An Ideal-Point Goal Programming Data Envelopment Analysis Model for Ranking Productivity and Agility Improvement Enablers in the Ports and Maritime Organization

Abstract

Extended project completion times and increased final costs of products and services are indicative of deficiencies in organizational productivity and agility when responding to environmental changes. Enhancing these two capabilities can significantly reduce the cost of organizational outcomes. One of the most effective approaches for simultaneously evaluating and improving productivity and agility is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA); however, conventional DEA models generally suffer from limited discriminatory power. To address this limitation, the present study proposes an ideal-point-based model that integrates DEA with Goal Programming (GP). Using a multi-criteria set of evaluation factors, DEA is employed to assess relative efficiency, while GP is utilized to incorporate preference structures for prioritization. Ideal and anti-ideal reference points are introduced to enhance the Model's discriminatory capability. The primary objective of this research is to identify and prioritize the key enablers of productivity and agility improvement within the Ports and Maritime Organization through the proposed Model. The research methodology consists of four stages and was implemented based on expert judgments from the organization. The proposed mathematical Model incorporates project execution time and cost as input criteria, and the impacts of enablers on four organizational dimensions—efficiency, effectiveness, flexibility, and responsiveness—as output criteria. The Model was applied to fourteen identified enablers, resulting in the prioritization of five key enablers: enhancement of systems thinking capability within the organization, implementation of project portfolio management, implementation of business process management, implementation of project risk management, and deployment of business intelligence systems. The principal contribution of this study is the development of an ideal-point goal programming DEA model, which, according to the conducted analyses, demonstrates superior discriminatory power and ranking quality compared with existing alternative models. The proposed framework assists managers in allocating resources to enablers with the greatest potential impact on organizational productivity and agility, while also providing policymakers with a valuable decision-support tool for strategic planning. As a practical implication, the study recommends integrating the proposed Model into a comprehensive organizational productivity cycle to facilitate the continuous and simultaneous improvement of productivity and agility.