Application of artificial neural network in market segmentation: A review on recent trends

Despite the significance of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithm to market segmentation, there is a need of a comprehensive literature review and a classification system for it towards identification of future trend of market segmentation research. The present work is the first identifiable academic literature review of the application of neural network based techniques to segmentation. Our study has provided an academic database of literature between the periods of 2000-2010 and proposed a classification scheme for the articles. One thousands (1000) articles have been identified, and around 100 relevant selected articles have been subsequently reviewed and classified based on the major focus of each paper. Findings of this study indicated that the research area of ANN based applications are receiving most research attention and self organizing map based applications are second in position to be used in segmentation. The commonly used models for market segmentation are data mining, intelligent system etc. Our analysis furnishes a roadmap to guide future research and aid knowledge accretion and establishment pertaining to the application of ANN based techniques in market segmentation. Thus the present work will significantly contribute to both the industry and academic research in business and marketing as a sustainable valuable knowledge source of market segmentation with the future trend of ANN application in segmentation.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures,3 Table

Big Data and the Internet of Things

Advances in sensing and computing capabilities are making it possible to embed increasing computing power in small devices. This has enabled the sensing devices not just to passively capture data at very high resolution but also to take sophisticated actions in response. Combined with advances in communication, this is resulting in an ecosystem of highly interconnected devices referred to as the Internet of Things - IoT. In conjunction, the advances in machine learning have allowed building models on this ever increasing amounts of data. Consequently, devices all the way from heavy assets such as aircraft engines to wearables such as health monitors can all now not only generate massive amounts of data but can draw back on aggregate analytics to "improve" their performance over time. Big data analytics has been identified as a key enabler for the IoT. In this chapter, we discuss various avenues of the IoT where big data analytics either is already making a significant impact or is on the cusp of doing so. We also discuss social implications and areas of concern.Comment: 33 pages. draft of upcoming book chapter in Japkowicz and Stefanowski (eds.) Big Data Analysis: New algorithms for a new society, Springer Series on Studies in Big Data, to appea

An Overview of the Use of Neural Networks for Data Mining Tasks

In the recent years the area of data mining has experienced a considerable demand for technologies that extract knowledge from large and complex data sources. There is a substantial commercial interest as well as research investigations in the area that aim to develop new and improved approaches for extracting information, relationships, and patterns from datasets. Artificial Neural Networks (NN) are popular biologically inspired intelligent methodologies, whose classification, prediction and pattern recognition capabilities have been utilised successfully in many areas, including science, engineering, medicine, business, banking, telecommunication, and many other fields. This paper highlights from a data mining perspective the implementation of NN, using supervised and unsupervised learning, for pattern recognition, classification, prediction and cluster analysis, and focuses the discussion on their usage in bioinformatics and financial data analysis tasks

Modelling peri-perceptual brain processes in a deep learning spiking neural network architecture

Familiarity of marketing stimuli may affect consumer behaviour at a peri-perceptual processing level. The current study introduces a method for deep learning of electroencephalogram (EEG) data using a spiking neural network (SNN) approach that reveals the complexity of peri-perceptual processes of familiarity. The method is applied to data from 20 participants viewing familiar and unfamiliar logos. The results support the potential of SNN models as novel tools in the exploration of peri-perceptual mechanisms that respond differentially to familiar and unfamiliar stimuli. Specifically, the activation pattern of the time-locked response identified by the proposed SNN model at approximately 200 milliseconds post-stimulus suggests greater connectivity and more widespread dynamic spatio-temporal patterns for familiar than unfamiliar logos. The proposed SNN approach can be applied to study other peri-perceptual or perceptual brain processes in cognitive and computational neuroscience

Development of an Automated Physician Review Classification System: A hybrid Machine Learning Approach

Patients are increasingly turning to physician rating websites to help them make important healthcare decisions, such as selecting primary care doctors, specialists, and supplementary medical care providers. Previous research has identified a variety of topics and themes that emerge on these review platforms. However, there is little or no work that has been done to create an automated classifier that automatically categorizes these reviews into distinct topics after they have been explored in this context. Building such an automated classifier could assist IS developers and other stakeholders in automatically classifying patient reviews and understanding patient needs. Furthermore, using design science research we strategize how such machine learning systems can be built using design guidelines in turn having the potential to be generalized to other specific contextual problem spaces. Our work focuses on laying the foundation to design guidelines that need to be followed while building automated systems in specific contexts

What do faculties specializing in brain and neural sciences think about, and how do they approach, brain-friendly teaching-learning in Iran?

Objective: to investigate the perspectives and experiences of the faculties specializing in brain and neural sciences regarding brain-friendly teaching-learning in Iran. Methods: 17 faculties from 5 universities were selected by purposive sampling (2018). In-depth semi-structured interviews with directed content analysis were used. Results: 31 sub-subcategories, 10 subcategories, and 4 categories were formed according to the “General teaching model”. “Mentorship” was a newly added category. Conclusions: A neuro-educational approach that consider the roles of the learner’s brain uniqueness, executive function facilitation, and the valence system are important to learning. Such learning can be facilitated through cognitive load considerations, repetition, deep questioning, visualization, feedback, and reflection. The contextualized, problem-oriented, social, multi-sensory, experiential, spaced learning, and brain-friendly evaluation must be considered. Mentorship is important for coaching and emotional facilitation

Extracting temporal patterns from smart city data

Mestrado de dupla diplomação com a DULAY UNIVERSITYIn the modern world data and information become a powerful instrument of management, business, safety, medicine and others. The most fashionable sciences are the sciences which allow us to extract valuable knowledge from big volumes of information. Novel data processing techniques remains a trend for the last five years, in a way that continues to provide interesting results. This paper investigates the algorithms and approaches for processing smart city data, in particular, water consumption data for the city of Bragança, Portugal. Data from the last seven years was processed according to a rigorous methodology, that includes five stages: cleaning, preparation, exploratory analysis, identification of patterns and critical interpretation of the results. After understanding the data and choosing the best algorithms, a web-based data visualizing tools was developed, providing dashboards to geospatial data representation, useful in the decision making of municipalities.В современном мире данные и информация стали одним из самых мощных инстру- ментов в управлении, бизнесе, безопасности, медицине, науке и социальной сфере. Са- мыми модными и востребованными науками в настоящий момент являются науки, поз- воляющие извлекать полезные знания из больших объемов информации. Новые методы обработки данных остаются тенденцией последних пяти лет и продолжают генерировать интересные результаты. В данной работе исследуются алгоритмы и подходы для обработ-ки данных "умного города", в частности, данных о потреблении воды в городе Браганса, Португалия. Данные за последние семь лет обрабатывались в соответствии со строгой методологией, включающей пять этапов: очистка, подготовка, исследовательский анализ, выявление закономерностей и критическая интерпретация результатов. Цель исследова-ниия - определение шаблонов поведения в потрблении воды связанных с определенными событиями и построение модели прогнозова на основе найденных закономерностей. В результате исчерпывающего анализа с помощью множества методов было установлено отсутствие систематических зависимостей в рассматриваемом типе данных. На заключи-тельном этапе был создан инструмент визуализации данных, обеспечивающий динами-ческие панели для представления аналитических данных о распределении потребления. Разработанный инструмент управления аналитикой полезен для принятия решений му-ниципалитетом

Selection of Statistical Software for Solving Big Data Problems for Teaching

The need for analysts with expertise in big data software is becoming more apparent in 4 today’s society. Unfortunately, the demand for these analysts far exceeds the number 5 available. A potential way to combat this shortage is to identify the software sought by 6 employers and to align this with the software taught by universities. This paper will 7 examine multiple data analysis software – Excel add-ins, SPSS, SAS, Minitab, and R – and 8 it will outline the cost, training, statistical methods/tests/uses, and specific uses within 9 industry for each of these software. It will further explain implications for universities and 10 students (PDF

Consumer prices : effects of learning algorithms and pandemic-related policy measures

When it comes to product prices, two major topics have dominated the public debate in recent years: One is pricing with the help of artificial intelligence, and the other is the price level, which has risen more than usual with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher prices create a loss of consumer surplus and possibly total welfare, which is the reason this topic has become ubiquitous in political discussions. This dissertation contributes to the debate by extending the existing literature on algorithmic pricing, which is said to facilitate personalized pricing, as well as collusive behavior and to enhance the general understanding of how government measures enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to (short-time) price developments. Thereby, the first part of the thesis addresses the concern that tacit collusion might occur if firms employ learning algorithms, as several simulation studies have demonstrated that algorithms using reinforcement learning are able to coordinate their pricing behavior and, as a result, achieve a collusive outcome without having been programmed for it. We discuss several conceptual challenges as well as challenges in the real-world application of algorithms and show by or own simulations that resulting market prices strongly depend on the type of algorithm or heuristic that is used by the firms to set prices. In the subsequent part of the thesis we examine how a self-learning pricing algorithm performs when faced with inequity-averse consumers. From our simulations we can conclude that consumers sense of fairness, which have prevented firms from engaging in price discrimination in the past years, can be incorporated into firms pricing decisions with the help of learning algorithms, making differential pricing strategies more feasible. The discussion surrounding the above-average price levels in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic is extended in the third part of the thesis. We present empirical evidence for the impact of government-imposed restrictions and, as a consequence of their enforcement, reduced mobility on consumer prices during the COVID-19 pandemic. We show that the stringency of government measures had a positive and significant impact on consumer prices mainly in the food sector, which means that more stringent measures induced higher consumer prices in these categories.Beim Thema Verbraucherpreise haben in den letzten Jahren vor allem zwei große Themen die öffentliche Debatte dominiert: Zum einen die Preisgestaltung mit Hilfe künstlicher Intelligenz und zum anderen das hohe Preisniveau, welches mit dem Ausbruch der COVID-19-Pandemie stärker als üblich angestiegen ist. Höhere Preise führen zu einem Verlust an Konsumentenrente und möglicherweise auch an Gesamtwohlfahrt, weshalb dieses Thema in der politischen Diskussion allgegenwärtig wurde. Die Dissertation leistet einen Beitrag zu dieser Debatte, indem sie die vorhandene Literatur zu algorithmischer Preisbildung erweitert, von der angenommen wird, dass sie eine personalisierte Preisbildung sowie kollusives Verhalten begünstigt, und indem sie das allgemeine Verständnis dafür verbessert, wie die während der COVID-19-Pandemie durchgesetzten staatlichen Maßnahmen zur (kurzfristigen) Preisentwicklung beigetragen haben. Der erste Teil der Arbeit befasst sich mit den Befürchtungen, dass es zu stillschweigenden Absprachen kommen könnte, wenn Unternehmen lernende Algorithmen einsetzen, da mehrere Simulationsstudien gezeigt haben, dass Algorithmen, die sogenanntes Reinforcement Learning einsetzen, in der Lage sind, ihr Preisverhalten zu koordinieren und infolgedessen ein kollusives Ergebnis zu erzielen, ohne dafür programmiert worden zu sein. Wir erörtern verschiedene konzeptionelle Herausforderungen sowie Hürden bei der realen Anwendung von Algorithmen und zeigen anhand eigener Simulationen, dass die resultierenden Marktpreise stark von der Art des Algorithmus oder der Heuristik abhängen, die von den Unternehmen zur Preisbildung verwendet wird. Im anschließenden Teil der Arbeit wird untersucht, wie sich ein selbstlernender Preisalgorithmus gegenüber ungleichheitsaversen Konsumenten verhält. Aus unseren Simulationen können wir schließen, dass das Fairnessempfinden der Verbraucher, das die Unternehmen in den vergangenen Jahren von Preisdiskriminierung abgehalten hat, mit Hilfe von lernenden Algorithmen in die Preisentscheidungen der Unternehmen einfließen kann, sodass differenzierte Preisstrategien wahrscheinlicher werden. Die Diskussion über das überdurchschnittliche Preisniveau in vielen Ländern während der COVID-19-Pandemie wird im dritten Teil der Dissertation vertieft. Es wird empirisch untersucht, inwieweit die Auswirkungen staatlich verordneter Beschränkungen und - als Folge ihrer Durchsetzung die eingeschränkte Mobilität die Verbraucherpreise während der COVID-19-Pandemie beeinflusst haben. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Strenge der staatlichen Maßnahmen einen positiven und signifikanten Einfluss auf die Verbraucherpreise vor allem im Lebensmittelsektor hatten, was bedeutet, dass strengere Maßnahmen zu höheren Verbraucherpreisen in diesen Kategorien geführt haben