Identification of Intellectual Capital Performance Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Our research approach is based on the belief that intangible factors (especially intellectual capital) are involved in the processes of territorial development as well as we express our conviction on the need to improve research tools for comprehensive public policy evaluation. The popular concept of intellectual capital (IC) has recently become a common performance measure both for organizations as well as for countries and regions. The authors have used specific approach—Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate intellectual capital in the Polish and Slovak NUTS 2 regions. The analysis aims to present the efficiency of chosen components of regional intellectual capital (IC). To verify the models, data on the Polish and Slovak regions are used for a dynamic comparison of their IC performance in 2011. The efficiency scores obtained show that the regions are significantly diverse in terms of their use of intellectual capital. Even though it is important to point out that the DEA methodology used for this evaluation still needs development, it is nonetheless very promising as a tool for measuring the efficiency of regional intellectual capital. This chapter attempts to contribute to the scientific discussion on methodology development in research on regional development factors. The practical dimension of this text may be to enrich the analytical implications for the paradigm of the public policies evaluation.