Research on the group path of improving the efficiency of China’s public sports services based on DEA and fsQCA analysis

Public sports services crucially determine the transformation of China into a robust sports country. The enhancement of public sports service efficiency fundamentally manifests its high-quality development. We utilize the data of 30 provinces in China in 2020 as the research object, and we apply data envelope analysis (DEA) to measure and evaluate the efficiency level of China's public sports services as well as Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to identify the critical influencing factors; moreover, we explore the grouping pathways that affect the efficiency improvement of public sports services. The results of the study indicate the following: (1) Although the efficiency of public sports services in China is high, regional differences are apparent. (2) GDP per capita, government support, and years of education are the key factors for efficiency improvement. (3) Population-government-led, economic-resource input, and economic-educational dual-drive are the core pathways for enhancing efficiency. Therefore, the following recommendations are made: boosting the efficiency of China's public sports services by focusing on the level of regional economic development and rationally allocating public sports resources; increasing the investment of public sports funds to enhance the quality and level of services; strengthening the government's purchasing efforts to promote the market-based operation of public sports services; and increasing the average years of education to strengthen the public's awareness and participation in sports. This study integrates Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for efficiency assessment and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) for causal analysis in public sports services, effectively addressing the limitations of single-method approaches. Thus, the scope of research is broadened, and a novel perspective is offered. DEA highlights efficiency disparities within Chinese public sports services, whereas the input-output system enhances the accuracy of evaluations. FsQCA identifies key drivers, inhibitors, and contextual combinations that assist policymakers. Overall, this study enriches theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance, facilitating high-quality development and addressing diverse sports demands.