A process for evaluating retail store efficiency: a restricted DEA approach

A managerial process is developed for assessing the efficiency of 552 indiv idual stores for a multi-store, multi-market retailer employing Data Envelo pment Analysis (DEA). Incorporating assurance regions into a DEA model allo wed for a more complete specification of inputs and outcomes than usually f ound in DEA applications. This procedure permitted the researchers to captu re top management's strategic thinking. Practical usefulness of the process ' results is illustrated with respect to two management issues: evaluating store managers and identifying critical success factors (CSFs). (C) 1998 Pu blished by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.