DEA-based Malmquist Productivity Index Measure of Operating Efficiencies: New Insights with an Application to Container Ports

摘要

To investigate the long-term operating efficiencies of container ports, we extend the work of previous researches to present a new systemic and improved method of data envelopment analysis (DEA)-based Malmquist productivity index (MPI) in this paper. An approach based on both panel data and multi-inputs/outputs is considered comprehensively, and aims at measuring the operating efficiencies of 10 leading container ports in China from 2001 to 2006 by applying this new systematic calculation method. The results illustrate that the main influence factor of total factor productivity change is the technology change, and the container transportation of these 10 ports is on the healthy development status and will recover and grow reposefully in the following years.