A multiplier bound approach to assess relative efficiency in DEA without slacks

In this paper, we propose a new approach to deal with the non-zero slacks in data envelopment analysis (DEA) assessments that is based on restricting the multipliers in the dual multiplier formulation of the used DEA model. It guarantees strictly positive weights, which ensures reference points on the Pareto-efficient frontier, and consequently, zero slacks. We follow a two-step procedure which, after specifying some weight bounds, results in an “Assurance Region”-type model that will be used in the assessment of the efficiency. The specification of these bounds is based on a selection criterion among the optimal solutions for the multipliers of the unbounded DEA models that tries to avoid the extreme dissimilarity between the weights that is often found in DEA applications. The models developed do not have infeasibility problems and we do not have problems with the alternate optima in the choice of weights that is made. To use our multiplier bound approach we do not need a priori information about substitutions between inputs and outputs, and it is not required the existence of full dimensional efficient facets on the frontier either, as is the case of other existing approaches that address this problem.