Showing papers in "Infor in 2000"

Web-Hipre: Global Decision Support By Value Tree And AHP Analysis

Abstract: Web-HIPRE is a Java applet for multiple criteria decision analysis. Being located on the WWW, it can be accessed from everywhere in the world. This has opened up a completely new era and dimension in decision support. Web-HIPRE provides a common platform for individual and group decision making. The models can be processed at the same or at different times and the results can be easily shared and combined. There is a possibility to define links to other WWW addresses. These links can refer to any other kind of information such as graphics, sound or video describing the criteria or alternatives. This can improve the quality of decision support dramatically. The most common weighting methods including AHP, SMART, SWING, SMARTER and value functions are supported. Web-HIPRE is located on http://www.hipre.hut.fi/

Extension Of The Rough Set Approach To Multicriteria Decision Support

Abstract: The original version of the rough sets theory has proved to be particularly useful in the analysis of multiattribute classification problems under inconsistency following from information granulation, i.e. objects having the same description but belonging to different classes. It fails, however, when attributes with preference-ordered domains (criteria) have to be taken into account. In order to deal with problems of multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), such as sorting, choice or ranking, the authors have extended the original rough sets theory in a number of directions. The main extension is the substitution of the indiscernibility relation by a dominance relation which permits approximation of ordered decision classes in multicriteria sorting. Second extension was necessary to approximate preference relations in multicriteria choice and ranking problems; it requires substitution of the data table by a pairwise comparison table, where each row corresponds to a pair of actions described by bina...

Rough Sets And Decision Analysis

Abstract: Rough set theory is a new mathematical approach to vagueness and uncertainty. The theory has found many real life applications world wide. It is also considered as a very well suited new mathematical tool to deal with various decision problems and many papers on rough set theory and decision support have been published recently. Rough set theory gives new insight into the decision process and offers new efficient algorithms. Several real life decision problems have been successfully solved using this approach. In this paper basic concepts of rough set theory will be given and its significance for decision analysis will be briefly discussed.

An Algorithm For Multiple Shift Scheduling of Hierarchical Workforce On Four-Day Or Three-Day Workweeks

Abstract: This paper presents an optimal algorithm for multiple shift scheduling of hierarchical categories of employees on four-day or three-day workweeks. Employees work four days (three days in the case of three-day workweek) each week, have at least a fraction A out of every B weekends off, work no more than four (three in the case of three-day workweek) consecutive days in a workstretch and have at least some prescribed number of hours off when changing shifts. Such contexts exist in many seven-day-a-week manufacturing and service organizations such as paper mills, steel plants and hospitals. We determine the most economical mix of categories of employees satisfying scheduling constraints under a pattern of demand for employees. The pattern is such that the weekday demand is greater than or equal to the weekend demand for each category and each shift. We then present an algorithm to construct feasible work schedules by assigning offdays and shifts to employees. We establish that the work schedules sati...

There is hope in attribute weighting

Abstract: Experimental evidence shows that attribute weighting in value trees is prone to various biases. The origins of these biases are suggested to be either behavioral or procedural. It is most surprising that recent literature does not discuss weighting biases observed in connection with applications where these methods are used to support real decision making processes. This is the situation both with multiattribute value tree analysis and the analytic hierarchy process. Can it really be true that biases are only experimental artifacts which do not occur in applications? We believe that the risks of biases exist but so far they have been ignored in applications. We think that this is a serious missing link in current research. However, we suggest that practitioners can do something to avoid biases. We report preliminary research results how the increased understanding of the weight elicitation methodology and the awareness of the biases can decrease their occurrence. The objective of this paper is to ...

Rapid Change: Nine Information Technology Management Challenges

Abstract: Information technology is rapidly changing. This increases the complexity of IT management. Previous research hypothesized that rapid change in IT causes eleven different categories of problems for IT managers. The current study developed a survey instrument based on detailed items about such problems from that research. The instrument was mailed to a nationwide sample of 1,000 IT professionals. Two hundred forty-six provided useable data. The data supported and clarified nine of the categories of problems of rapid change in IT. The categories are Vendor Neglect, Vendor Oversell, Acquisition Dilemma, Support Burden, Resistance, Cascading Needs, New Integration, Errors, and Training Demands. The research also offers suggestions for future investigation of the problems and a potential instrument with which to conduct it. Anticipating and planning for the problems may help IT managers avoid project delays and budget overruns.

On The Single Server Retrial Queue With Balking

Abstract: We are concerned with the M/G/1 retrial queue with balking. The ergodicity condition is first investigated making use Of classical mean drift criteria. The limiting distribution of the number of customers in the system is determined with the help of a recursive approach based on the theory of regenerative processes. Many closed form expressions are obtained when we reduce to the M/M/1 queue for some representative balking policies.

Assessment Of Chargeback Systems In It Management

Abstract: The management practice of billing cost centers or user departments for services provided by an in-house information technology center is referred to as a chargeback system. Chargeback systems have...

Use of rough sets analysis to classify Siberian forest ecosystems according to net primary production of phytomass

Abstract: This paper attempts to identify attributes that are considered essential for a development of sustainable forest management practices in the Siberian forests. This goal is accomplished through an analysis of net primary production of phytomass (NPP), which is used to classify the Siberian ecoregions into compact and cohesive NPP performance classes. Rough Sets (RS) analysis is used as a data mining methodology for the evaluation of the Siberian forest database. In order to interpret relationships between various forest characteristics, relationships known as interesting rules are generated on a basis of a reduced problem description.

Collaborative Model Management In Departmental Computing

Abstract: Today’s increasing connectivity between separate entities within an organization has encouraged us to revisit the old promises of departmental computing and propose a new framework that can expand its potentials. When we view departmental computing from a distributed group decision support systems (DGDSS) perspective, it becomes evident that not only corporate data but also decision models should be an integral part of managerial decision making. In this paper, we present a framework for collaborative model management systems (MMS), which coordinates the changes made to shared decision models in the modelbase so that the net effect of the changes can be systematically propagated across multiple departments by automatically updating the model views. Details of the proposed model change propagation mechanism are discussed along with a realistic departmental computing scenario.

Web-Based Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: Web-Hipre And The Management Of Environmental Uncertainty

Abstract: The information revolution has opened a new era in decision support: the Internet and the World Wide Web have emerged as powerful new media for collecting, disseminating, and accessing information related to the sustainable development of life support systems. Web-based decision support tools are useful for addressing large scale, complex, and indeterminate problems, such as global climate change, that have consequences across physical, biological, and social dimensions. In this paper, we provide algorithms to extend the capabilities of Web-HIPRE, a Java-applet for multiple criteria analysis, developed by [17], so that it constitutes a flexible and effective tool for environmental decision analysis under uncertainty. This tool is demonstrated using a case study of forest management in the province of New Brunswick, Canada: alternative forest utilization policies are evaluated in the context of ecological and socio-economic objectives. A new approach for multiple criteria decision analysis is put f...

Location Models With Groups Of Demand Points

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the location of a new facility in an area where demand is generated by groups of demand points. The group-distance between the facility and a group of demand points is determined in three ways: the closest point in the group, the farthest one, and the average distance to all members in the group. Three objectives are considered: minisum (minimize the sum of weighted group-distances to the group), minimax, and maximin. Two of the nine resulting possible models (maximal group-distance using minisum objective, and average group-distance using minimax objective) are analyzed in the paper. These problems can be solved by standard mathematical programming methods. Special algorithms designed for large problems are proposed and computational experience reported.

Algorithmic Discussions Of Distributions Of Numbers Of Busy Channels For GI/Geom/m/m Queues

Abstract: The high speed multi-access communication channels such as BISDN and ATM operate on a discrete-time basis rather than on a continuous-time basis. The usual Erlang loss formula developed for continuous-time is not valid for discrete-time queues, though models such as these can be derived from the corresponding discrete-time models. In this paper, we consider the discrete-time GI/Geom/m/m queue. Two variants of this model viz. late-arrival system with delayed access and early arrival system have been discussed and analyzed. Distributions of numbers of busy channels at various epochs have been obtained using the supplementary variable technique. The performance measures such as probability of loss, and average number of busy channels have been presented for interarrival distributions: geometric, deterministic, arbitrary, etc. It is hoped that the results obtained in this paper may provide useful information to designers of telecommunication systems, practitioners, and others.

Automated Knowledge Discovery In Clinical Databases Based On Rough Set Model

Abstract: One of the most important problems on rule induction methods is that extracted rules do not plausibly represent information on experts’ decision processes, which makes rule interpretation by domain experts difficult. In order to solve this problem, the characteristics of medical reasoning is discussed. Positive and negative rules are introduced which model medical experts’ rules. Then, for induction of positive and negative rules, two search algorithms are provided. The proposed rule induction method was evaluated on medical databases, the experimental results of which show that induced rules correctly represented experts’ knowledge and several interesting patterns were discovered.

An Optimization Model For The Market-Mix Problem In The Banking Industry

Abstract: For many years banks designed their promotional efforts to aim at the broadest possible markets in hopes of recruiting new clients. Recently, competitive measures have forced them to focus instead on a strategy of market segmentation designed to sell specific products to markets that present the best present and future opportunity for profit. Consequently, banks have begun developing marketing strategies similar to those of the retail industry. In one large Canadian bank, a new marketing approach called the ’street-corner strategy’ was proposed for selling the right product to the right client. However questions remain unanswered. What kinds of clients do banks want? Which products should they sell them? This article proposes a model enabling bankers to find the market-mix that will maximize profits, under the constraints of feasible marketing strategy, competition, and the effects of changing interest rates. We have designed a deterministic optimization model that quickly finds a solution that ma...

Isame : Une Architecture Multi-Agent De Recherche D’Information

Abstract: This paper proposes a multi-agent architecture called ISAME for retrieving information from heterogeneous and distributed sources. Such an architecture constitutes a virtual library that provides user agents with a simplified access to a dynamic set of information sources available over open networks such as Internet, as well as with services which aim at making easier and optimizing the information retrieval process. Thus, thanks to the work of agents, users do not need to have concern for the implementation method, availability and interaction language of each information source. The result is an open architecture which enables new agents to register or to quit the environment at any time. In this way, resources can be modified dynamically according to their availability.

Agent-Based Coordination Support For Business Processes

Abstract: Since organizations are becoming more and more modular (e.g. virtual enterprises) efficient coordination mechanisms are increasingly important. Certain decision problems for the management of inter- and intra-orgamzational business processes, e.g. coordination of human resource allocation or coordination of task scheduling, can be structured in a way that software support is feasible to a high degree. Agent based systems using the Inter-, Intra- or Extra-net offer the possibility to even induce intelligent behavior.This paper introduces a framework to model the coordination behavior of a modular agent-based system for intelligent automated coordination. The approach refers to a current research project called “efficient electronic coordination in the service sector” funded by the German National Research Agency.

Optimal Trading Of An Asset In The Open Market: A Dynamic Programming Approach

Abstract: Assuming that the asking price of an asset is a random observation from a known distribution function, we first consider the problem of buying an asset and selling it later within a limited period of time. The optimal strategies, derived by means of a stochastic dynamic programming technique, maximize the present value of the expected profit. We then consider the infinite-stage model where there is no time constraint. As a special case of the optimal selling strategy with finite stages, we also propose an option valuation model for the case where the buyer has the right to purchase a certain asset at a specified exercise price within a specified time. The optimal buying and selling strategies derived in the paper can be extended to various directions such as the serially correlated process and the rank-based trading strategy.

Continuous-Time Models For Production Scheduling In Constrained Subcontracting Conditions

Abstract: Abstract This paper focuses on an optimal control approach to continuous-time multi-item scheduling of parallel flexible machines in typical subcontracting conditions. The conditions comprise subcontracting of: constant in-time amount of items along the planning horizon; arbitrary changing in-time amounts; and limited-change in-time amounts of items. Mathematical formulations are presented to model the three typical subcontracting conditions and are studied with the aid of the maximum principle. Based on the properties of the optimal solutions derived, efficient time-decomposition methods are suggested for solving the corresponding problems.

Les systémes d'aide à la décision en groupe: Une brève revue

Abstract: Research in group decision support appeared about 15 years ago. Researchers from many different areas are active in this new domain: group dynamics, informations systems, mathematical programming, artificial intelligence,... Nevertheless group decision support is not commonly known. It is difficult for a beginner or even an experienced researcher in group decision support to have a comprehensive view of the field, mainly because researchers coming from different areas are interested by different aspects of group decision making and have different vocabularies. In this paper, we try to shortly provide the reader with a comprehensive view. After a short description of the group decision making process, we present some classifications of Group Decision Support Systems followed by some historical comments.

Transaction Management In Databases Supporting Web-Based Negotiations

Abstract: Majority of systems supporting negotiations and collaboration between users require functions provided by database management systems, e.g. data persistency, concurrency control. In order to be used as kernels of negotiation systems, databases require however important extensions, reflecting the specificity of human interaction. The classical database paradigm assumes that database users communicate only via committed data. Since the users are totally isolated by the database system, each of them has an impression that the system is dedicated to him. When users collaborate to achieve a common goal, this approach is obviously too restrictive. Collaborators have to communicate directly before they agree on a data value.In the paper a particular approach to transaction management in databases supporting negotiation is proposed. It is based on a new transaction model that allows practically unrestricted collaboration among members of the same team. The basic assumption of this model is that negotiatin...

Special Issue of Infor on Rough Sets And Web-Based Systems In Decision Support

Abstract: Explosion of the Internet and the Internet-based activities observed in the last decade has had significant impact on research agenda at the universities. This special issue on Rough Sets and Web-based systems in decision support deals only with a very selected set of topics in the area. Its focus is on the analysis of decision problems from the point of view of clarity of their description (often obscured by massive amount of information available to a decision-maker) and on support of a decision-making activity with Webbased tools. The research presented in this issue was first reported at the Decision Analysis and Support Workshop held in December 1998 at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria. In 1995 a group of Canadian researchers from Carleton University in Ottawa, together with their Finnish colleagues and scientists from several other countries undertook an initiative to establish joint methodological project at IIASA. Their proposal was accepted and the Decision Analysis and Support (DAS) Project started in July 1997-̂ . The DAS project was a continuation of IIASA's tradition in methodological research in decision science and its computational support. It complemented other IIASA activities involving mediumand large-scale population analysis, energy, and environmental and sustainable development research aiming at both developed and developing countries. The Canadian scientists contributions to the DAS project included the use of data mining techniques for the analysis of forestry data, development of Web-based tools for training in international trade and business negotiations, and construction of a software agent prototype for ecommerce. The project's members organized five international workshops, one of them in cooperation with the International Development Research Centre Canada (IDRC). The workshops dealt with numerous issues faced by the researchers and practitioners of the decision analysis and support and involved participants from over 15 countries. This special issue is intended to emphasize some ofthe research trends studied by the DAS Project and discussed at the DAS workshops. Due to the usual space limitations of a scientific publication, it is not an exhaustive review of all the research activities conducted by the DAS scientists and collaborators. The first paper in the issue provides a general overview of the methodological and theoretical issues associated with the Rough Sets analysis of imprecise data. Pawlak, who is the original author of this methodology, discusses significance of Rough Sets for the evaluation of different aspects ofthe decision processes. He illustrates this discussion with intuitive examples. Greco, Matarazzo and Slowinski describe how the Rough Sets approach can be applied to the muiticriteria sorting problem. They present extensions to the theory that allow dealing with such classical decision problems as sorting, choice, or ranking. Their results are illustrated with a case study of an airline company s financial ratings. Tsumoto in his paper is concerned with the rule induction problem where extracted rules do not plausibly represent information on experts decision processes. Using the Rough Sets principles he proposes a rule induction method that is successfully tested on medical database resulting in a discovery of interesting patterns in data.

Les Dépendances Difonctionnelles Floues

Abstract: Jaoua and al. proposed an application of difunctional relations in the relational data model, namely difunctional dependencies. They proposed a set of inference rules for functional dependencies and a binary decomposition approach of a relation without loss of information. Integrity constraints, especially fuzzy functional and multivalued dependencies, have been widely studied in various extended relational data models. In this paper, we propose an extension of difunctional dependencies in the framework of fuzzy relational database, in which every fuzzy relation is a set of weighted tuples. We define and characterize the fuzzy difunctionality concept, and we show that inference rules applied in the classic case remain valid in the case of fuzzy relations. Then, we introduce a hierarchical decomposition approach of a fuzzy relation which allows a better clustering of data and reduces their storage space by a particular inheritance mechanism.