Integrating experts’ weights generated dynamically into the consensus reaching process and its applications in managing non-cooperative behaviors

This work was supported in part by the NSF of China under grants 71171160 and 71571124, in part by the SSEM Key Research Center at Sichuan Province under grant xq15b01, in part by the FEDER funds under grant TIN2013-40658-P, and in part by Andalusian Excellence Project under grant TIC-5991.The consensus reaching process (CRP) is a dynamic and iterative process for improving the consensus level among experts in group decision making. A large number of non-cooperative behaviors exist in the CRP. For example, some experts will express their opinions dishonestly or refuse to change their opinions to further their own interests. In this study, we propose a novel consensus framework for managing non-cooperative behaviors. In the proposed framework, a self-management mechanism to generate experts' weights dynamically is presented and then integrated into the CRP. This self-management mechanism is based on multi-attribute mutual evaluation matrices (MMEMs). During the CRP, the experts can provide and update their MMEMs regarding the experts' performances (e.g., professional skill, cooperation, and fairness), and the experts' weights are dynamically derived from the MMEMs. Detailed simulation experiments and comparison analysis are presented to justify the validity of the proposed consensus framework in managing the non-cooperative behaviors.National Natural Science Foundation of China 71171160 71571124SSEM Key Research Center at Sichuan Province xq15b01European Union (EU) TIN2013-40658-PAndalusian Excellence Project TIC-599

A self-management mechanism for non-cooperative behaviors in large-scale group consensus reaching processes

In large-scale group decision making (GDM), non-cooperative behavior in the consensus reaching process (CRP) is not unusual. For example, some individuals might form a small alliance with the aim to refuse attempts to modify their preferences or even to move them against consensus to foster the alliance’s own interests. In this paper, we propose a novel framework based on a self-management mechanism for non-cooperative behaviors in large-scale consensus reaching processes (LCRPs). In the proposed consensus reaching framework, experts are classified into different subgroups using a clustering method, and experts provide their evaluation information, i.e., the multi-criteria mutual evaluation matrices (MCMEMs), regarding the subgroups based on subgroups’ performance (e.g., professional skills, cooperation, and fairness). The subgroups’ weights are dynamically generated from the MCMEMs, which are in turn employed to update the individual experts’ weights. This self-management mechanism in the LCRP allows penalizing the weights of the experts with non-cooperative behaviors. Detailed simulation experiments and comparison analysis are presented to verify the validity of the proposed framework for managing non-cooperative behaviors in the LCRP

Sistema multiagente para modelar procesos de consenso en toma de decisión en grupo a gran escala usando técnicas de soft computing

[ES]La presente Tesis se centra en el campo de los Procesos de Alcance de Consenso en Toma de Decisión en Grupo. En la literatura se han propuesto diversos modelos y enfoques para dar soporte a dichos procesos en problemas de toma de decisión en grupo reales, los cuales normalmente se han centrado en pequeños grupos de expertos. Sin embargo, dichos modelos presentan algunas dificultades:::;. y limitaciones para la gestión de grandes grupos. Dado que los problemas de toma de decisión en grupo a gran escala, en los que participa un elevado número de expertos, están cobrando una relevancia cada vez mayor en múltiples entornos tecnológicos, en esta investigación se propone un Sistema Multiagente basado en técnicas de soft computing, capaz de dar soporte en procesos de negociación semisupervisados, para alcanzar el consenso en problemas reales en los que participa un elevado número de expertos.[EN]This thesis focuses on the field of Consensus Reaching Processes within Group Decision Making. Several models and approaches have been proposed in the literature to support such processes in reallife group decision making problems, which have normally focused on small groups of experts. However, such models present some difficulties and limitations for the management of large groups. Due to the fact that large-scale group decision making problems, in which a large number of experts participate, are attaining an increasing relevance in multiple technological environments, this research proposes a multiagent system based on soft computing techniques, capable of giving support to semi-supervised negotiation processes in order to reach consensus in real-life problems in which a large number of experts take partoTesis Univ. Jaén. Departamento de Informática, leída el 25 de febrero de 201

Latvian consumers' attitude towards genetically modified organisms

Elektroniskā versija nesatur pielikumusIneses Aleksejevas promocijas darba „Latvijas patērētāju attieksme pret ģenētiski modificētiem organismiem” mērķis ir izvērtēt Latvijas patērētāju attieksmi pret ģenētiski modificēto organismu (ĢMO) izmantošanu pārtikā un citās tautsaimniecības nozarēs, identificēt galvenos Latvijas patērētāju attieksmi pret ĢMO veidojošos faktorus un sniegt priekšlikumus par piemērotāko mārketinga komunikācijas veidu ar patērētājiem par ĢMO jomas jautājumiem. Promocijas darbā tika veikta analīze arī par citu valstu patērētāju attieksmi pret ĢMO, par to, kā veidojas šī attieksme un kādi faktori to ietekmē, veikta salīdzinošā analīze par Latvijas un citu pasaules valstu patērētāju attieksmi pret ĢMO, izvērtētas ĢMO attīstības perspektīvas, kā arī iespējamie ĢMO izmantošanas ieguvumi un iespējamie riski, Promocijas darba pirmajā nodaļā autore pievērsusies padziļinātai ĢMO attīstības perspektīvu analīzei, izpētījusi ĢMO attīstības vēsturi un izmantošanu pārtikā, dzīvnieku barībā, lauksaimniecībā un citās tautsaimniecības nozarēs, izvērtējusi ĢMO iespējamos riskus un ieguvumus cilvēku un dzīvnieku veselībai un videi, sniegusi analīzi par sociālekonomiskajiem riskiem un ieguvumiem, kā arī analizējusi ĢMO apriti regulējošos ES un Latvijas normatīvos aktus. Otrajā nodaļā autore analizējusi patērētāju attieksmi un tās vērtēšanas modeļus, sīkāk pētījusi patērētāju attieksmi pret ĢMO izmantošanu pārtikā, dzīvnieku barībā un citās tautsaimniecības nozarēs, identificējusi galvenos faktorus, kas ietekmē šo attieksmi, kā arī analizējusi mārketinga komunikāciju lomu patērētāju attieksmes pret ĢMO veidošanā. Trešajā nodaļā autore devusi ES ekspertu un Latvijas patērētāju attieksmes pret ĢMO aptaujas empīrisko rezultātu analīzi, izstrādājusi patērētāju attieksmes pret ĢMO modeli un priekšlikumus informācijas komunikācijai šajā jautājumā. Promocijas darba saturs izklāstīts uz 200 lapaspusēm, ilustrēts ar 25 attēliem un 29 tabulām. Literatūras sarakstā iekļauts 358 literatūras avots. Darbam pievienoti 7 pielikumi. Atslēgvārdi: ģenētiski modificēts organisms, ieguvumi, patērētāju attieksme, patērētāju attieksmi ietekmējošie faktori, mārketinga komunikācijas, riski. Goal of Inese Aleksejeva’s doctoral thesis „Latvian consumers’ attitude towards use of genetically modified organisms” is to assess Latvian consumers’ attitude towards use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and other industries, to identify main factors influencing Latvian consumers’ attitude towards GMO and to provide the proposals for the most appropriate form of marketing communication with consumers on GMO issues. In the frame of the thesis an analysis of consumers’ attitude towards GMO in other countries was made and an assessment of the formation of the consumers’ opinion and of the factors influencing it was provided; a comparative analysis of attitude towards GMO between Latvian and other countries’ consumers was carried out; perspevtives of GMO development were assessed and the potential benefits and risks that may result from the use of GMO were evaluated. In the first chapter of the thesis the author analyzed GMO development perspectives, studied the history and use of GMO in food, feed, agriculture and other industries, assessed the possible risks and benefits of GMO to human and animal health, and the environment, provided an analysis of the socio-economic risks and benefits as well as performed an analysis of the EU and Latvian normative acts in the field of GMO. In the second chapter the author focused on the theory of consumers’ attitude and analyzed most popular consumers’ attitude assessment models; evaluated in-depth consumers’ attitude towards use of GMO in food, feed and other industries, identified the key factors affecting consumers’attitude as well as analyzed the role of marketing communications in shaping of consumers’ attitude towards GMO. In the third chapter the author analyzed the empirical results of the surveys carried out among the EU experts and Latvian consumers in terms of attitude towards use of GMO as well as developed consumers’ attitude towards GMO model and provided the proposals for information communication with consumers on GMO issues. The dissertation contains 200 pages, illustrated with 25 images and 29 tables. The bibliography includes 358 literary sources, 7 appendices added. Keywords: benefits, consumers’ attitude, consumers influencing factors, genetically modified organism, marketing communications, risks.