A credibility-based multi-objective temporary logistics hub location-allocation model for relief supply and distribution under uncertainty

Disaster response operations revolve around uncertainties. While uncertainties arising due to randomness can be avoided for post-disaster location problem, those arising because of impreciseness may persist long after the disaster's occurrence. Despite the uncertainties and lack of sufficient information about the extent of the damage, disaster response facilities must be established quickly after the occurrence of the disaster. Moreover, the decisions of whether to open, where to locate, and when to open disaster response facilities are based on the amount and quality of information available during the decision-making period. To address these issues, we develop a multi-objective location-allocation model for relief supply and distribution that accounts for the imprecise and time-varying nature of different parameters and time-varying coverage, while also accommodating the subjective attributes necessary to enable establishment and operation of the temporary logistics hubs (TLHs). A credibility-based fuzzy chance-constrained programming model is employed to account for the impreciseness inherent in predicting parameter values during disaster response. The results show where, when, and how many TLHs to open and how to allocate relief supplies. Meanwhile, the sensitivity analysis provides a broader understanding of the impact of limiting the number of TLHs as well as the confidence level and the spread of the symmetric triangular fuzzy numbers on the attainment of the model objectives.     

Utilizing multi-criteria decision to determine the best location for the ecotourism in the east and central of Fars province,Iran

To reduce the negative effects of tourism on the environment, the importance of ecotourism is increasingly considered because this form of tourism helps to protect the environment and sustainable development of an area. So, it is important to determine suitable places for tourism to better manage the study area. The aim of this study is to identify potential ecotourism sites using ordered weight averaging (OWA) and fuzzy quantifier algorithms in the east and central of Fars province, Iran. Required spatial data such as geology, soil, slope land, topographic roughness index (TRI), vegetation, surface water, elevation, protected area, climate, distance to road, and distance to the village were utilized. To prepare ecotourism maps with different confidence levels, eleven ordered weights were applied corresponding to the eleven parameters that were rank-ordered for each parameter after the modified factor weights were applied. Also, the feature selection algorithm (random search and genetic search methods) was used to select the most important parameters to determine the ecotourism map. The results showed that, with decreasing risk (α = 0), almost all of the study area was unsuitable for ecotourism while, with increasing risk (α = 20), all of the study areas were suitable for ecotourism. One of the ecotourism maps prepared with different confidence levels can be suggested based on the different conditions of tourists so that, if the tourist has a limited time, ecotourism maps with a higher degree of confidence levels are recommended and vice versa. This is one of the innovations of the present research. Also, the results of the random search method with the least error show that slope, elevation, climate, distance to river, and distance to road parameters are the most important parameters in preparing the ecotourism map of the region. So, using the results of the research, many economic problems, such as unemployment, will be solved by managers by preparing tourism maps and creating service jobs for tourists. With the OWA method, tourism zoning maps can be controlled by managers in order to provide better services and social and economic justice.     

Prioritization of aircraft maintenance unit strategies using fuzzy Analytic Network Process: A case study

In this paper, a new methodology for prioritizing strategies using an integrated approach of fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is proposed. A case study in an aircraft maintenance unit showed that the “Financial” criterion and the sub-criterion of “Competitiveness and Improving Customer Satisfaction” (with weights of 0.3108 and 0.84, respectively) were the most critical ones. Due to the internal relations between the criteria and sub-criteria in the fuzzy MCDM and the opinions of the experts of the aircraft maintenance unit, the weights of the main criteria obtained were closer to the actual conditions.     

Focusing on the big picture while observing the concerns of both managers and passengers in the post-covid era

This study reveals how to improve and define the issues of service quality in the airline sector after the outbreak of COVID-19, to what extent customer needs (important issues) and expectations (expected performances) will differ, and the priorities of airline sector managers in terms of resource allocation, costs, planned strategies, and operational efficiency and effectiveness. It offers a systematic and interactive perspective by simultaneously providing the perspective of both airline managers and passengers by using a new hybrid method, namely Fuzzy Importance, Expected Performance, and Priority Analysis (FIEPA) with VIKOR. This method allows the use of different perspectives of different managers in the analysis, which can be prioritized with different weights. According to the results of the study, in which 449 passengers participated on Twitter, the attributes on which airline managers should focus were determined, having three distinctive characteristics of being important for customers, having high priority according managers, and having low expected performance according customers. Twenty-two attributes related to the service quality of airlines during outbreak periods were classified into three main dimensions as “social distance and hygiene during flight”, “information awareness and concern”, and “infection alert procedure”.     

Should the EFQM Excellence Model be Adapted for Specific Industries? A Restaurant Sector Example

As the scores in the current European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model are the same for all industries, the accuracy of the model has been questioned. Our objective is threefold: 1) to confirm the need to adjust the EFQM model, using the restaurant industry as an example; 2) to ensure the new scores from the restaurant experts are consistent and reliable through the Kruskal-Wallis test for intergroup consistency and Kendall’s W for interexpert reliability; and 3) to use the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to give each attribute and sub-attribute a new, accurate score. Among the restaurant attribute and sub-attribute scores, Customer Results scored 190 points instead of 150 points, and Processes, Products & Services scored 140 points instead of 100 points in the current model. The findings show that the new scores differ substantially from the current EFQM model. We then argue that its evaluation scores should be modified by industry.     

基于灰色模糊理论的软件需求风险评估分析

将软件需求风险分为功能需求风险、性能需求风险、可靠性需求风险、安全保密需求风险、资源需求风险五类。针对软件需求风险特点给出了评价指标体系。鉴于评价指标模糊性和灰色性并存的特点,将隶属度和灰色综合起来表示灰色模糊数,建立软件需求风险的灰色模糊综合评价模型。该模型为企业了解分析需求状况,进行风险管理提供科学依据。     

教师教学工作综合评价的多层次Fuzzy综合评价模型

教师教学工作主要是课堂教学、科研和担任教学管理工作三方面因素的集合。用模糊数学的Fuzzy综合评价模型,可从多方面综合地评价教师,较为清晰地反映教师教学工作的整体水平,使对教师的评价发挥应有的功效。     

Configural paths to successful product innovation

This study offers an integrated framework involving antecedent paths to successful product innovation. The study explores conditional models leading to high product-innovation performance using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Based on relevant literature, this study categorizes relevant antecedents including organization-related, project-related, process-related, product-related, and market-related categories, and the newness of product innovation, into causal recipes. To assess the applicability of this conceptual model, researchers collected data from R&D managers and members of high-tech firms in Taiwan. The study includes dividing sampled firms into three groups according to the extent of within-firm agreement on responses by executives to questions about antecedents (in surveys that they answered independently). The findings include model routes to high product-innovation performance for each group. The findings indicate that no one simple antecedent is sufficient or necessary for high performance; no one path is necessary for high performance. However, there is only one avenue to successful product innovation for low-agreement cases. This study also finds some common rules behind these paths across groups. The strategy implication is to think through alternative paths and not key success factors for achieving high product-innovation performance.     

Impact evaluation for tourism development using the fuzzy set model: A case study of Kyongju,Korea

The Community tourism industry is primarily influenced by facilities, traffic systems, capacity, and development of tourism commodities. To develop tourism industry on a local basis, it is unavoidable to make investments on a large scale. Factor analysis for impact evaluation prior to undertaking of development projects, which this study intends to make, is more reasonable when related to the fuzzy numeric analysis of words or sentences than to a quantitative analysis of measured information. In this study the Euclidean distance method and Zadeh's fuzzy extension principle were used as linguistic approximation to establish the validity of decision‐ making in each factor category of impact degree. Therefore, this study introduces a general concept of Fuzzy theory through literature review of linguistic expressions. This study examined availability of the Fuzzy model in analyzing investment priorities for tourist development and applied it to Kyongju area, which unveiled the priorities for Kyongju tourism future in order of traffic system improvement, early construction of horse‐ racing track now under planning, promotion of Kyongju as tourism special zone to visitors and positive tourism events. In terms of methodology, this study disclosed that Fuzzy Model approach is greatly useful to decision‐making processes in tourist development.     

A multi-agent-based model for a negotiation support system in electronic commerce

This study proposes a multi-agent-based model for bilateral multi-objective negotiation in electronic commerce trading. The function and behaviour of several types of agents are discussed. These agents interact with each other in our negotiation support system model to create the most appropriate solution for both negotiating parties. In particular, we are concerned with a win-win negotiation approach in which agents seek to strike a fair deal that also maximizes the payoff for everyone involved. That is, if the opponent cannot accept an offer then the proponent should endeavour to find an alternative to make a trade-off. Against this background, a utility model based on fuzzy constraint satisfaction problems is proposed to ensure that these agents reach a solution that is fair for both negotiating parties if such a solution exists. The model uses prioritized fuzzy constraints to indicate how concessions should be made when necessary. In addition, by incorporating the notion of a negotiation argument into our evaluation model, the agents can sometimes reach agreements that would otherwise be impossible. Finally, a numerical example is given to display the applicability of the proposed approach for electronic trading assistance.