Semi-radial efficiency measurement combines technical efficiency, as captured by the classical Farrell measure, with an economically meaningful mix efficiency component. The semi-radial evaluation we propose proceeds in two steps. First, we build on the price interpretation of the generally...

We present a nonparametric approach for (1) efficiency and (2) equity evaluation in education. Firstly, we use a nonparametric (Data Envelopment Analysis) model that is specially tailored to assess educational efficiency at the pupil level. The model accounts for the fact that typically minimal...

This paper fills a noticeable gap in the current economic and penology literature by proposing new performance-enhancing policies based on an efficiency analysis of a sample of male prisons in England and Wales over the period 2009/10. In addition, we advance the empirical literature by...

Hard data alone are not sufficient to evaluate local police effectiveness in the new age of community policing. Citizens can provide useful feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses of police operations. However, citizen satisfaction indicators typically fail to accurately convey the...

In both public administration and economics, efficiency is brought forward as an important criterion for evaluating administrative actions. Clearly, its value as an assessment principle depends on our ability to adequately measure efficiency. This article argues that citizen’s coproduction in...

This paper studies the influence of educational innovations on school performance. We apply a tailored, fully nonparametric conditional efficiency model to study secondary school efficiency in the Netherlands. The application uses official school data and a self-collected questionnaire on recent...

Practitioners assess performance of entities in increasingly large and complicated datasets. If non-parametric models, such as Data Envelopment Analysis, were ever considered as simple push-button technologies, this is impossible when many variables are available or when data have to be compiled...

We discuss the nonparametric approach to profit efficiency analysis at the firm and industry levels in the absence of complete price information. Two new insights are developed. First, we measure profit inefficiency in monetary terms using absolute shadow prices. Second, we evaluate all firms...