2,785 research outputs found
Real Options using Markov Chains: an application to Production Capacity Decisions
In this work we address investment decisions using real options. A standard numerical approach for valuing real options is dynamic programming. The basic idea is to establish a discrete-valued lattice of possible future values of the underlying stochastic variable (demand in our case). For most approaches in the literature, the stochastic variable is assumed normally distributed and then approximated by a binomial distribution, resulting in a binomial lattice. In this work, we investigate the use of a sparse Markov chain to model such variable. The Markov approach is expected to perform better since it does not assume any type of distribution for the demand variation, the probability of a variation on the demand value is dependent on the current demand value and thus, no longer constant, and it generalizes the binomial lattice since the latter can be modelled as a Markov chain. We developed a stochastic dynamic programming model that has been implemented both on binomial and Markov models. A numerical example of a production capacity choice problem has been solved and the results obtained show that the investment decisions are different and, as expected the Markov chain approach leads to a better investment policy.Flexible Capacity Investments, Real Options, Markov Chains, Dynamic Programming
A decision support system for TV self-promotion scheduling
This paper describes a Decision Support System (DSS) that
aims to plan and maintain the weekly self-promotion space for
an over the air TV station. The self-promotion plan requires
the assignment of several self-promotion advertisements to a
given set of available time slots over a pre-specified planning
period. The DSS consists of a data base, a statistic module, an
optimization module, and a user interface. The input data is
provided by the TV station and by an external audiometry
company, which collects daily audience information. The
statistical module provides estimates based on the data
received from the audiometry company. The optimization
module uses a genetic algorithm that can find good solutions
quickly. The interface reports the solution and corresponding
metrics and can also be used by the decision makers to
manually change solutions and input data. Here, we report
mainly on the optimization module, which uses a genetic
algorithm (GA) to obtain solutions of good quality for
realistic sized problem instances in a reasonable amount of
time. The GA solution quality is assessed using the optimal
solutions obtained by using a branch-and-bound based
algorithm to solve instances of small size, for which
optimality gaps below 1% are obtained.This research had the support of COMPETE-FEDERPORTUGAL2020-POCI-NORTE2020-FCT funding via
grants POCI-01-0145-FEDER 031447 and 031821, NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000020, and PTDC-EEI-AUT-2933-2014|16858–TOCCATA
Two-Dimensional Scaling Limits via Marked Nonsimple Loops
We postulate the existence of a natural Poissonian marking of the double
(touching) points of SLE(6) and hence of the related continuum nonsimple loop
process that describes macroscopic cluster boundaries in 2D critical
percolation. We explain how these marked loops should yield continuum versions
of near-critical percolation, dynamical percolation, minimal spanning trees and
related plane filling curves, and invasion percolation. We show that this
yields for some of the continuum objects a conformal covariance property that
generalizes the conformal invariance of critical systems. It is an open problem
to rigorously construct the continuum objects and to prove that they are indeed
the scaling limits of the corresponding lattice objects.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figure
Optimal investment timing using Markov jump price processes
In this work, we address an investment problem where the investment can either be made immediately or postponed to a later time, in the hope that market conditions become more favourable. In our case, uncertainty is introduced through market price. When the investment is undertaken, a fixed sunk cost must be paid and a series of cash flows are to be received. Therefore, we are faced with an irreversible investment. Real options analysis provides an adequate framework for this type of problems by recognizing these two characteristics, uncertainty and irreversibility, explicitly. We describe algorithmic solutions for this type of problems by modelling market prices evolution by Markov jump processes.Irreversible investment, optimal stopping, dynamic programming, Markov jump processes
The Brownian Web: Characterization and Convergence
The Brownian Web (BW) is the random network formally consisting of the paths
of coalescing one-dimensional Brownian motions starting from every space-time
point in . We extend the earlier work of Arratia
and of T\'oth and Werner by providing characterization and convergence results
for the BW distribution, including convergence of the system of all coalescing
random walkssktop/brownian web/finale/arXiv submits/bweb.tex to the BW under
diffusive space-time scaling. We also provide characterization and convergence
results for the Double Brownian Web, which combines the BW with its dual
process of coalescing Brownian motions moving backwards in time, with forward
and backward paths ``reflecting'' off each other. For the BW, deterministic
space-time points are almost surely of ``type'' -- {\em zero} paths
into the point from the past and exactly {\em one} path out of the point to the
future; we determine the Hausdorff dimension for all types that actually occur:
dimension 2 for type , 3/2 for and , 1 for , and 0
for and .Comment: 52 pages with 4 figure
A decision support system for planning promotion time slots
We report on the development of a Decision Support System (DSS)
to plan the best assignment for the weekly promotion space of a TV
station. Each product to promote has a given target audience that is
best reached at specific time periods during the week. The DSS aims to
maximize the total viewing for each product within its target audience
while fulfilling a set of constraints defined by the user. The purpose of
this paper is to describe the development and successful implementation
of a heuristic-based scheduling software system that has been developed
for a major Portuguese TV station.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)- FCT/POCI 2010/FEDER, Projecto POCTI/MAT/61842/2004Estação de Televisão SI
Non-Equilibrium Modeling of the Fe XVII 3C/3D ratio for an Intense X-ray Free Electron Laser
We present a review of two methods used to model recent LCLS experimental
results for the 3C/3D line intensity ratio of Fe XVII (Bernitt et al. 2012),
the time-dependent collisional-radiative method and the density-matrix
approach. These are described and applied to a two-level atomic system excited
by an X-ray free electron laser. A range of pulse parameters is explored and
the effects on the predicted Fe XVII 3C and 3D line intensity ratio are
calculated. In order to investigate the behavior of the predicted line
intensity ratio, a particular pair of A-values for the 3C and 3D transitions
was chosen (2.22 10 s and 6.02 10
s for the 3C and 3D, respectively), but our conclusions are independent
of the precise values. We also reaffirm the conclusions from Oreshkina et
al.(2014, 2015): the non-linear effects in the density matrix are important and
the reduction in the Fe XVII 3C/3D line intensity ratio is sensitive to the
laser pulse parameters, namely pulse duration, pulse intensity, and laser
bandwidth. It is also shown that for both models the lowering of the 3C/3D line
intensity ratio below the expected time-independent oscillator strength ratio
has a significant contribution due to the emission from the plasma after the
laser pulse has left the plasma volume. Laser intensities above W/cm are required for a reduction in the 3C/3D line intensity
ratio below the expected time independent oscillator strength ratio
Building innovation networks: the process of partner selection by young knowledge intensive firms
This paper addresses the selection of partners in innovation networks. It builds on the existing literature to develop an integrative framework that encompasses the main factors identified as influencing selection of partners by young knowledge-intensive firms. It considers that both persistence and novelty are present in the network building process, and so integrates several explanations advanced by the literature: social capital, imprinting and inertia for tie persistence; network embeddedness and proximity for new tie selection.
Using a rare event logit model, we estimate the likelihood of selecting an innovation partner using data about the partnerships established by young Portuguese biotechnology firms, purposefully collected through questionnaire-based face-to-face interviews, complemented with documentary information. The results uncover different network building strategies in terms of partner selection to access the different types of resource needed for innovation and highlight the advantages of adopting an integrated framework.FC
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