A dynamic multi-stage network data envelopment analysis approach for evaluating performance of wheat farms

Purpose Because of the importance of the wheat industry in the economy, a real-featured performance measurement approach is essential for the wheat production process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model that is fully compatible with the wheat production process so that managers and farmers can use it to evaluate the efficiency of wheat farms for strategic decisions. Design/methodology/approach A dynamic multi-stage network DEA model is developed to evaluate the efficiency of wheat production farms in short-term (two-year) and long-term (eight-year) periods. Findings The results of this study show that because of the lack of long-term planning and excessive reliance on rain, most of the investigated regions have no stability in efficiency, and the efficiency of the regions changes in a zigzag manner over time. Among studied regions, only the Hashtrood region has high and stable efficiency, and other regions can follow the example of this region's cultivation method. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first one that uses the dynamic multi-stage network DEA considering every other year cultivation method and direct–indirect inputs in the agricultural section.