Abstract
This paper proposes a novel methodological framework for effectively measuring the production frontier performance (PFP) of macro-scale (regional or national) R&D activities themselves associated with two improved models: a non-radial data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and a nonradial Malmquist index. In particular, the framework can provide multidimensional information to benchmark various R&D efficiency indexes (i.e., technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency) as well as the total factor R&D productivity change (determined by three components: “catch-up” of R&D efficiency, “frontier shift” of R&D technology as well as “exploitation” of R&D scale economics effect) at a comparable production frontier. It can be used to not only investigate the potential and sustainable capacity of innovation but also screen and finance R&D projects at the regional or national level. We have applied the framework to a province-level panel dataset on R&D activities of 30 selected Chinese provinces.
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Notes
They don’t include Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan due to unavailable data.
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Acknowledgments
This research is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 70773006) and by Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (Project No. B210). The authors are grateful for the valuable comments and suggestions of Prof. Braun and anonymous reviewers, which significantly improved the article.
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Guan, J., Chen, K. Modeling macro-R&D production frontier performance: an application to Chinese province-level R&D. Scientometrics 82, 165–173 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0030-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0030-1