Experts’ consensus to identify elements of career management competencies in Work-Based Learning (WBL) program using Fuzzy Delphi Analysis

This study aimed to obtain experts‘ opinion and consensus on the elements of career management competencies that can be developed through the Work-Based Learning (WBL) program in polytechnic

New conditions for testing necessarily/possibly efficiency of non-degenerate basic solutions based on the tolerance approach

In this paper, a specific type of multiobjective linear programming problem with interval objective func- tion coefficients is studied. Usually, in such problems, it is not possible to obtain an optimal solution which optimizes simultaneously all objective functions in the interval multiobjective linear programming (IMOLP) problem, requiring the selection of a compromise solution. In conventional multiobjective pro- gramming problems these compromise solutions are called efficient solutions. However, the efficiency cannot be defined in a unique way in IMOLP problems. Necessary efficiency and possible efficiency have been considered as two natural extensions of efficiency to IMOLP problems. In this case, necessarily ef- ficient solutions may not exist and the set of possibly efficient solutions usually has an infinite number of elements. Furthermore, it has been concluded that the problem of checking necessary efficiency is co- NP-complete even for the case of only one objective function. In this paper, we explore new conditions for testing necessarily/possibly efficiency of basic non-degenerate solutions in IMOLP problems. We show properties of the necessarily efficient solutions in connection with possibly and necessarily optimal solu- tions to the related single objective problems. Moreover, we utilize the tolerance approach and sensitivity analysis for testing the necessary efficiency. Finally, based on the new conditions, a procedure to obtain some necessarily efficient and strictly possibly efficient solutions to multiobjective problems with interval objective functions is suggested.This research was partly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project ECO2017-88883-R ) and by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) under project grant UID/Multi/00308/2019 . This work has been also partly sup- ported by the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía (PAI group SEJ-532 ). Carla Oliveira Henriques also acknowledges the training received from the University of Malaga PhD Programme in Economy and Business [Programa de Doctorado en Economía y Empresa de la Universidad de Malaga]. José Rui Figueira acknowledges the support from the FCT grant SFRH/BSAB/139892/2018 under POCH Program and to the DOME (Discrete Optimization Methods for Energy management) FCT Re- search Project (Ref: PTDC/CCI-COM/31198/2017)

Observation of temporary accommodation for construction workers according to the code of practice for temporary construction site workers amenities and accommodation (ms2593:2015) in Johor, Malaysia

The Malaysian government is currently improving the quality of workers temporary accommodation by introducing MS2593:2015 (Code of Practice for Temporary Site Workers Amenities and Accommodation) in 2015. It is in line with the initiative in the Construction Industry Transformation Programme (2016-2020) to increase the quality and well-being of construction workers in Malaysia. Thus, to gauge the current practice of temporary accommodation on complying with the particular guideline, this paper has put forth the observation of such accommodation towards elements in Section 3 within MS2593:2015. A total of seventeen (17) temporary accommodation provided by Grade 6 and Grade 7 contractors in Johor were selected and assessed. The results disclosed that most of the temporary accommodation was not complying with the guideline, where only thirteen (13) out of fifty-eight (58) elements have recorded full compliance (100%), and the lowest compliance percentage (5.9%) are discovered in the Section 3.12 (Signage). In a nutshell, given the significant gap of compliance between current practices of temporary accommodation and MS2593:2015, a holistic initiative need to be in place for the guideline to be worthwhile

Operation and planning of distribution networks with integration of renewable distributed generators considering uncertainties: a review

YesDistributed generators (DGs) are a reliable solution to supply economic and reliable electricity to customers. It is the last stage in delivery of electric power which can be defined as an electric power source connected directly to the distribution network or on the customer site. It is necessary to allocate DGs optimally (size, placement and the type) to obtain commercial, technical, environmental and regulatory advantages of power systems. In this context, a comprehensive literature review of uncertainty modeling methods used for modeling uncertain parameters related to renewable DGs as well as methodologies used for the planning and operation of DGs integration into distribution network.This work was supported in part by the SITARA project funded by the British Council and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK and in part by the University of Bradford, UK under the CCIP grant 66052/000000

The financial crisis impact on the composition of an optimal portfolio in the stock market: study applied to portuguese index PSI 20

In order to maximize their utility function, investors select some assets over others, choosing the portfolio that will allow them to maximize their wealth. Each asset is chosen considering the relationship between the risk of that particular investment (usually measured by variance) - and the profitability it can offer, as well as the risk between this and other assets (measured by covariance). The purpose of this study consisted of constructing the minimum variance portfolio, using data from the PSI-20 (2008-2016) representative asset quotation, where investors are risk reluctant and wish to minimize risk while maintaining the same level of profitability, or on the other hand, maintaining the same level of risk but maximizing expected profit. In order to do this, a comparison of the optimal portfolio in 2004-2017 was carried out, compared to the minimum variance portfolio after the financial crisis (2008-2016). The method used to estimate each asset’s expected profitability that makes up the PSI-20 consists of extracting the obtained historical quotations. The optimal portfolio composition, in the period after the financial crisis, shows that the energy sector has an optimal portfolio weight reduction of 39.15%, that the big distribution sector (23.85%) was introduced into the portfolio and by last, the industrial sector stands its ground in the composition of the optimal portfolio.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Financial Crisis Impact on the Composition of an Optimal Portfolio in the Stock Market - Study Applied to Portuguese Index PSI 20

In order to maximize their utility function, investors select some assets over others, choosing the portfolio that will allow them to maximize their wealth. Each asset is chosen considering the relationship between the risk of that particular investment (usually measured by variance) - and the profitability it can offer, as well as the risk between this and other assets (measured by covariance). The purpose of this study consisted of constructing the minimum variance portfolio, using data from the PSI-20 (2008-2016) representative asset quotation, where investors are risk reluctant and wish to minimize risk while maintaining the same level of profitability, or on the other hand, maintaining the same level of risk but maximizing expected profit. In order to do this, a comparison of the optimal portfolio in 2004-2017 was carried out, compared to the minimum variance portfolio after the financial crisis (2008-2016). The method used to estimate each asset’s expected profitability that makes up the PSI-20 consists of extracting the obtained historical quotations. The optimal portfolio composition, in the period after the financial crisis, shows that the energy sector has an optimal portfolio weight reduction of 39.15%, that the big distribution sector (23.85%) was introduced into the portfolio and by last, the industrial sector stands its ground in the composition of the optimal portfolio.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Robust Solutions to Uncertain Multiobjective Programs

Decision making in the presence of uncertainty and multiple conflicting objec-tives is a real-life issue, especially in the fields of engineering, public policy making, business management, and many others. The conflicting goals may originate from the variety of ways to assess a system’s performance such as cost, safety, and affordability, while uncertainty may result from inaccurate or unknown data, limited knowledge, or future changes in the environment. To address optimization problems that incor-porate these two aspects, we focus on the integration of robust and multiobjective optimization. Although the uncertainty may present itself in many different ways due to a diversity of sources, we address the situation of objective-wise uncertainty only in the coefficients of the objective functions, which is drawn from a finite set of scenarios. Among the numerous concepts of robust solutions that have been proposed and de-veloped, we concentrate on a strict concept referred to as highly robust efficiency in which a feasible solution is highly robust efficient provided that it is efficient with respect to every realization of the uncertain data. The main focus of our study is uncertain multiobjective linear programs (UMOLPs), however, nonlinear problems are discussed as well. In the course of our study, we develop properties of the highly robust efficient set, provide its characterization using the cone of improving directions associated with the UMOLP, derive several bound sets on the highly robust efficient set, and present a robust counterpart for a class of UMOLPs. As various results rely on the polar and strict polar of the cone of improving directions, as well as the acuteness of this cone, we derive properties and closed-form representations of the (strict) polar and also propose methods to verify the property of acuteness. Moreover, we undertake the computation of highly robust efficient solutions. We provide methods for checking whether or not the highly robust efficient set is empty, computing highly robust efficient points, and determining whether a given solution of interest is highly robust efficient. An application in the area of bank management is included

Implementing interval programming techniques to the optimal design of socioeconomic policies

l Capítulo I proporciona una descripción de los principales conceptos teóricos y los supuestos subyacentes relacionados con el enfoque metodológico que se utilizará para obtener soluciones robustas para los modelos descritos más adelante en el Capítulo II. También se ofrece una revisión actualizada de las metodologías intervalares que se encuentran en la literatura científica, lo que pone de manifiesto los principales desafíos que deben enfrentarse en el cálculo y la clasificación de soluciones posiblemente eficientes en términos de robustez. Finalmente, también se sugiere un nuevo procedimiento para obtener algunas soluciones necesariamente eficientes y estrictamente posiblemente eficientes para problemas multiobjetivos con funciones objetivo intervalares. El Capítulo II propone dos modelos de programación intervalar multiobjetivo basados en los resultados de estimaciones econométricas, donde se consideran aspectos diferentes (y conflictivos) de la satisfacción con la vida de los trabajadores. También se sugiere un enfoque novedoso que utiliza problemas de escalarización que se basan en métodos de punto de referencia, para calcular las soluciones posiblemente eficientes para estos modelos. El primer modelo utiliza datos obtenidos para España y tiene como objetivo explorar los niveles de compensación entre tres características relacionadas con el trabajo que se dice que son valoradas por los trabajadores: ganancias, seguridad laboral y tiempos de trabajo. El segundo modelo utiliza datos de 34 países para analizar cómo los trabajadores (hombres y mujeres) concilian la satisfacción con la educación, el trabajo actual, la vida familiar y la vida social. En la parte final de esta tesis, se discuten los principales resultados obtenidos, se extraen algunas conclusiones y se indican potenciales futuras vías de ampliación de esta línea de investigación

A multiobjective interval programming model to explore the trade-offs among different aspects of job satisfaction under different scenarios

The need for greater concern about job quality/satisfaction seems clear, due to its potential link with workers' productivity, to the extent it affects employees' quitting behaviour, absenteeism, turnover, and firms' productivity. In order to guide managers and policy makers when making decisions related to future hiring of human resources, a multiobjective interval programming model, based on the results of an econometric estimation, is suggested where different (and conflicting) aspects of job satisfaction are considered. The modelling framework thus obtained allows assessing the trade-offs among the different aspects of job satisfaction under different scenarios herein given within interval ranges. Data obtained from Spain are used to carry out the model's instantiation. Possibly efficient solutions are then generated with the help of scalarizing problems relying on reference point-based methods. The solution approach herein proposed allows computing with a lower computational effort the closest “possibly” efficient so- lutions attainable regarding their corresponding interval ideal solutions. Overall, the results obtained highlight the trade-off between earnings and quality of life, particularly under a pessimistic scenario, with the maximization of earnings leading to the lowest value of the working times. Conversely, the lowest value obtainable for earnings is reached with the consideration of both scenarios when the maximization of the satisfaction of the quality of life seekers is attained. Finally, the trade-off between less prone to risk workers and quality of life seekers is also revealed, with the lowest job security levels found in the solution that maximizes working times.This research was partly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project ECO2017-88883-R) and by the Fundação para a Ciência e aTecnologia (FCT) under project grant UID/ MULTI/00308/2013. This work has been also partly supported by the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía (PAI group SEJ-532). Carla Oliveira Henriques also acknowledges the training received from the University of Malaga PhD Programme in Economy and Business [Programa de Doctorado en Economía y Empresa de la Universidad de Malaga]

Expansion planning of power distribution systems considering reliability : a comprehensive review

One of the big concerns when planning the expansion of power distribution systems (PDS) is reliability. This is defined as the ability to continuously meet the load demand of consumers in terms of quantity and quality. In a scenario in which consumers increasingly demand high supply quality, including few interruptions and continuity, it becomes essential to consider reliability indices in models used to plan PDS. The inclusion of reliability in optimization models is a challenge, given the need to estimate failure rates for the network and devices. Such failure rates depend on the specific characteristics of a feeder. In this context, this paper discusses the main reliability indices, followed by a comprehensive survey of the methods and models used to solve the optimal expansion planning of PDS considering reliability criteria. Emphasis is also placed on comparing the main features and contributions of each article, aiming to provide a handy resource for researchers. The comparison includes the decision variables and reliability indices considered in each reviewed article, which can be used as a guide to applying the most suitable method according to the requisites of the system. In addition, each paper is classified according to the optimization method, objective type (single or multiobjective), and the number of stages. Finally, we discuss future research trends concerning the inclusion of reliability in PDS expansion planning