Supporting Service Productivity Management — Conceptualizing and Designing an IT Artifact for Managing Service Productivity with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

From an economical perspective, productivity is considered as comparison of outputs and inputs, which is the ratio of manufactured products (outputs) of the employed factors of production (inputs). However, once more than two variables are involved in the calculation, a monetary valuation of the variables is necessary. Consequently, the productivity consideration is distorted by, e.g., price fluctuations. Through a purely set-based calculation, however, this problem of evaluation is bypassed and a more objective analysis becomes possible. However, there are mathematical problems in the calculation of the productivity calculation, since the output and input variables used do not have the required homogeneity. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), as a method for the operationalization of quantitative productivity, is a proven and appropriate approach. In addition to a theoretical understanding of service productivity in connection with the DEA, current practice lacks a practically applicable tool for the calculation of service productivity. Against this background, the thesis deals with the use of DEA to calculate the service productivity. Firstly, the development of a theoretical framework for understanding service productivity is based on existing theoretical concepts. Second, the design, the development and the specific use of a software tool to support the calculation of service productivity by using the DEA is offered. Third, after an experimental application of the software tool, its suitability, effectiveness and use are demonstrated.