A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains

Abstract In the production of supply chains, dual-role factors and undesirable outputs are commonly encountered. However, current research fails to effectively address these factors, leading to inaccurate assessments of efficiency. To address these limitations, this study proposes a method called th...

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Main Authors: Chongyu Ma, Jianwei Ren, Chunhua Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99760-9
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author Chongyu Ma
Jianwei Ren
Chunhua Chen
author_facet Chongyu Ma
Jianwei Ren
Chunhua Chen
author_sort Chongyu Ma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the production of supply chains, dual-role factors and undesirable outputs are commonly encountered. However, current research fails to effectively address these factors, leading to inaccurate assessments of efficiency. To address these limitations, this study proposes a method called the network slacks-based measure considering both dual-role factors and undesirable outputs. Our methodology treats dual-role factors as strongly disposable and employs 0–1 programming to manage these factors, while utilizing the slacks-based approach to handle undesirable outputs. Data from 10 automotive supply chains are collected to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. To examine the impact of intermediate products, we compare their efficiency under different link activities. The findings suggest that using fixed links to manage intermediate products may overestimate production efficiency. Furthermore, the impact of dual-role factors is evaluated under two scenarios: weak disposability and the exclusion of dual-role factors. The results demonstrate that treating dual-role factors as weakly disposable may overestimate efficiency, whereas ignoring them may lead to an underestimation of efficiency.
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spelling doaj-art-395859292a924a3ba704fd4fa65e0dfb2025-08-20T02:15:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-99760-9A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chainsChongyu Ma0Jianwei Ren1Chunhua Chen2Transportation Institute, Inner Mongolia UniversityTransportation Institute, Inner Mongolia UniversityCollege of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityAbstract In the production of supply chains, dual-role factors and undesirable outputs are commonly encountered. However, current research fails to effectively address these factors, leading to inaccurate assessments of efficiency. To address these limitations, this study proposes a method called the network slacks-based measure considering both dual-role factors and undesirable outputs. Our methodology treats dual-role factors as strongly disposable and employs 0–1 programming to manage these factors, while utilizing the slacks-based approach to handle undesirable outputs. Data from 10 automotive supply chains are collected to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. To examine the impact of intermediate products, we compare their efficiency under different link activities. The findings suggest that using fixed links to manage intermediate products may overestimate production efficiency. Furthermore, the impact of dual-role factors is evaluated under two scenarios: weak disposability and the exclusion of dual-role factors. The results demonstrate that treating dual-role factors as weakly disposable may overestimate efficiency, whereas ignoring them may lead to an underestimation of efficiency.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99760-9Data envelopment analysisSlacks-based measureSupply chainsDual-role factorsUndesirable outputs
spellingShingle Chongyu Ma
Jianwei Ren
Chunhua Chen
A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
Scientific Reports
Data envelopment analysis
Slacks-based measure
Supply chains
Dual-role factors
Undesirable outputs
title A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
title_full A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
title_fullStr A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
title_full_unstemmed A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
title_short A network slacks-based measure considering dual-role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
title_sort network slacks based measure considering dual role factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of supply chains
topic Data envelopment analysis
Slacks-based measure
Supply chains
Dual-role factors
Undesirable outputs
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99760-9
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