Configuration Analysis of Resource Allocation Efficiency Based on <scp>DEA</scp> and <scp>fsQCA</scp> : Evidence From China's Defense Science and Technology

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the resource allocation efficiency of national defense enterprises and identifies key factors for improvement. An improved two‐stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was used to assess the efficiency of 58 listed national defense enterprises from 2014 to 2020, while fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed to explore the pathways that enhance efficiency. The findings reveal that resource allocation efficiency in the R&amp;D stage is low, with technological R&amp;D being crucial for improving overall efficiency, whereas industrialization efficiency often constrains it. Both overall and industrialization efficiencies followed a pattern of initial growth followed by decline. Key determinants of efficiency include economic development, infrastructure, industrial policy, and enterprise structure. The combination of DEA and fsQCA provides a comprehensive framework for understanding efficiency levels and the complex pathways that drive them.