Efficiency of Universities and Research-Focused Institutions Worldwide: An Empirical DEA Investigation Based on Institutional Publication Numbers and Estimated Academic Staff Numbers

25 Pages Posted: 25 Mar 2020

See all articles by Lutz Bornmann

Lutz Bornmann

Max Planck Society for the Advancement of the Sciences

Sabine Gralka

Dresden University of Technology

Félix de Moya Anegón

Republic of Argentina - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

Klaus Wohlrabe

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) - Ifo Institute

Date Written: 2020

Abstract

One of the core indicators in the field of scientometrics is the number of papers published by a unit within a given period. However, such indicators can only be assessed properly by considering the unit's available resources. When evaluating the efficiency of institutions worldwide, the problem concerning the availability of internationally standardized data arises. While on the output side consistent publication indicators are available, these data are frequently not available on the input side. We therefore introduce a new input indicator based on the authors' mentions in the institutions' papers. We calculate efficiency scores for more than 4,800 universities and other research-focused institutions worldwide. "Harvard University" is the best performing institution (in all years) followed by many other institutions from Northern America or Europe. The results of the study show that institutions in the Pacific region have the highest average efficiency scores, followed by Northern America and Western Europe. While many results of this study are scarcely surprising, it is the first time that an efficiency analysis is being performed for a multitude of institutions worldwide using a standardized input indicator. It seems that the new proxy indicator based on co-authors is suitable for reflecting institutional staff numbers.

Keywords: bibliometrics, efficiency, data envelopment analysis, universities, research-focused institutions, world

JEL Classification: I210, I230, D610, H520

Suggested Citation

Bornmann, Lutz and Gralka, Sabine and de Moya Anegón, Félix and Wohlrabe, Klaus, Efficiency of Universities and Research-Focused Institutions Worldwide: An Empirical DEA Investigation Based on Institutional Publication Numbers and Estimated Academic Staff Numbers (2020). CESifo Working Paper No. 8157, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3555584 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3555584

Lutz Bornmann (Contact Author)

Max Planck Society for the Advancement of the Sciences ( email )

Mittelweg 187
69120 Heidelberg, 53113
Germany

Sabine Gralka

Dresden University of Technology ( email )

Münchner Platz 2 - 3
Dresden, 01069
Germany

Félix De Moya Anegón

Republic of Argentina - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) ( email )

Serrano 117
Madrid, 28006
Argentina

Klaus Wohlrabe

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) - Ifo Institute ( email )

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, 01069
Germany

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