Modelling Effectiveness-Equity Trade-Offs in Public Service Delivery Systems

Distributional equity is a particularly salient objective in public sector decision making, in general, and decision making concerning the delivery of public services such as education, libraries, sanitation, and public safety, in particular. In this paper two related bicriteria mathematical program...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Management science 1991-04, Vol.37 (4), p.467-482
Main Author: Mandell, Marvin B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Equity
Exact sciences and technology
Gini coefficient
Gini index
Government services
Libraries
Lorenz curve
Management science
mathematical programming: applications
Modeling
Modelling
Operational research and scientific management
Operational research. Management science
policy analysis: methodology
Public libraries
Public sector
Public services
Service quality assurance
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Distributional equity is a particularly salient objective in public sector decision making, in general, and decision making concerning the delivery of public services such as education, libraries, sanitation, and public safety, in particular. In this paper two related bicriteria mathematical programming models are developed for identifying the trade-offs between overall output (effectiveness) and equity that result from alternative allocations of service resources among different service delivery sites (branches). The models developed here incorporate equity in a more satisfactory manner than have previous efforts. An illustrative application of the models to the allocation of new books among the branches of a public library system is presented.
ISSN:0025-1909
1526-5501
DOI:10.1287/mnsc.37.4.467