Assessment of Logistics Platform Efficiency Using an Integrated Delphi Analytic Hierarchy Process-data Envelopment Analysis Approach: A Novel Methodological Approach Including a Case Study in Slovenia

The objective of this study is to propose a trustworthy, valid and consistent methodological approach for measuring the efficiency of a logistics platform, where an entire country constitutes a logistic platform. Traditional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is found to be an appropriate tool --if its weaknesses are eliminated. DEA results are highly influenced by the choice of appropriate inputs and outputs variables, but the method itself does not provide guidance for their identification. The authors therefore propose to integrate traditional DEA by combining the Delphi technique with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, which will assist in identifying proper, consistent input/output variables, evaluated by their relevance. The proposed framework allows the performance evaluation of the selected platform's element or elements. It is thus a useful decision support tool for enterprises (private, public, both) that are managing logistics platforms and trying to improve their productivity in order to sustain or improve their position on the competitive market. This methodology allows comparative efficiency analyses to be estimated for similar countries. The presented methodology on one hand enables tailor-made solutions, but on the other hand is very general, and, with minor adjustments, can be applied by a variety of firms and industries. It can be applied in private sector firms in production and service industries, to analyse the relative performance of diverse logistics and non-logistics services, and in public profit or non-profit organisations.