488 research outputs found

    Innovation Performance Analysis of G20 Countries: A Novel Integrated LOPCOW-MAIRCA MCDM Approach Including the COVID-19 Period

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    Purpose: This study aims to examine the innovation performance of G20 countries in 2018-2022 with multi criteria decision making methods. When the 5-year performance was analyzed, it was also revealed whether the COVID-19 outbreak has an impact on the innovation performance of the countries. Methodology: An integrated LOPCOW (Logarithmic Percentage Change-driven Objective Weighting) - MAIRCA (Multi Attribute Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis) method was applied in the study. First, the indicators representing innovation performance (institutions, human capital, and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, creative outputs) was objectively weighted by the LOPCOW method. Then, the innovation performance of G20 countries was calculated with the MAIRCA method. Finally, a comparative analysis was also presented to support the findings. Findings: As a result of the innovation performance analysis using multi criteria decision making methods, human capital, and research were found to be the most important indicators, and the United States was found to be the country with the best innovation performance. In the sensitivity and comparative analysis, it was concluded that the integrated LOPCOW-MAIRCA method provides robust outputs. Originality: This study makes original contributions by analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the innovation performance of countries considering the 2018-2022 period and the integrated multi criteria decision making methods it uses that have not yet been applied in the literature

    Life settlement pricing with fuzzy parameters

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    Existing literature asserts that the growth of life settlement (LS) markets, where they exist, is hampered by limited policyholder participation and suggests that to foster this growth appropriate pricing of LS transactions is crucial. The pricing of LSs relies on quantifying two key variables: the insured's mortality multiplier and the internal rate of return (IRR). However, the available information on these parameters is often scarce and vague. To address this issue, this article proposes a novel framework that models these variables using triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). This modelling approach aligns with how mortality multiplier and IRR data are typically provided in insurance markets and has the advantage of offering a natural interpretation for practitioners. When both the mortality multiplier and the IRR are represented as TFNs, the resulting LS price becomes a FN that no longer retains the triangular shape. Therefore, the paper introduces three alternative triangular approximations to simplify computations and enhance interpretation of the price. Additionally, six criteria are proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of each approximation method. These criteria go beyond the typical approach of assessing the approximation quality to the FN itself. They also consider the usability and comprehensibility for financial analysts with no prior knowledge of FNs. In summary, the framework presented in this paper represents a significant advancement in LS pricing. By incorporating TFNs, offering several triangular approximations and proposing goodness criteria of them, it addresses the challenges posed by limited and vague data, while also considering the practical needs of industry practitioners

    A novel approach toward skin cancer classification through fused deep features and neutrosophic environment

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    Variations in the size and texture of melanoma make the classification procedure more complex in a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system. The research proposes an innovative hybrid deep learning-based layer-fusion and neutrosophic-set technique for identifying skin lesions. The off-the-shelf networks are examined to categorize eight types of skin lesions using transfer learning on International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) 2019 skin lesion datasets. The top two networks, which are GoogleNet and DarkNet, achieved an accuracy of 77.41 and 82.42%, respectively. The proposed method works in two successive stages: first, boosting the classification accuracy of the trained networks individually. A suggested feature fusion methodology is applied to enrich the extracted features’ descriptive power, which promotes the accuracy to 79.2 and 84.5%, respectively. The second stage explores how to combine these networks for further improvement. The error-correcting output codes (ECOC) paradigm is utilized for constructing a set of well-trained true and false support vector machine (SVM) classifiers via fused DarkNet and GoogleNet feature maps, respectively. The ECOC’s coding matrices are designed to train each true classifier and its opponent in a one-versus-other fashion. Consequently, contradictions between true and false classifiers in terms of their classification scores create an ambiguity zone quantified by the indeterminacy set. Recent neutrosophic techniques resolve this ambiguity to tilt the balance toward the correct skin cancer class. As a result, the classification score is increased to 85.74%, outperforming the recent proposals by an obvious step. The trained models alongside the implementation of the proposed single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) will be publicly available for aiding relevant research fields

    Multicriteria Decision Making in Sustainable Tourism and Low-Carbon Tourism Research: A Systematic Literature Review

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    Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) is increasingly being utilized as an analytical research tool for sectors that require decision-making with specific objectives and constraints, such as the tourism industry. Sustainable tourism, which examines the balance of numerous aspects, including stakeholders’ interests, is the critical feature propelling the increased usage of MCDM. This paper explores the use of Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods applied in studies of sustainable tourism and its derivative term, low-carbon tourism, using a systematic literature review (SLR) search from the Scopus database. The analysis has identified 189 relevant studies published between 1987 to April 2022. After selection, screening, and synthesizing processes, we selected 135 pertinent studies, which were analysed in general descriptive data, citation impacts, geographical categorization, categorization of the methodologies’ objectives, and possible trajectories of similar research in the future. We find that highly cited authors and articles are related to sustainable tourism indicators\u27 development and case studies. Furthermore, most relevant studies are concentrated in Asia and Europe rather than other regions. We also categorize the reviewed studies into six classifications depending on each method\u27s intended usage and further suggest four contexts for the studies’ future trajectory

    Advances and Applications of DSmT for Information Fusion. Collected Works, Volume 5

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    This fifth volume on Advances and Applications of DSmT for Information Fusion collects theoretical and applied contributions of researchers working in different fields of applications and in mathematics, and is available in open-access. The collected contributions of this volume have either been published or presented after disseminating the fourth volume in 2015 in international conferences, seminars, workshops and journals, or they are new. The contributions of each part of this volume are chronologically ordered. First Part of this book presents some theoretical advances on DSmT, dealing mainly with modified Proportional Conflict Redistribution Rules (PCR) of combination with degree of intersection, coarsening techniques, interval calculus for PCR thanks to set inversion via interval analysis (SIVIA), rough set classifiers, canonical decomposition of dichotomous belief functions, fast PCR fusion, fast inter-criteria analysis with PCR, and improved PCR5 and PCR6 rules preserving the (quasi-)neutrality of (quasi-)vacuous belief assignment in the fusion of sources of evidence with their Matlab codes. Because more applications of DSmT have emerged in the past years since the apparition of the fourth book of DSmT in 2015, the second part of this volume is about selected applications of DSmT mainly in building change detection, object recognition, quality of data association in tracking, perception in robotics, risk assessment for torrent protection and multi-criteria decision-making, multi-modal image fusion, coarsening techniques, recommender system, levee characterization and assessment, human heading perception, trust assessment, robotics, biometrics, failure detection, GPS systems, inter-criteria analysis, group decision, human activity recognition, storm prediction, data association for autonomous vehicles, identification of maritime vessels, fusion of support vector machines (SVM), Silx-Furtif RUST code library for information fusion including PCR rules, and network for ship classification. Finally, the third part presents interesting contributions related to belief functions in general published or presented along the years since 2015. These contributions are related with decision-making under uncertainty, belief approximations, probability transformations, new distances between belief functions, non-classical multi-criteria decision-making problems with belief functions, generalization of Bayes theorem, image processing, data association, entropy and cross-entropy measures, fuzzy evidence numbers, negator of belief mass, human activity recognition, information fusion for breast cancer therapy, imbalanced data classification, and hybrid techniques mixing deep learning with belief functions as well

    Proposing a Smart Performance Management System for Production Workshop Based on Virtual Organizational Deoxyribonucleic Acid Concept

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    This research aims to develop and validate a smart PMS. The PMS will create a foundation for PMSs that will be used by organizations in the digital era. A three-step methodology was used in the current research. First, the archival literature analysis was used to identify the features and elements of the robust PMSs. Second, a generic PMS was constructed based on the results of the first step. Third, the generic PMS was amended, implemented in the workshop, and validated by discussing the results with a focus group of experts. The academic and technical contribution can be seen in proposing a generic Virtual Organizational Deoxyribonucleic Acid (V-DNA) concept and smart PMS (Performance Management Dashboard (PMD) and Decision-Making Tool (DMT)) based on the features and elements of the robust PMSs. The generic V-DNA and PMS were amended and implemented in the stated workshop. Then, the validation process was done by presenting the implementation results to a focus group of academic experts and taking their feedback.  Applying the PMD and the DMT to monitor, analyze, and manage workshop performance was successful. The PMD proved a useful tool that can provide a holistic view of the workshop performance areas instead of focusing on isolated business aspects such as workshop productivity or efficiency. The decision-makers directly identified the low-performing and highly performing KPIs/processes/sub-processes and identified the root causes of low and high performance. The DMT proved a useful tool. The decision-makers could evaluate all sub-processes and rank them based on the values and weights of the decision-making criteria, highlighting the areas that need improvement. The originality and novelty of the proposed PMS and the V-DNA were proved through a systematic literature review process. The implications of the research can be seen in the possibility of testing the generic V-DNA and the PMS templates in organizations of different sizes and sectors to check their applicability. Moreover, other layers of the organizational V-DNA can be proposed. The current research assists the practitioners and managers in constructing the PMSs they need for their workshops/factories/companies

    Choice of suitable referral hospital to improve the financial result of hospital operations and quality of patient care under a Neutrosophic Environment

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    The referral cooperation hospital choice has been studied to better rationalize the allocation of healthcare assets and enhance the efficacy of resource utilization. Choosing hospitals to work within a collaborative referral arrangement is a crucial step in the patient-referral process. A referral cooperative hospital is chosen after careful consideration of these aspects to guarantee that patients will get the kind of detailed treatment that is appropriate for their condition. The concept of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is used due to various criteria. The VIKOR method is the MCDM method used in this paper to rank the referral cooperation hospitals. The VIKOR method is integrated with the single-valued neutrosophic set to overcome uncertain information. The single-valued neutrosophic VIKOR method is applied to a case study in Egypt. We achieved quality of care as the best criterion from the eleven criteria used

    Identification and classification of digital green innovation based on interaction Maclaurin symmetric mean operators by using T-spherical fuzzy information

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    The digital green concept refers to the devotion to digital technology, i.e., techniques of procedures in the area of ecological or sustainable conservation. It contains leveraging digital techniques, procedures, and new tools to evaluate environmental problems and promote sustainable development. The major influence of this article is to evaluate the selection of the best digital green technology. For this, we aim to propose the idea of Maclaurin symmetric mean (MSM) operators based on interaction operational laws for T-spherical fuzzy (TSF) information, such as TSF interaction weighted averaging (TSFIWA), generalized TSF interaction weighted averaging (GTSFIWA), TSF interaction weighted geometric averaging (TSFIWGA), TSF interaction MSM (TSFIMSM), TSF interaction Bonferroni mean (TSFIBM), and TSF interaction weighted Maclaurin symmetric mean (TSFIWMSM) operators. Some dominant and reliable properties are also invented for evaluation. Moreover, to address the best digital green innovation (DGI) among the top five DGIs, we illustrate the procedure of the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) technique under the presence of the derived operators. Finally, we demonstrate a numerical example for evaluating the comparative study between the proposed and existing or prevailing operators to enhance the worth of the derived theory

    T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy aggregation operators for multiple attribute decision-making

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    This paper aims to amalgamate the notion of a T-spherical fuzzy set (T-SFS) and a linear Diophantine fuzzy set (LDFS) to elaborate on the notion of the T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy set (T-SLDFS). The new concept is very effective and is more dominant as compared to T-SFS and LDFS. Then, we advance the basic operations of T-SLDFS and examine their properties. To effectively aggregate the T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy data, a T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy weighted averaging (T-SLDFWA) operator and a T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy weighted geometric (T-SLDFWG) operator are proposed. Then, the properties of these operators are also provided. Furthermore, the notions of the T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy-ordered weighted averaging (T-SLDFOWA) operator; T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy hybrid weighted averaging (T-SLDFHWA) operator; T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy-ordered weighted geometric (T-SLDFOWG) operator; and T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy hybrid weighted geometric (T-SLDFHWG) operator are proposed. To compare T-spherical linear Diophantine fuzzy numbers (T-SLDFNs), different types of score and accuracy functions are defined. On the basis of the T-SLDFWA and T-SLDFWG operators, a multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) method within the framework of T-SLDFNs is designed, and the ranking results are examined by different types of score functions. A numerical example is provided to depict the practicality and ascendancy of the proposed method. Finally, to demonstrate the excellence and accessibility of the proposed method, a comparison analysis with other methods is conducted

    Computation of Choquet integral for finite sets: Notes on a ChatGPT-driven experience

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    The Choquet integral, credited to Gustave Choquet in 1954, initially found its roots in decision making under uncertainty following Schmeidler's pioneering work in this field. Surprisingly, it was not until the 1990s that this integral gained recognition in the realm of multi-criteria decision aid. Nowadays, the Choquet integral boasts numerous generalizations and serves as a focal point for intensive research and development across various domains. Here we share our journey of utilizing ChatGPT as a helpful assistant to delve into the computation of the discrete Choquet integral using Mathematica. Additionally, we have demonstrated our ChatGPT experience by crafting a Beamer presentation with its assistance. The ultimate aim of this exercise is to pave the way for the application of the discrete Choquet integral in the context of N-soft sets
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