Data Envelopment Analysis as a Instrument for Organizational Performance Measurement, Planning and Benchmarking in Education

This paper aimed to explain relative efficiency of educational departments of Zanjan province using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique. The study used quantitative approach and a descriptive-cross sectional methodology by investigation in official documents. To determine the efficiency, using a questionnaire, viewpoints of experts about input and output variables were gathered and then the appropriate ones were seleceted by Borda technique. By using Slack method, from 14 education offices, seven offices determined as efficient and the others as inefficient. To use the findings of the research in planning and benchmarking, optimum values of each education offices were presented to be used as quantitative objectives in goal setting and planning.