Methodological Approach for Evaluation and Improvement of Quality Transport Service in Public Road Passenger Transport

Achieving the appropriate level of quality transport service is essential in the operations of the carriers in the public road intercity line passenger transport due to an increased competition between road carriers in the market of transport services. Effective assessment of achieved competitiveness is important for the survival and development of public road passenger carriers. The problem of research is reflected in the appropriate organization and giving importance to the criteria of quality of transport service in order to improve the methodology of its evaluation with the aim of optimizing business and competitiveness in public road intercity line passenger traffic. An efficient method for evaluating the quality of transport service would solve the problem of assessing the quality of transport service and assessing the competitiveness of bus carriers. It is proposed to develop a multi-criteria model for evaluating the quality of transport services by the method of measuring passenger satisfaction. The developed VAZP model (Multicriteria Analysis of Passenger Satisfaction) is based on multicriteria analysis AHP (Analytical Hierarchical Process) which is based on the disaggregated approach and linear programming modeling. The results of the research will be described using numerical values and will be graphically presented using descriptive statistical analysis. The ability to qualitatively represent passengerꞌs judgments and preferences makes the model a suitable tool for assessing passenger satisfaction and evaluating quality service in the transportation sector, as well as strategically positioning and gaining a competitive opportunities in the transportation services market. Using the Expert Choice software tool and sensitivity analysis it would establish differences between reached level of the quality of transport service of individual bus carriers and propose possible improvements to the business to gain a competitive advantage in the market of transportation services. Systematic optimization and quality management through continuous assessment of market competitiveness contributes to the development of the business of companies for road passenger transportation

MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MAKING MODELS: AN OVERVIEW ON ELECTRE METHODS

In portfolio analysis, there are a few models that can be used. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to make an overview on multi criteria decision making models, in particular, on ELECTRE methods. We discuss the different versions of ELECTRE, which exist and why they exist. So, when speaking about ELECTRE methods structure, we have to consider two main procedures: construction of one or several outranking relation(s) procedure, and exploitation procedure. In the exploitation procedure, recommendations are elaborated from the results obtained in the first phase. The nature of the recommendation depends on the problematic: choosing, ranking or sorting. Each method is characterized by its construction and exploitation procedure. For choice problem, we can apply ELECTRE I, ELECTRE Iv, and ELECTRE IS; for ranking problem, we can apply ELECTRE II, ELECTRE III, ELECTRE IV and ELECTRE-SS; and for sorting problem we can apply ELECTRE TRI. Finally, some failings on ELECTRE methods assumptions are discussed, for instance, rank reversals. So, when analyzing portfolio management decision problem, the literature suggests AHP method and PROMETHEE family.CAPM; decision problem; multi criteria decision making models; ELECTRE family; ELECTRE rank reversals

Supporting Decisions: Understanding natural resource management assessment techniques

Report to the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation. This document presents a review of NRM decision support techniques. It draws upon previous studies in the fields of management science, operations research, environmental economics and natural resource management. The objectives of the document are to: Explain the workings of the more significant (representative) methods of NRM decision support (including the latest developments); Discuss how these decision support methods may influence the outcome of NRM decisions; and Provide practicing NRM decision makers with guidance for choosing which methods to apply.Australia;natural resource management;assessment;decision support;

A MCDA model for olive oil supplier selection using Macbeth

This work proposes a multi-criteria decision-making approach to select suppliers in the olive oil sector. Besides several performance criteria required to the supplier, olive oil characteristics such as colour, smell, and density, as well as organoleptic tests are used. Hence, the assessment and selection of suppliers assumes a major importance and needs to be done yearly. The process of finding a set of suppliers to choose from involves two sequential stages, namely identification and elimination. The identification stage consists of finding a set of potential suppliers. Then, in the elimination stage, suppliers that are not able to meet the thresholds associated with some technical indicators are disregarded. Thus, only a small set of very promising suppliers need to be assessed. The assessment was performed by resorting to the Macbeth approach, resulting in a ranking. The results obtained were validated through sensitivity and robustness analyses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Economism and its Limits

Articl

Multi-attribute value measurement and economic paradigms in environmental decision making

Bibliography: p. 219-228.The two environmental decision-making approaches of environmental economics (EE) valuation and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) differ fundamentally in their underlying philosophies and approach; hence they are characterised as paradigms. The EE paradigm includes the idea that, if appropriate prices can be found and implemented for goods not normally traded on the market, then the market mechanism will efficiently distribute resources and decisions are therefore based on the concepts of individual willingness to pay and consumer sovereignty. That an efficient market is not necessarily equitable or sustainable has long been acknowledged, but EE adjustments are subject to theoretical and methodological problems. The MCDA paradigm is based on the idea that values and preferences should be examined and constructed through interaction between workshop participants and the analyst, given basic measurement theory axioms. Various EE and MCDA methods have been devised for measuring value in different contexts, some of which were applied, in the context of environmental (particularly water resources) management, in six action research case studies. The EE methods were contingent behaviour valuation, the contingent valuation method, conjoint analysis and the travel cost method. The MCDA method was a version of the simple multi-attribute rating technique (called SMARTx). In the SMARTx cases, applying a group-value sharing model during a series of workshops, stakeholders rated the effect of alternatives on a number of environmental, social and economic attributes directly or using value functions and gave weights to criteria. Indirect compensatory values of one criterion in terms of another were determined. In the EE cases, survey respondents were asked their travel costs, preference for multi-attribute profiles and willingness to pay for alternatives. Total and average willingness to pay for an amenity, its attributes or changes in environmental quality were determined. The practical and theoretical implications of applying the different methods were examined and compared in terms of four metacriteria: resonance with and validity within the prevailing political and decision-context, general validity and reliability, ability to include equity and sustainability criteria and practicality

Multicriteria methodologies for the appraisal of smart grid projects when flexibility competes with grid expansion

The severe consequences expected due to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events call for improving the environmental sustainability of our society. The electricity sector is pivotal in the path toward a climate-neutral society. Nowadays, the massive use of renewable energy sources requires that electricity demand follows energy production. Demand has to be flexible, as well as the renewable generation and the grid infrastructures. The power system has to assume a decentralised structure and integrate the transportation and cooling and heating sectors. All customers connected to the electrical grid have to contribute to the power system management and participate in the related markets. The power system has to become smart; all technical and market processes have to be digitalised to enable new functionalities and services. The power system transformation requires rethinking planning and operation practices to accommodate the changes and take advantage of the related opportunities. The novel features and services available in the active and flexible power system will influence the customers' daily habits; therefore, the impacts generated by planning initiatives will cross the power system borders by impacting society as a whole. Since the power system will be operated closer to its technical limits, it is crucial to enhance the management of uncertainties by the increased accuracy of load and generation forecast. This thesis addresses the ongoing power system transformation by focusing on the distribution system, which will face unprecedented changes. This thesis concerns novel approaches for appraising the project initiatives based on the use of the users' flexibility connected to the grid. Traditional appraisal tools are no longer effective; therefore, decision-makers have to be supported with tools capable of capturing the complexity of the future power system in which flexibility measures compete with grid expansion. In this thesis, an assessment framework for smart grid initiatives which combines the cost-benefit analysis and the multi-criteria analysis proposed. Based on international guidelines, this framework allows for a systematic and simultaneous assessment of tangible and the intangible impacts considering conflicting criteria. To complete the assessment framework, a novel methodology which combines Regret Theory and multi-criteria analysis is proposed. The proposed methodology represents one of the main contributions of this dissertation. It supports the decision-maker to identify the most valuable option by decomposing the complex decision-making problem of smart grid planning and rejecting personal biases by avoiding the need for defining the evaluation criteria relevance. However, the stakeholders’ perspective can be included in terms of constraints for the minimax optimisation problem. In conclusion, the contribution of the thesis is to provide decision-making support tools for strategical power system planning. The research activities described in this document have been aimed at supporting system operators and regulatory bodies by providing tools for smart grid project appraisal and improving the accuracy of power system studies considering the novel context features

What you think and what I think: Studying intersubjectivity in knowledge artifacts evaluation

Miscalibration, the failure to accurately evaluate one’s own work relative to others' evaluation, is a common concern in social systems of knowledge creation where participants act as both creators and evaluators. Theories of social norming hold that individual’s self-evaluation miscalibration diminishes over multiple iterations of creator-evaluator interactions and shared understanding emerges. This paper explores intersubjectivity and the longitudinal dynamics of miscalibration between creators' and evaluators' assessments in IT-enabled social knowledge creation and refinement systems. Using Latent Growth Modeling, we investigated dynamics of creator’s assessments of their own knowledge artifacts compared to peer evaluators' to determine whether miscalibration attenuates over multiple interactions. Contrary to theory, we found that creator’s self-assessment miscalibration does not attenuate over repeated interactions. Moreover, depending on the degree of difference, we found self-assessment miscalibration to amplify over time with knowledge artifact creators' diverging farther from their peers' collective opinion. Deeper analysis found no significant evidence of the influence of bias and controversy on miscalibration. Therefore, relying on social norming to correct miscalibration in knowledge creation environments (e.g., social media interactions) may not function as expected

Decision making study: methods and applications of evidential reasoning and judgment analysis

Decision making study has been the multi-disciplinary research involving operations researchers, management scientists, statisticians, mathematical psychologists and economists as well as others. This study aims to investigate the theory and methodology of decision making research and apply them to different contexts in real cases. The study has reviewed the literature of Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Evidential Reasoning (ER) approach, Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) movement, Social Judgment Theory (SJT), and Adaptive Toolbox (AT) program. On the basis of these literatures, two methods, Evidence-based Trade-Off (EBTO) and Judgment Analysis with Heuristic Modelling (JA-HM), have been proposed and developed to accomplish decision making problems under different conditions. In the EBTO method, we propose a novel framework to aid people s decision making under uncertainty and imprecise goal. Under the framework, the imprecise goal is objectively modelled through an analytical structure, and is independent of the task requirement; the task requirement is specified by the trade-off strategy among criteria of the analytical structure through an importance weighting process, and is subject to the requirement change of a particular decision making task; the evidence available, that could contribute to the evaluation of general performance of the decision alternatives, are formulated with belief structures which are capable of capturing various format of uncertainties that arise from the absence of data, incomplete information and subjective judgments. The EBTO method was further applied in a case study of Soldier system decision making. The application has demonstrated that EBTO, as a tool, is able to provide a holistic analysis regarding the requirements of Soldier missions, the physical conditions of Soldiers, and the capability of their equipment and weapon systems, which is critical in domain. By drawing the cross-disciplinary literature from NDM and AT, the JA-HM extended the traditional Judgment Analysis (JA) method, through a number of novel methodological procedures, to account for the unique features of decision making tasks under extreme time pressure and dynamic shifting situations. These novel methodological procedures include, the notion of decision point to deconstruct the dynamic shifting situations in a way that decision problem could be identified and formulated; the classification of routine and non-routine problems, and associated data alignment process to enable meaningful decision data analysis across different decision makers (DMs); the notion of composite cue to account for the DMs iterative process of information perception and comprehension in dynamic task environment; the application of computational models of heuristics to account for the time constraints and process dynamics of DMs decision making process; and the application of cross-validation process to enable the methodological principle of competitive testing of decision models. The JA-HM was further applied in a case study of fire emergency decision making. The application has been the first behavioural test of the validity of the computational models of heuristics, in predicting the DMs decision making during fire emergency response. It has also been the first behavioural test of the validity of the non-compensatory heuristics in predicting the DMs decisions on ranking task. The findings identified extend the literature of AT and NDM, and have implications for the fire emergency decision making

Multiple criteria decision making in application layer networks

This work is concerned with the conduct of MCDM by intelligent agents trading commodities in ALNs. These agents consider trustworthiness in their course of negotiation and select offers with respect to product price and seller reputation. --Grid Computing