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Appraisal of Scientific Research in European Countries. An Entropy-Based Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Florentin ŞERBAN

    (Department of Applied Mathematics The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies Doctoral School of Mathematics, University of Bucharest)

  • Anca-Teodora ŞERBAN-OPRESCU

    (Department of Modern Languages and Business Communication The Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • George-Laurenţiu ŞERBAN-OPRESCU

    (Department of Economic Doctrines and Communication The Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

Abstract

In this paper, we put forward an efficient approach based on entropy measures to assess academic performance, by using the values of some relevant indicators provided for the 28 EU countries. The concept of entropy has been frequently utilized to evaluate the quantity and influence of information offered by the data under analysis. The methodology is based on the construction of a composite indicator, represented by the weighted sum of the indicators taken into account. The weights assigned to the indicators selected to perform the analysis stand as measure of significance for each factor involved in the construction of the composite indicator. The results obtained using the present methodology are very similar to official international rankings, confirming the reliability and accuracy of this approach. In terms of economic insight, we compute an efficiency index as the ratio of the outcome value obtained and the mean value for the corresponding 10 years’ time span of Research and Development (R&D) expenditure in Higher Education sector for every country. The results obtained using this approach reveal that some countries with lower research score succeed to publish papers at much lower costs than developed countries in R&D sector

Suggested Citation

  • Florentin ŞERBAN & Anca-Teodora ŞERBAN-OPRESCU & George-Laurenţiu ŞERBAN-OPRESCU, 2017. "Appraisal of Scientific Research in European Countries. An Entropy-Based Analysis," ECONOMIC COMPUTATION AND ECONOMIC CYBERNETICS STUDIES AND RESEARCH, Faculty of Economic Cybernetics, Statistics and Informatics, vol. 51(1), pages 103-116.
    • Handle: RePEc:cys:ecocyb:v:50:y:2017:i:1:p:103-116
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daraio, Cinzia & Bonaccorsi, Andrea & Simar, Léopold, 2015. "Rankings and university performance: A conditional multidimensional approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 244(3), pages 918-930.
    2. Daraio, Cinzia & Bonaccorsi, Andrea & Geuna, Aldo & Lepori, Benedetto & Bach, Laurent & Bogetoft, Peter & F. Cardoso, Margarida & Castro-Martinez, Elena & Crespi, Gustavo & de Lucio, Ignacio Fernandez, 2011. "The European university landscape: A micro characterization based on evidence from the Aquameth project," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 148-164, February.
    3. Preda, Vasile & Dedu, Silvia & Gheorghe, Carmen, 2015. "New classes of Lorenz curves by maximizing Tsallis entropy under mean and Gini equality and inequality constraints," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 436(C), pages 925-932.
    4. Preda, Vasile & Dedu, Silvia & Sheraz, Muhammad, 2014. "New measure selection for Hunt–Devolder semi-Markov regime switching interest rate models," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 407(C), pages 350-359.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    entropy; indicator; scientific research; comprehensive assessment.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C10 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - General
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

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