What Affects the Efficiency of Science and Technology Output and Transformation in Universities?–Evidence From Chinese Universities

Using 57 universities directly under the Ministry of Education of China from 2009 to 2017 as the research samples, the overall efficiency, technology research efficiency, result transformation efficiency and efficiency influencing factors of the transformation of scientific research results in universities were explored using the leader-follower model in two-stage network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Tobit regression model, respectively. It is found that: firstly, the overall low efficiency of the scientific research results is primarily caused by the low efficiency of the transformation stage, which is on a downward trend and has lower average efficiency than the technology research stage. The efficiency of the technology research stage is on an upward trend, while the efficiency of the transformation stage is on a downward trend. Secondly, the number of universities reaching DEA effective in results transformation stage is more than that of technology R&D stage; Thirdly, the overall efficiency and result transformation efficiency of “985” universities are better than those of non-“985” universities, but the efficiency of technology R&D is lower than that of non-“985” universities; Fourthly, regional economic strength, government’s financial investment, the quality of patents, the number of papers, and the other eight factors all have an impact on efficiency.