Use of the TOPSIS technique to choose the best supplier of quarry natural aggregate

Purpose. All over the world, natural substance – the most consumed after water – is the aggregate. The aim of this paper is to select the best supplier of Quarry Natural Aggregate (QNA). Methods. Selection of the best supplier of QNA is performed using the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) approach, and the method of weights based on ordinal ranking of criteria, and Lagrange multiplier. Findings. In this article, the proposed Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach helps the decision maker(s) to choose the best supplier of QNA amongst the considered and evaluated suppliers. Originality. During negotiation with suppliers, many are the decision makers which only attach an importance at two criteria (unit price and quality, or unit price and delivery time). Thereby, other criteria are not taken into account. Consequently, supplier selection would become not-efficient. The originality of this work is based on the multi-criteria approach to choose the best supplier of QNA. Practical implications. The efficient choice of the best supplier of QNA represents a practical and economical value for the enterprises of the civil engineering, public works, railway and hydraulic works.Мета. Обґрунтування та вибір оптимального постачальника кар’єрного щебню як природного заповнювача на основі використання багатокритеріального методу. Методика. Вибір найкращого постачальника кар’єрного природного заповнювача здійснювався за допомогою багатокритеріального методу аналізу варіантів за ступенем близькості до оптимального (TOPSIS) і методу вагових коефіцієнтів на основі порядкового ранжирування критеріїв та множника Лагранжа. Результати. Підхід, що описується в статті, заснований на багатокритеріальному прийнятті рішень і дозволяє обрати кращого постачальника природного заповнювача серед наявних та розглянутих на ринку компаній. В якості ілюстрації запропонована методологія застосована до чисельного прикладу. Це дозволило визначити вагу впливових на оцінку критеріїв, оцінку значень характеристик кожного розглянутого постачальника QNA, встановлення рейтингу розглянутих постачальників QNA і вибір альтернативи {a4} в якості кращого постачальника QNA. Наукова новизна. Вперше для вибору оптимального постачальника природного заповнювача крім факторів ціни і якості встановлено характер впливу на загальну оцінку також ряду інших факторів: вартість транспортування, транспортна відстань, час доставки, гарантійна політика й рівень відхилення. У даній роботі вперше пропонується багатокритеріальний підхід до вибору оптимального постачальника природного заповнювача кар’єра. Практична значимість. Ефективний вибір постачальника природного заповнювача кар’єра важливий з практичної та економічної точок зору для підприємств у галузі цивільного будівництва, громадських робіт, залізниці та гідротехнічних споруд.Цель. Обоснование и выбор оптимального поставщика карьерного щебня как природного заполнителя на основе использования многокритериального метода. Методика. Выбор лучшего поставщика карьерного природного заполнителя осуществлялся с помощью многокритериального метода анализа вариантов по степени близости к оптимальному (TOPSIS) и метода весовых коэффициентов на основе порядкового ранжирования критериев и множителя Лагранжа. Результаты. Подход, описываемый в статье, основан на многокритериальном принятии решений и позволяет выбрать лучшего поставщика природного заполнителя среди имеющихся и рассматриваемых на рынке компаний. В качестве иллюстрации предложенная методология применена к числовому примеру. Это позволило определить вес влияющих на оценку критериев, оценку значений характеристик каждого рассматриваемого поставщика QNA, установление рейтинга рассматриваемых поставщиков QNA и выбор альтернативы {a4} в качестве лучшего поставщика QNA. Научная новизна. Впервые для выбора оптимального поставщика природного заполнителя кроме факторов цены и качества установлен характер влияния на общую оценку также ряда других факторов: стоимость транспортирования, транспортное расстояние, время доставки, гарантийная политика и уровень отклонения. В данной работе впервые предлагается многокритериальный подход к выбору оптимального поставщика природного заполнителя карьера. Практическая значимость. Эффективный выбор поставщика природного заполнителя карьера важен с практической и экономической точек зрения для предприятий в области гражданского строительства, общественных работ, железной дороги и гидротехнических сооружений.The authors thank all the colleagues which have contributed to the realization of this research work

Cyclical Dynamics in Three Industries

In this paper we offer a procedure to identify the industry cycles, and apply the procedure to the industrial data of three industries, namely semiconductors, PCs and FPDs. The identified cycles enable us to conduct two comparison analyses: (1) comparing the cycles with those suggested by industry experts in the corresponding industries; (2) comparing the industry cycles across the three industries. Moreover, we examine the factors possibly contributing to the cyclical dynamics of the industries built on three lines of explanations in the literature. Our vector auto regression (VAR) models establish that the dynamics of aggregate economy and capacity are among the most significant drivers in our semiconductor industry cycle.Industry cycle, business cycle, technology cycle, business dynamics, VAR model

Analysing trade-offs and synergies between SDGs for urban development, food security and poverty alleviation in rapidly changing peri-urban areas: a tool to support inclusive urban planning

Transitional peri-urban contexts are frontiers for sustainable development where land-use change involves negotiation and contestation between diverse interest groups. Multiple, complex trade-offs between outcomes emerge which have both negative and positive impacts on progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These trade-offs are often overlooked in policy and planning processes which depend on top-down expert perspectives and rely on course grain aggregate data which does not reflect complex peri-urban dynamics or the rapid pace of change. Tools are required to address this gap, integrate data from diverse perspectives and inform more inclusive planning processes. In this paper, we draw on a reinterpretation of empirical data concerned with land-use change and multiple dimensions of food security from the city of Wuhan in China to illustrate some of the complex trade-offs between SDG goals that tend to be overlooked with current planning approaches. We then describe the development of an interactive web-based tool that implements deep learning methods for fine-grained land-use classification of high-resolution remote sensing imagery and integrates this with a flexible method for rapid trade-off analysis of land-use change scenarios. The development and potential use of the tool are illustrated using data from the Wuhan case study example. This tool has the potential to support participatory planning processes by providing a platform for multiple stakeholders to explore the implications of planning decisions and land-use policies. Used alongside other planning, engagement and ecosystem service mapping tools it can help to reveal invisible trade-offs and foreground the perspectives of diverse stakeholders. This is vital for building approaches which recognise how trade-offs between the achievement of SDGs can be influenced by development interventions

Use of Aggregate Emission Reduction Cost Functions in Designing Optimal Regional SO2 Abatement Strategies

The 1990 Canadian long-range transport of air pollutants and acid deposition report divided North America into 40 sources of emission and 15 sensitive receptor sites. For the purpose of national policy making and international negotiation, the use of these large sources and few receptors may prove adequate. Due to inadequate information regarding cost of reducing emissions from each point source, it was felt necessary to design a method to generate cost functions for emission regions. The objective of this study was to develop aggregate cost functions that relate the cost of SO2 emission reductions to the amount of reduction achieved. The cost curves generated presume the application of control technologies to achieve a mandated regional emission reduction in the year 2000. The study has also assumed that trading will take place among plants within a region. The emissions inventories (GECOT and AIRS for the USA and RDIS for Canada) were used as the major source of data for the study. Cost functions were derived for forty emission regions. The functional forms that best fits estimated costs are either quadratic, power or linear in specifications. Furthermore, the cost functions indicted substantial variation (differences in marginal costs of removal) across emission regions. Preliminary analysis using Environment Canada’s Integrated Assessment Modelling platform indicated that strategies that make use of these functions and environmental goals will cost the industry and government the minimum amount compared to those that relay on quantitative emission reductions. Considering the findings of studies that indicated exposure of several watersheds to excess depositions of SO2 compared to critical loads, policy makers should examine ways of reducing emissions beyond what is already committed for the year 2005 or 2010. Future work will investigate interregional trading, especially between the bordering states of the USA and provinces of Canada based on these cost functions.long-range transport; air pollutants; acid deposition; North America ; sources; emission; cost functions; Canada; long-range transport; air pollutants; acid deposition; sources-receptors; SO2; cost curves; control technologies; USA; Integrated Assessment Modelling

MCA4climate: A Practical Framework for Planning Pro-Development Climate Policy

MCA4climate is a major new UNEP initiative providing 1 Introduction practical assistance to governments in preparing their climate change mitigation and adaptation plans and strategies. It aims to help governments, particularly in developing countries, identify policies and measures that are low cost, environmentally effective and consistent with national development goals. It does this by providing a structured approach to assessing and prioritizing climate-policy options, while taking into consideration associated social, economic, environmental and institutional costs and benefits. In doing so, it seeks to counter the widely held perception that tackling climate change is costly, highlight the potential developmental benefits of addressing climate change and encourage action to that end

THE USE OF THE MULTI-FACTORIAL GRID IN THE SELECTION OF THE ENTRY STRATEGIES OF OMV AG IN THE ROMANIAN MARKET

The foreign market entry is a strategic choice of any company. The firms use a practical approach in order to select and utilize the most appropriate market entry strategies and modes. This paper aims at showing how the multi-factorial grid can check up ttarget-market, entry strategies and modes, multi-factorial grid, competition capability of the company, market attractiveness

The role of time-varying price elasticities in accounting for volatility changes in the crude oil market

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The Politics of Fragmentation in an Age of Scarcity: A Synthetic View and Critical Analysis of Welfare State Crisis

A general perception of crisis at the end of the postwar period of growth has spawned two types of theoretical response: while a conservative theory of overload focusses on ungovernability caused by postmaterialist value change, radical analysis points to the structural contradictions of the welfare and intervention state. This article suggests that the current crisis is characterized by postmaterialist persistence and structural contradictions under the conditions of economic constraint. It examines polarization and potential mobilization of fragmented postindustrial societies in the context of neo-conservative politics, and it suggests a regime of economic dualism and/or corporatism as the most likely outcome

Environmental problems and opportunities of the peri-urban interface and their impact upon the poor

The objective of this document is to provide an overview of the problems and opportunities of the peri-urban interface (PUI) with regard to the broad concerns of environmentalsustainability and poverty

Practices for strategic capacity management in Malaysian manufacturing firms

While the notion of manufacturing capabilities is a long-standing notion in research on operations management, its actual implementation and management has been hardly researched. Five case studies in Malaysia offered the opportunity to examine the practice of manufacturing managers with regard to strategic capability management. The data collection and analysis was structured by using the notion of Strategic Capacity Management. Whereas traditionally literature has demonstrated the beneficial impact of an appropriate manufacturing strategy on the business strategy and performance, the study highlights the difficulty of managers to set the strategy, let alone implementing it. This is partly caused by the immense pressure of customers in these dominantly Make-To-Order environments for SMEs. Current concepts for manufacturing capabilities have insufficiently accounted this phenomenon and an outline of a research agenda is presented