Network Representations of Efficiency Analysis for Engineering Systems: Examples, Issues and Research Opportunities

Network efficiency models depict internal production/service processes, and/or alternative perspectives, and/or different time periods. Researchers in the efficiency measurement field are investigating and applying these models in a variety of ways. However, in very few instances are these representations focused on engineering systems. This chapter presents two very distinct network efficiency models that are applied to engineering systems. The first uses the radial and slacks based network DEA models to assess the efficiency performance of a downtown space reservation system (DSRS). This system has been designed as an approach to mitigate traffic congestion in an urban downtown area. The implementation of the network DEA models identify the determinants of efficiency performance for the agency operating the DSRS, for the traveler using the DSRS and for the community where the DSRS resides. The second example pertains to asset management and more specifically to highway maintenance management. An alternative network efficiency representation is used where a system dynamics modeling approach provides a way to study dynamic efficiency performance and assess highway maintenance policies. Through these examples, issues pertaining to opening the production black box to evaluate internal processes, the validity of the axiomatic foundations of DEA for the network models, the relevance of the structure of the network models in terms of suggesting resulting system behaviors, temporal and dynamic efficiency performance associated with the network efficiency models are discussed suggesting future research directions.