Application of Multicriteria Decision-Making Methods in Railway Engineering: A Case Study of Train Control Information Systems (TCIS)

In order to improve its position in the transport market railway, as a complex system, it has to fulfill a number of objectives such as increased capacity and asset utilization, improved reliability and safety, higher customer service levels, better energy efficiency and fewer emissions, along with increased economic viability and profits. Some of these objectives call for the implementation of maximum values, while some of them require minimum values. Additionally, some can be expressed quantitatively, while some, for example, customer service, can be described qualitatively through a descriptive scale of points. The application of MCDM in railway engineering can play a significant role. Therefore, the major objective of this chapter is the review of the application of MCDM methods in railway engineering. As one of the means in achieving the objectives of railways and above all the utilization of capacity are Train Control Information Systems (TCIS). Based on that, the aim of this chapter is the evaluation of the efficiency of TCIS in the improvement of railway capacity utilization through defined technical-technological indicators. The non-radial Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model for the evaluation of TCIS efficiency in improvement of utilization of railway capacity using the selected indicators is proposed. The proposed non-radial DEA model for TCIS efficiency evaluation in using railway capacity could be applied to an overall network or for separate parts of railway lines

An Evaluation of Indicators of Railway Intelligent Transportation Systems using the Group Analytic Hierarchy Process

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have a significant and promising role in the overall improvement of transport performances. However, in the absence of a set of key performance indicators (KPI), it is very difficult to evaluate ITS and the effects of their application objectively. Therefore, the first aim of the paper is to develop an appropriate KPIs for assessment of railway ITS and the monitoring of their impacts. Based on that, a tool for the evaluation of the importance of these indicators is proposed. For that purpose a set of twenty-four indicators was grouped by topics under the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. The paper thoroughly describes their development and classification. An evaluation of indicators based on expert opinions via the Group Analytic Hierarchy Process (GAHP) method is presented. Results obtained by the GAHP method illustrate the importance or significance of indicators for railway ITS

Evaluation Framework for Key Performance Indicators of Railway ITS

The aim of this study is to develop a framework for investigating a comprehensive set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the assessment of railway Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The framework is established through four main steps: (1) development of a comprehensive set of KPIs for railway ITS; (2) validation of developed KPIs and collection of judgments from experts through a Delphi questionnaire; (3) evaluation of KPIs weights for assessing railway ITS with the Group Analytical Hierarchy Process (GAHP); and (4) presentation of a SWOT analysis for the developed KPIs by the authors. The results of the framework are presented as a set of 25 indicators for evaluation of railway ITS and their impacts. The framework could be helpful for selecting KPIs of ITS in another mode of transportation. Monitoring of the contributions of ITS towards sustainable railway can be achieved by a developed set of indicators which are classified in accordance with sustainable dimensions

RFID Application in the Supply Chain

This paper analyses the possibilities and ways of utilizingRFID as a tool for more effective supply and logistics chainmanagement. It focuses on RFID technology used within andacross logistics processes and it looks to RFID as one of thepossibilities for automating logistics processes. The benefitsand implications of RFID technology implementation in thesupply chain are illumined

Interdependence between Logistics Activities and Information Communication Technologies (ICT)

With the growing trend toward the use of intema tiona/ supplychains and e-commerce, logistics service providers for productwarehousing, transportation and delivery are placinggreater emphasis on infomwtion communication technologies(ICT) in order to remain competitive globally. In the last decades,innovative ICT have deeply affected the way business ispeJformed and the way that organizations compete. Innovationsin electronic commerce play a key role in managinginter-organizational networks of supply chain members. Theintemet represents a powerful technology for commerce andcommunication between supply chain participants as well as atechnique for the improvement of supply chain management.But there are still some barriers that prevent the use of ICT insupply chains and consequently the ability to utilize all potentialICT advantages

A new DEA model for evaluation of supply chains

Supply Chain Management (SCM) represents an example of a complex multi-stage system. The SCM involves and connects different activities, from customer’s orders to received services, all with the aim of satisfying customers. The evaluation of a particular SCM is a complex problem because of the internally linked hierarchical activities and multiple entities. In this paper, the introduction of a non-radial DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model for the evaluation of different components of SCM, primarily in terms of sustainability, is the main contribution. However, in order to confirm the novelty and benefits of this new model in the field of SCM, a literature review of past applications of DEA-based models and methods are also presented. The non-radial DEA model was applied for the selection and evaluation of the environmental efficiency of suppliers considering undesirable inputs and outputs resulting in a better ranking of suppliers. Via perturbation of the data used, behavior, as well as the benefits and weaknesses of the introduced model are presented through sensitivity analysis

Model procesa ponovne uporabe programskih komponent

Današnje zahteve tržišč programske opreme postavljajo njihove razvijalce še bolj kot kdajkoli poprej pred izjemno zahtevne naloge. Programske sisteme, v čim večji možni meri prilagojene potrebam in načinu poslovanja organizacije, je treba izdelati v čim krajšem času in za čim nižjo ceno. Sistemi morajo biti čimbolj interoperativni, prilagodljivi, nadgradljivi, odprti, njihovo vzdrževanje in spreminjanje pa preprosto in učinkovito. Zato so razvijalci prisiljeni posegati po tehnologijah in metodah razvoja, ki jim omogočajo doseganje omenjenih zahtev. Ponovna uporaba, vpeljana v razvojni proces planirano, organizirano in sistematično, to omogoča. Pri njeni vzpostavitvi se je treba lotiti vrste različnih problemov: tehničnih, tehnoloških, upravljavskih, ekonomskih, pa tudi pravnih. V dosedanjih raziskavah je bilo reševanje pravnih problemov najbolj zapostavljeno, čeprav lahko slednji zelo otežijo, zavirajo ali celo onemogočijo ponovno uporabo. Obstoječe pravne ureditve s področja varstva pravic intelektualne lastnine nezadostno ali pa sploh ne obravnavajo koncepta ponovne uporabe programskih komponent in vseh njegovih posebnosti. Ni realno pričakovati, da bi vse porajajoče se pravno obarvane probleme sploh lahko zajeli v predmetni zakonodaji oziroma bi to trajalo predolgo. Za ustrezno zaščito in upravljanje pravic intelektualne lastnine na programskih komponentah je tako potrebna sinergija med pravom in tehnologijo, kar pomeni, da je treba poskrbeti tudi za ustrezne tehnološke rešitve in mehanizme za odpravljanje ali omejevanje kršitev pravic intelektualne lastnine in drugih pravnih problemov, ki nastajajo med procesom ponovne uporabe. Mehanizmi, ki so opisani v disertaciji, predstavljajo primer omenjene sinergije. Namen pričujoče disertacije je predstaviti modele in ogrodja, na temelju katerih lahko vzpostavimo celosten proces ponovne uporabe, v katerem ima osrednjo vlogo knjižnica ponovno uporabnih komponent z vsemi storitvami, ki jih ponuja na eni strani proizvajalcem komponent, na drugi strani pa potrošnikom komponent ali ponovnim uporabnikom. Predlagani modeli in ogrodja so postavljeni po vzoru standardov, so splošni in sami po sebi ponovno uporabni. Med najpomembnejše prispevke te disertacije sodi model knjižnice ponovno uporabnih komponent. Knjižnica naj bi združevala varne, preskušene, kakovostne ponovno uporabne komponente domene, njena struktura naj bi slonela na modelih domene, podpirala naj bi sledenje uporabe komponent in izdelave različic komponent, osveževanje spremne dokumentacije, zbiranje povratnih informacij o komponentah in storitvah knjižnice, zbiranje potreb in zahtev ponovnih uporabnikov, programsko podprto sklepanje licenčnih pogodb za komponente, povezovanje v komponentna tržišča oziroma povezovanje z drugimi knjižnicami domene, varno distribucijo komponent ter vse potrebne postopke za sprejem komponent (preskušanje, ugotavljanje ponovne uporabnosti in ustreznosti, certificiranje, označevanje lastništva in pravic na komponenti idr.). Postopki in opravila so opredeljeni tako, da se je možno v čim večji meri izogniti kršitvam pravic na komponentah. Ker vse odnose med udeleženci v procesu ponovne uporabe ter opredelitev pravic na posameznih komponentah uravnavajo pogodbe, so v disertaciji podana tudi ponovno uporabna ogrodja za posamezne vrste pogodb, ki jih je mogoče standardizirati in katerih sklepanje je mogoče programsko podpreti. Rezultati disertacije prispevajo h globalnejšemu pogledu na problematiko ponovne uporabe, predstavljajo iztočnico za pravne strokovnjake pri spreminjanju obstoječih pravnih ureditev ali postavljanju nove pravne ureditve sui generis za področje informacijske tehnologije ter pravic intelektualne lastnine, hkrati pa predstavljajo dobro metodološko podlago za postavitev celostnega in učinkovitega procesa ponovne uporabe, ki ga je mogoče nadgraditi z ekspertnim sistemom, v katerega bazi znanj bo vsebovano znanje o ponovno uporabnih komponentah ter izkušnjah pri njihovi ponovni uporabi

A New DEA Model for Evaluation of Supply Chains: A Case of Selection and Evaluation of Environmental Efficiency of Suppliers

Supply Chain Management (SCM) represents an example of a complex multi-stage system. The SCM involves and connects different activities, from customer’s orders to received services, all with the aim of satisfying customers. The evaluation of a particular SCM is a complex problem because of the internally linked hierarchical activities and multiple entities. In this paper, the introduction of a non-radial DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model for the evaluation of different components of SCM, primarily in terms of sustainability, is the main contribution. However, in order to confirm the novelty and benefits of this new model in the field of SCM, a literature review of past applications of DEA-based models and methods are also presented. The non-radial DEA model was applied for the selection and evaluation of the environmental efficiency of suppliers considering undesirable inputs and outputs resulting in a better ranking of suppliers. Via perturbation of the data used, behavior, as well as the benefits and weaknesses of the introduced model are presented through sensitivity analysis