In the determination of the most efficient decision making unit in data envelopment analysis

• Our model uses an objective that is more allied to finding the most efficient decision making unit.
• Our model chooses the decision making unit that achieves the highest possible efficiency ratio.
• Our model is more accurate in finding the most efficient DMU than two recently proposed models.

In recent years, several mixed integer linear programming (MILP) models have been proposed for determining the most efficient decision making unit (DMU) in data envelopment analysis. However, most of these models do not determine the most efficient DMU directly; instead, they make use of other less related objectives. This paper introduces a new MILP model that has an objective similar to that of the super-efficiency model. Unlike previous models, the new model’s objective is to directly discover the most efficient DMU. Similar to the super-efficiency model, the aim is to choose the most efficient DMU. However, unlike the super-efficiency model, which requires the solution of a linear programming problem for each DMU, the new model requires that only a single MILP problem be solved. Consequently, additional terms in the objective function and more constraints can be easily added to the new model. For example, decision makers can more easily incorporate a secondary objective such as adherence to a publicly stated preference or add assurance region constraints when determining the most efficient DMU. Furthermore, the proposed model is more accurate than two recently proposed models, as shown in two computational examples.