Science, technology and innovation efficiency assessment of 32 countries by Data Envelopment Analysis

Abstract

Science, technology and innovation are very important variables in the development of progress nowadays. The authors used 2012 data available from Eurostat to assess the efficiency of 32 countries. The model is based on the work of Banker Charnes and Cooper in 1984, the BCC model that applies to Variable Returns to Scale scenarios (Banker et al, 1984). The authors searched the database for the most recent and most adequate variables, but the most recent year available was 2012 and they considered as the only output the total European patent applications directed either directly to the European Patent Office (EPO) or filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty and designating the EPO (Euro-PCT). As inputs they considered the total population and the thousands of persons with tertiary education (ISCED) and/or employed in science and technology from 15 to 74 years old (tables of Total Human Resources in Science & Technology).