the number of traffic accidents with material damage. When the values of the input criteria are entered, a calculation and evaluation is performed, and, as an exit from the fuzzy system, preference is given to one of the entered routes (the route with the lowest level of risk). The criteria used were defined on the basis of expert assessments. Results: A user program that represents decision support in traffic service. Conclusion: The user platform was created for the Matlab R2015a software package with the ability to be adapted to specific problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the resource allocation efficiency and its influencing factors of traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in 30 provinces during the 13th Five ⁃ Year Plan period, the BCC model was established to calculate the average value of resource allocation efficiency of TCM hospitals in China during the past 5 years, based on the data of China Health Statistical Yearbook and China Statistical Yearbook from 2016 to 2020, using Tobit model of panel data to verify the proposed hypothesis and discover the factors affecting efficiency. During the 13th Five⁃Year Plan period, the resource allocation of TCM hospitals in 30 provinces was DEA effective in 4, weak effective in 6, and ineffective in 20. The doctor allocation density and the ratio of medical and nursing administrators have significant negative and positive effects on the overall efficiency of resource allocation in TCM hospitals. The spatial distribution density and competition between TCM and Western medicine have significant negative and positive effects on the scale efficiency of resource allocation in TCM hospitals, respectively. During the 13th Five⁃Year Plan period, the resource allocation efficiency of TCM hospitals in most provinces of China still needs to be improved. The existing resources should be allocated as a whole, the level of medical technology should be raised, and the personnel structure should be set up reasonably. We should establish a flexible incentive mechanism, attach equal importance to both Chinese and Western medicine, and give prominence to the characteristics of Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research is the first attempt in Iran to analyze the efficiency of the research centers of ANRREO in implementing student theses joint with MSRT Methods: This research used data envelope analysis (DEA) to measure the efficiency of the AREEO research units in conducting theses and dissertations. Results: Based on the results, over 50% and 42% of the research units were efficient from the research perspective in conducting Ph.D. dissertations and master’s theses, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results, the priority of faculty members and research centers is the number of theses and dissertations supervised or advised, so it is recommended to work on downgrading the priority of the quantity of theses and dissertations for the sake of upgrading the priority of efficiency, quality, and research outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Against the background of sustainable development, landfill covers can consist of a range of materials, from clay to geocomposite and polymer composites. Given engineering and environmental requirements, we analyzed the performance and sustainability of four sanitary landfill cover materials, namely clay, HDPE, PVC, and GCL. Within the principles of environmentally sustainable design, we constructed a material selection index based on the performance as well as the economic and environmental impacts of the materials. In addition, using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with an analytic hierarchical process (AHP) preference cone, we developed a C2WH model to evaluate the performance of the selected materials. Through the calculation, we found that the comprehensive indexes of the four covering materials were E1 = 0.2600, E2 = 0.5757, E3 = 0.7815, and E4 = 1.0000, respectively. Our results indicated that the investigated materials could be ranked according to performance as follows: GCL > PVC > HDPE > clay. Thus, our results showed that GCL, with the highest efficiency value, was the optimal cover of the investigated materials. The multiobjective decision model developed in our study can be used as a technical reference and offers support for the selection of eco-friendly landfill cover materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate channel strategies can help to improve the operational efficiency of retail firms and stimulate the domestic demand market. To study the sustainability of retail enterprises in the COVID-19 era, this paper uses the data of 29 Chinese listed retail enterprises from 2012 to 2021 as a sample, and uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate and analyze the efficiency of the listed retail enterprises that implement different channel strategies. The results of the study show that: (1) The implementation of channel strategy will re-integrate the information flow, capital flow, commercial flow and logistics of enterprises, and affect the efficiency of enterprises through four paths: market demand, channel resources, channel technology and channel system. (2) The implementation of dual-channel strategy enterprises, in the short term, has greater technical efficiency than single-channel strategy enterprises. (3) The channel integration strategy of online ordering and store delivery has a significant positive impact on the overall efficiency of listed retail enterprises. (4) The inventory turnover rate has a significant positive impact on the overall efficiency of the listed retail enterprises. The level of accounts receivable, the level of retail technology, the level of investment in fixed assets and the size of enterprises have a negative impact on the overall efficiency of the listed retail enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important indicator for measuring the development level of low-carbon tourism, reducing the carbon emissions of tourism transportation has become an essential strategic goal and task for the sustainable development of tourism. Among many tourism vehicles, high-speed rails have a significant role in reducing the carbon emissions of tourism transportation. To clarify the impact of high-speed rails on the development efficiency of low-carbon tourism, using the relevant data of Zhengzhou urban agglomeration from 2010 to 2020, the DEA-BCC model and the Malmquist index method were used to measure these data. The results show the following: (1) the average comprehensive development efficiency of the Zhengzhou metropolitan high-speed rail for low-carbon tourism is low, and the comprehensive development efficiency of each city varies greatly; (2) the impact of high-speed rails on the development efficiency of low-carbon tourism in some underdeveloped areas is increasing. The impact on the development efficiency of low-carbon tourism in more developed areas is declining; (3) affected by COVID-19, tourism carbon emissions have shown a downward trend, reflecting the importance of low-carbon travel to low-carbon tourism to a certain extent. The research results not only verify the existing research conclusions but also verify the role of high-speed rails in the development of low-carbon tourism, and have practical value with respect to targeted guidance for the development of low-carbon tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficulty in financing and low financing efficiency is one of the bottlenecks that restrict the high-quality development of China's energy-saving and environmental protection industry and economy. The key to improving financing efficiency is to understand its influencing factors. This paper uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist index to measure the overall financing efficiency and the efficiency of different financing methods of 205 Chinese energy-saving and environmental protection industries from 2015 to 2020 from static and dynamic perspectives, respectively, as well as the Tobit model to estimate the impact of factors such as the digital transformation and green technological innovation of enterprises on financing efficiency. The study shows the following: (1) Static analysis shows that: the financing efficiency of the comprehensive technical efficiency of China's energy conservation and environmental protection industry is less than one, 5.8% to 23.41% of enterprises have very effective comprehensive technical financing efficiency, and fewer than 9% enterprises have very effective scale efficiency levels. Enterprises may have more room for improving their financing efficiency in the future. The four types of financing are, namely, internal financing, equity financing, fiscal financing, and debt financing, in descending order of efficiency. (2) Dynamic analysis shows that the financing efficiencies of debt financing and fiscal financing are both on an upward trend, while internal and equity financing efficiencies are on a downward trend. Additionally, the technological progress change index and scale efficiency are two key factors affecting the financing efficiency of different financing methods. (3) In terms of financing methods, the comprehensive technical efficiency and scale efficiency of endogenous financing and equity financing are high, while the comprehensive technical efficiency and scale efficiency of debt financing and fiscal financing are low and flat. (4) Digital transformation, green technology innovation, the asset–liability ratio, profitability, and operational capability have a significant positive impact on the financing efficiency of energy-saving and environmental protection enterprises. This paper studies the financing efficiency of China's energy conservation and environmental protection industry under different financing methods and the mechanism through which key factors affect the financing efficiency of enterprises. It aims to provide a theoretical basis for managing financing methods scientifically and rationally and improving the financing efficiency of the energy conservation and environmental protection industry, as well as to provide practical reference for the implementation of digital transformation, green technology innovation and diversified financing in China and other developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]