A Data Envelopment Analysis on the Performance of Using Artificial Intelligence-Based Environmental Management Systems in the Convention and Exhibition Industry

The Convention and Exhibition Industry is a trend-setting service industry that brings positive economic benefits to host countries, in addition to promoting international exchange and cooperation. It combines a range of businesses from trade, finance, sightseeing, and tourism among others, and its development brings considerable positive economic impact. With the growing divergence of environmental management standards of various industries, corporations now face ever pressing demand to gain an edge in the competitive global marketplace through measures such as adopting the appropriate green competition strategy, obtaining necessary environmental management certification, becoming accredited by customers' green supply chain audit process. This study uses DEA to evaluate the performance of environmental management systems based on artificial intelligence (AI). The evaluation process includes the choice of the proper input and output factors for valid assessment of each DMU's systematic performance. There are three input and output variables, and 12 DMUs, selected through a rigorous process from a range of samples comprised of different convention and exhibition companies in Taiwan. The data used in this study comprised of published documents and annual reports. The research results are the following. 1) There is one DMU with an AI-based environmental management system with an efficiency rating of 1, which qualifies as a strong form efficiency. Four DMU artificial intelligence environmental management systems have efficiency ratings between 0.9 and 1, and seven such systems with a rating below 0.9. 2) Recommendations based on slack variable analysis of convention and exhibition companies with input excess or shortage consist of necessary improvements that contribute to the industry's professional image, thereby placing the industry in a position of bringing significant business opportunities to host cities.