Citation

Kamis-Gould E. Eval. Program Plann. 1991; 14(4): 385-390.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0149-7189(91)90022-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Frontier production analysis is an innovative, sophisticated, practical method for deriving standardized measures of program efficiency and effectiveness using a variety of typically existent variables. The data that emerge from such an analysis can be used for studies conducted in either the experimental or the pragmatic paradigm. Experimental studies use frontier analysis data as dependent variables to be predicted from various hypothesized independent determinants of program efficiency and effectiveness. Pragmatic studies use the efficiency and effectiveness data that emerge from a particular program or set of programs as indicators of the programs' performance (in conjunction with findings generalized to other environments). The findings are used by managers to make decisions concerning service contracts, funding, and quality assurance. Uses of frontier analysis in the two paradigms are illustrated by a case study in which the method was applied to an investigation of New Jersey's partial-care mental health programs.