A robust DEA model in the presence of uncertain integer-valued parameters
Journal of Modelling in Management
ISSN: 1746-5664
Article publication date: 10 February 2023
Issue publication date: 2 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Uncertainty in data, whether in real-valued or integer-valued data, may result in infeasible optimal solutions or unreliable efficiency scores and ranking of decision-making units. To handle the uncertainty in integer-valued factors in data envelopment analysis (DEA) models, this study aims to propose a robust DEA model which is applicable in the presence of such factors.
Design/methodology/approach
This research focuses on the application of fuzzy interpretation of efficiency to a mixed-integer DEA (MIDEA) model. The robust optimization approach is used to address the uncertain integer-valued parameters in the proposed MIDEA model.
Findings
In this study, the authors proposed an MIDEA model without any equality constraint to avoid the arise problem by such constraints in the construction of the robust counterpart of the conventional MIDEA models. We have studied the characteristics and conditions for constructing the uncertainty set with uncertain integer-valued parameters and a robust MIDEA model is proposed under a combined box-polyhedral uncertainty set. The applicability of the developed models is shown in a case study of Malaysian public universities.
Originality/value
This study develops an MIDEA model equivalent to the conventional MIDEA model excluding any equality constraint which is crucial in robust approach to avoid restricted feasible region or infeasible solutions. This study proposes a robust DEA approach which is applicable in cases with uncertain integer-valued parameters, unlike previous studies in robust DEA field where uncertain parameters are generally assumed to be only real-valued.
Keywords
Citation
Yousef Zehi, R. and Nana Khurizan, N.S. (2024), "A robust DEA model in the presence of uncertain integer-valued parameters", Journal of Modelling in Management, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 46-67. https://doi.org/10.1108/JM2-05-2022-0126
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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