This report adapts the application of a methodology known as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to upstream Exploration & Production (E&P) project evaluations for the oil and gas industry. The method can be used to simplify the process of decision making, specifically when several parameters or variables—mostly uncertainties or risk variables—are being considered for different investment options. This method has been used in a large number of applications in several research areas where evaluation and decision making is a key issue. It simplifies the considerations that the evaluators must be aware of to assign probability or certainty factors to the parameters by using a relative intensity scale. We apply the method to the quantification of the risk involved in typical upstream projects. Although a decision as large as investment in oil and gas projects can not be based solely on risk factors, it is true that the risk attitude of the investor will ultimately play a significant role. This method gathers all the possible factors that can affect a project at any stage and provides the user with a single number; it condenses all the considerations and preferences of the investor or decision maker and ranks the investment alternatives from a risk point of view. A typical problem confronted with E&P project assessment (as well as in many other industries) is that the criteria selected may be measured on different scales, such as dollar value, stock-tank barrels, standard cubic feet, units of area, and so on. Some might even be intangible for which no scales exist, such as financial environment, management problems, or social unsteadiness. Measures on different scales, obviously, can not be directly combined, and this is part of what makes an integral assessment of any project such a difficulty. It is up to the decision maker to put all these evaluations—which may be still in different or subjective scales—on an overall comparative basis. This is where the AHP becomes useful, by gathering criteria of different natures and dimensions, and putting them all together on a single scale, which is derived from the decisions maker’s preferences and risk attitude.

This report adapts the application of a methodology known as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to upstream Exploration & Production (E&P) project evaluations for the oil and gas industry. The method can be used to simplify the process of decision making, specifically when several parameters or variables—mostly uncertainties or risk variables—are being considered for different investment options. This method has been used in a large number of applications in several research areas where evaluation and decision making is a key issue. It simplifies the considerations that the evaluators must be aware of to assign probability or certainty factors to the parameters by using a relative intensity scale. We apply the method to the quantification of the risk involved in typical upstream projects. Although a decision as large as investment in oil and gas projects can not be based solely on risk factors, it is true that the risk attitude of the investor will ultimately play a significant role. This method gathers all the possible factors that can affect a project at any stage and provides the user with a single number; it condenses all the considerations and preferences of the investor or decision maker and ranks the investment alternatives from a risk point of view. A typical problem confronted with E&P project assessment (as well as in many other industries) is that the criteria selected may be measured on different scales, such as dollar value, stock-tank barrels, standard cubic feet, units of area, and so on. Some might even be intangible for which no scales exist, such as financial environment, management problems, or social unsteadiness. Measures on different scales, obviously, can not be directly combined, and this is part of what makes an integral assessment of any project such a difficulty. It is up to the decision maker to put all these evaluations—which may be still in different or subjective scales—on an overall comparative basis. This is where the AHP becomes useful, by gathering criteria of different natures and dimensions, and putting them all together on a single scale, which is derived from the decisions maker’s preferences and risk attitude.

Abstract In recent years, Taiwanese industries investing in Mainland China have switched from traditional industries to hi-tech enterprises and their investment strategies have changed from production cost saving to division of labor and industry integration. However, without support of efficient and effective IT system, enterprises cannot quickly adjust to business environment varying from minute to minute. Thus, in this research, a study is conducted to investigate the roles of IT systems in facilitating hi-tech companies to gain accurate information and support just-in-time operations. The findings suggest that most IT system adopted by the subsidiary in China are transferred directly from the parent company in Taiwan. They are not built from the scratch nor modified by the subsidiary due to considerations such as smoothing usual operation, building up the same domain knowledge, and shortening production schedule. Whether the subsidiary in China is directly supervised by the parent company in Taiwan will affect the level of support by the MIS department in Taiwan. In addition, the subsidiary members¡¦ values and commitment will affect cross-strait IT architecture. In the area of risk management, the perception of information security risk differs between Taiwan headquarter and China subsidiary because of different needs and business models. Distrusting China subsidiary members is still an issue to develop cross-strait IT security systems. Keyword: IT architecture, IT risk management

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xvi, 239 p.; also includes graphics (some col). Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Sherman D. Hanna, College of Human Ecology. Includes bibliographical references (p. 230-239).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-45). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Nowadays business world requires more collaboration along supply chains in order to sustain production, optimize cost structure and speed up delivery. The growing inter twist among supply chainpartners causesnumerous risks whose impacting magnitude and scope are larger than ever before. The risks are not just limited in operations any more but further extend to relationships related aspects. It demonstrates new features that we think should deserve careful investigation. Although supply chain risks and partnerships are great concerns in both academics and industry, the existing literature seldom links them together, and it echoesinadequately upon the new situations happened in the past decade. As such, this research project is made with ambition to improve the understanding of risks in the context of today’s collaborative supply chains where interorganizational linkages are strengthened through partnerships. The research project contains three studies. They constitute an integrated series subjected to the overall research objective. The first study starts with concept building and fundamental notion rethinking of risks in supply chains. We conceptualize supply chain risks into a general form in which risks are integrated into a system capable to reflect the correlation and chain effect among them. Through analytical inference and simulation it is found that the level of collaboration of partners contributes to the resilience of supply chains. It implies that partnerships can positively affect the integration of supply chain risk system, thus enhancing supply chain operations by improved ability in fault recovery.In the following two studies we are concerned with the impacts of different types of risks in supply chains upon companies’ operational performance given the effect of partnerships. The pre risk event effect and post risk event effect of partnerships are investigated in study two and study three respectively. The second study uses survey to research practitioners’ view on the role of supply chain risks and partnerships in supply chain performance. The validated sample of 162 responses reveals that the depth of partnerships imposes the most significant impact on supply chain risks and the collaboration risks are considered the top risk type that can influence supply chain performance to the most extent. The third study focuses on the negative consequence brought to the companies by supply chain risks when they have been realized. Event study is employed as the research methodology to identify and analyzethe effects of different risks under different partnerships. With respect to impact analysis, relationship risks are shown to cause the most significant loss to firm value. Moreover, deeper partnerships are found to have more negative impact on firm value resulted from relationship risks. This research project could contribute to the supply chain risk management literature by furthering the understanding of the important role of supply chain risks in enhancing the company’svalue and operational performance. The findings uncover the crucialrelationship between partnerships and supply chain risks, offering a novel view from a risk perspective to explain why an increasing number of supply chain companies are consciously engaged in partnerships nowadays. They may confer academicians and industrial practitioners with some new insights for risk management in supply chains and encouragefuture research in this area. / published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

M. Tech. Quantity Surveying (Structured) / Risk is a predominant phenomenon and an inherent challenge in the construction industry; the ability to control its occurrence minimises its impact on the operation of the industry and determines the profitability of the construction projects. This research was carried out to examine the project phases during which the construction industries in Swaziland carry out risk management, to identify and examine the methods, tools, procedures for and approaches to risk management. Furthermore, the research intended to identify the criteria for risk sharing amongst parties in the Swaziland Construction industries.

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