A field-standardized application of DEA to national-scale research assessment of universities

Abstract: The current work proposes an application of DEA methodology for measurement of technical and allocative efficiency of university research activity. The analysis is based on bibliometric data from the Italian university system for the five year period 2004-2008. Technical and allocative efficiency is measured with input being considered as a university's research staff, classified according to academic rank, and with output considered as the field-standardized impact of the research product realized by these staff. The analysis is applied to all scientific disciplines of the so-called hard sciences, and conducted at subfield level, thus at a greater level of detail than ever before achieved in national-scale research assessments.