Performance Evaluation and Optimization for Selected Sport Federations of Islamic Republic of Iran Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Given the importance of sport federations in promoting sport in Iran, in addition to performance evaluation, performance management has a great importance in improving federation’s efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately productivity. The present study tries to evaluate the performance of selected sport federations of Iran in 1392 using Data Envelopment Analysis method and then provide guidelines for performance optimization for each federation. By means of DEA models, 12 federations of 50 active federations in 1392, were determined as the sample of study with targeted sampling based on the results of assessments conducted by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and were evaluated. Based on evaluation results, in 12 observed federations, only 5 federations (taekwondo, karate, mountaineering, chess and wrestling) were fully efficient- efficiency score equal one, and other federations were determined as inefficient federations- efficiency score less than one. The average efficiencies for observed federations were determined, in scale efficiency 0/724, in management efficiency 0/738 and in technical efficiency 0/589; therefore technical inefficiency and then, scale inefficiency could be considered as the major factors of inefficiency in federations. Other results of study provided a virtual model for each inefficient federation to achieve the desired level of efficiency, including introducing efficient federations as reference units, and determining surplus and optimal amount of each inputs so federations be guided to develop their future programs.