Abstract: DEA efficiency evaluation to complex production systems is an important tool to help to improve the operational efficiency.The parallel system is a typical complex system.The existing researches have proposed several efficiency evaluating models.However, the existing researches have not considered the frontier production ability of parallel systems.Then, this paper analyzes the frontier production ability, develop s a multiplier model and an envelopment model for efficiency evaluation to parallel systems, and approves the relationship of our models and previous studies.Relative to the traditional CCR model, our models have higher discriminability, and can find out the potential for system improvement more greatly.Finally, a real world application about agriculture evaluation demonstrates the proposed models and approves related conclusions.

Key words: data envelopment analysis(DEA), parallel structure, efficiency evaluation, frontier production ability