A Hybrid Tool for Visual Pollution Assessment in Urban Environments

With increasing focus on more nuanced aspects of quality of life, the phenomenon of urban visual pollution has been progressively gaining attention from researchers and policy makers, especially in the developed world. However, the subjectivity and complexity of assessing visual pollution in urban settings remain a challenge, especially given the lack of robust and reliable methods for quantification of visual pollution. This paper presents a novel systematic approach for the development of a robust Visual Pollution Assessment (VPA) tool. A key feature of our methodology is explicit and systematic incorporation of expert and public opinion for listing and ranking Visual Pollution Objects (VPOs). Moreover, our methodology deploys established empirical complex decision-making techniques to address the challenge of subjectivity in weighting the impact of individual VPOs. The resultant VPA tool uses close-ended options to capture the presence and characteristics of various VPOs on a given node. Based on these inputs, it calculates a point based visual pollution scorecard for the observation point. The performance of the VPA tool has been extensively tested and verified at various locations in Pakistan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such tool, both in terms of quantitative robustness and broad coverage of VPOs. Our VPA tool will help regulators in assessing and charting visual pollution in a consistent and objective manner. It will also help policy makers by providing an empirical basis for gathering evidence; hence facilitating evidence-based and evidence-driven policy strategies, which are likely to have significant impact, especially in the developing countries

Analysis of clusterization and networking processes in developing intermodal transportation

By analysing the processes of clusterization and networking, attention is drawn to the necessity of integration of railway transport into the intermodal or multimodal transport chain. One of the most widespread methods of combined transport is interoperability of railway and road transport. The objective is to create an uninterrupted transport chain in combining several modes of transport. The aim of this is to save energy resources, to form an effective, competitive, attractive to the client and safe and environmentally friendly transport system (Vasiliauskas, 2004). Under the modern conditions of globalization and integration into the European Union, the processes of networking are becoming increasingly more important, as perspective processes and the ones meeting the modern trends of development in various areas. In the context of intensive changes in the life of the society and business development processes, networking processes inevitably make influence on intermodal transportation. Therefore, the processes of clusterization, networking and integration have a significant impact on international economic area, including the development of a single social, scientific and technological advance, information and transport system

How to invest in belgian shares by MULTIMOORA optimization

Different multiple objectives expressed in different units make optimization difficult. Therefore, the internal mechanical solution of a Ratio System, producing dimensionless numbers, is preferred to weights, which are most of the time used to compare the different units. In addition, the ratio system creates the opportunity to use a second approach: a non-subjective Reference Point Theory. Therefore, the Reference Point Theory uses the ratios found in the ratio system as co-ordinates for the alternative solutions, which are then compared to a Maximal Objective Reference Point. The two approaches form a control on each other. This overall theory is called MOORA (Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis). The results are still more convincing if a Full Multiplicative Form is added, three methods assembled under the name of MULTIMOORA. At that moment, the control by three different approaches forms a guaranty for a solution being as non-subjective as possible. As to calculate the sum of three obtained ranks is not allowed, a theory of Ordinal Dominance is developed in order to remain in the ordinal sphere. MULTIMOORA is used to decide upon an investment in Belgian shares on basis of a ranking in the BEL20 Index

A method of determining risk zones of investment in real estate

In the real estate sector, especially in construction or purchasing of commercial buildings, adequate evaluation of market development and property management is of paramount importance. In this paper, application of mathematical modelling to evaluating the efficiency and risk of investment projects is discussed. Most of the microeconomic models are discrete, implying that the initial data and the results obtained are discrete values. In the suggested model, the most likely variability intervals of the parameters are taken as the basis of modelling. The models suggested in the present paper deal with local investment problems, which should be promptly solved in the presence of a great number of alternative investment possibilities. The modelling is aimed at determining zones related to the quality of decisions in the area of investment. The principles of mathematical modelling and determination of various financial risk zones are described. An example of determination of risk zones of investments in Vilnius are presented