Prioritizing software requirements helps to determine which requirements that are most important,and in which order requirements should be developed and tested throughout the development lifecycle. By prioritizing the requirements, software engineers can put focus on a subset of all requirements, and implement these in a particular release. This thesis aims to analyze two ratio scale prioritization techniques in a controlled experiment.The experiment was designed to compare time consumption, scalability, accuracy, ease of use, and ease to learning between the two techniques. All these evaluation parameters are combined together to find out which technique is more suitable to use when prioritizing software requirements. The two techniques investigated in the study presented in this thesis are: Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is based on pair-wise comparisons; and Cumulative Voting (CV) which is based on distributing points between requirements. The results of the experiment indicate that CV is less time consuming than AHP, which makes it more scalable. Further, CV is regarded as easier to use, and easier to learn than AHP. In addition, the results show that CV is more accurate than AHP while measuring the perceived accuracy. However, no conclusions could be made regarding actual accuracy due to misinterpretations by the study participants.

Die vorliegende Ausgabe beschäftigt sich mit der innerbetrieblichen Erfassung und Verarbeitung von umweltrelevanten Kosten, den Umweltkostenrechnungssystemen. Die vorliegende Arbeit verfolgt das Ziel, Unternehmen bei der Entscheidung zu unterstützen, welches Umweltkostenrechnungssystem unter Berücksichtigung der unternehmensspezifischen Bedürfnisse und Präferenzen gewählt werden soll. Als Grundlage für die Auswahl werden die verschiedenen Umweltkostenrechnungssysteme kurz vorgestellt. Darüber hinaus werden die Umweltkostenrechnungssysteme klassifiziert. Die Klassifizierung basiert auf den Ausprägungen verschiedener Kriterien, die im Rahmen der Literaturrecherche erfasst und in einer Datenbank gesammelt wurden. Neben den Kriterien zur Klassifizierung wurden auch Merkmale zum Nutzen und Aufwand der Umweltkostenrechnungssysteme in die Datenbank aufgenommen. Diese Kriterien unterstützen die Entscheidung für den Einsatz eines bestimmten Umweltkostenrechnungssystems. Für die Auswahl aus der Vielzahl von Systemen wird ein mehrstufiges Verfahren vorgeschlagen. Zunächst wird eine Vorausauswahl in Abhängigkeit der betrieblichen Umweltpolitik empfohlen. Anschließend werden die verbleibenden Möglichkeiten einer multikriteriellen Analyse auf der Basis des Analytical Hierachy Prozesses unterzogen. Das Ergebnis des Entscheidungsverfahrens ist eine – auf den Präferenzen des Unternehmens beruhende – eindimensionale Skalierung der Umweltkostenrechnungssysteme.

Decision making processes of natural resources for sustainable development are very complex processes that contain large amounts of contradicting criteria and alternatives and/or objectives. Hence efficiency of planning and decision making is highly dependent on the structure of the decision problems. In this re-spect Multi Criteria Decision Aid (MCDA) is the most widely used method. Particularly GIS-based MCDA using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a well-known method in this respect. However, there are interrelationships and interdependences among problems of the real world. As a result, many spatial problems cannot be structured hierarchally because the importance of the criteria determines the importance of the alternatives, and the importance of the alternatives also determines the importance of the criteria. Analytical Network Process (ANP) based MCDA is a new planning and decision making ap-proach that allows the decision problem to be modeled considering feedbacks and interdependence among criteria. This study critically reviews GIS-based MCDA using the AHP method and the ANP based MCDA method and forwarded recommendations for future works. To attain this, practical decision making processes were used of urban form selection for a sustainable development of the Stockholm region. For this purpose literature was reviewed, separate methodologies were developed, criteria were formulated to be analyzed using GIS and SuperDecision software‟s, and finally reasonable results were achieved and separately presented to critically evaluate both the methods and the outcome. This study showed that GIS has the potential to be an important decision aid tool, that the ANP seems to give more realistic results than the GIS-based MCDA method, and that a compact scenario that over time follows already established polycentric pattern would be the best alternative urban form for a sustainable develop-ment of Greater Stockholm.

The Allium tricoccum Aiton (ramps, aka wild leeks), a native spring ephemeral, is a cultural keystone species in Appalachia, a mountainous physiographic region encompassing 205,000 square miles of the eastern United States. People in Appalachia have long harvested ramps in the wild. However, growing demand for the plant in and outside the region has increased harvesting, resulting in threats to native populations. Agroforestry cultivation techniques and technical support for sustained-yield forest farming practices are needed to conserve ramps and meet increasing demand. Various techniques for assessing suitable production practices for ramps were explored in this dissertation, particularly examining best-suited ramp ecotypes, mycorrhizal treatment, and habitat suitability determination. In the first study, bulbs and seeds from diverse Appalachian locations were gathered and transplanted to a common experimental site to investigate the effects of different ramp ecotypes on growth, survival, and stress responses. Plant characteristics and stress measurements were recorded before transplantation and post-transplantation assessments. Specifically, the study investigated the germination rate of three ramp seed ecotypes and the growth, survival, and stress responses of eight native ramp bulb ecotypes and three commercially obtained seedling samples. Results indicated that above-ground growth, survival, and stress response on the ramp ecotypes differed significantly. The second study explored the impact of mycorrhizae on ramps and was evaluated by assessing the impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) inoculation on Allium tricoccum. Four measurements, collectively referred to as parameter categories, were assessed. These included measures of 1) above-ground plant growth: leaf length, and leaf width; 2) stress measurement: transplant stress after a few days of transplant, and photosynthetic performance stress after a year of transplant; 3) survival analysis; and 4) mycorrhizal colonization rate. For each parameter category, three treatment comparison categories were conducted: 1) Positive control treatments: bulbs were planted from their native environment without treatment; 2) Negative controls: bulbs were treated with fungicide before planting to eradicate existing AMF in roots; and 3) The test group: bulbs were inoculated with commercial AMF (Atriva 500). Results indicated that mycorrhizal inoculation could increase ramp leaf length (P≤0.03). However, the impact varied by ecotype, highlighting the importance of considering local environmental conditions and ramp ecotype. Mycorrhizal inoculation did not impact ramp growth at the seedling stage. Mycorrhizal treatment increased the transplanted ramp's survival and stress tolerance (P≤0.001). The third study used multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP), and weighted linear combinations to model suitable habitats for ramps production. Ten habitat criteria were chosen (including five soil properties, three topographic parameters, and two land use properties) to assess the potential for growing ramps in seven counties in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The percentage of highly suitable areas for ramps production in the studied counties ranges from 21.5% in Haywood County to 49.6% in Macon County. Similarly, moderately suitable areas range from 36.7% in Macon County to 54.5% in Lawrence County. Ground truthing was performed to validate the model. Ramp patch locations within each county were geocoded in the final suitability maps. Existing ramp patches were within the model's estimate of moderate to high site suitability ranges, suggesting the model is valid. Results of the study suggest that site suitability modeling could be useful for producers interested in growing ramps in forest farm settings across Appalachia. / Doctor of Philosophy / The ramp, also known as the wild leek, is an important food, medicinal and cultural resource for the people of Appalachia. However, increasing demand for ramps beyond this region has led to over-harvesting and threatens the plant's native populations. Appropriate cultivation techniques and technical support for sustained-yield forest farming practices are needed to conserve ramps and meet growing demand. This dissertation explores various techniques for assessing suitable production practices for ramps, including examining ramp ecotypes, mycorrhizal treatments, and habitat suitability determination. The first study evaluated the ecotypic variation among ramps collected from different geographic regions and their impact on plant performance. Ramp ecotypes displayed differences in above-ground growth, survival, and stress response. The second study examined the impact of mycorrhizae on ramps and found that mycorrhizal inoculation can increase ramp leaf length and survival and stress tolerance of transplanted ramps. However, this impact varied by ecotype, highlighting the importance of considering local environmental conditions and ramp ecotype. The third study involved developing a model to identify suitable habitats for growing ramps. The model was tested for seven counties across Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The percentage of land predicted as highly suitable for ramps production ranged from 21.5% in Haywood County, NC, to 49.6% in Macon County, NC. Moderately suitable lands ranged from 36.7% in Macon County, NC to 54.5% in Lawrence County, PA. Ground truthing confirmed the model's accuracy as geocoded existing ramp patch locations fell within the estimated suitable ranges. Site suitability modeling could be useful for people interested in growing ramps in forest farm settings across Appalachia. Overall, this research provides insights into best practices for ramp cultivation that help conserve a cultural keystone species and meet the growing demand for ramps.

Many sectors and industries are being pushed by policymakers and consumers towards an industrial transformation to become more sustainable. This in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment caused by the emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases, as well to promote more efficient use of resources. The transport sector and specifically the automotive industry is seen as one of the main actors within the climate debate due to their high environmental impact in terms of emissions. Therefore, authorities and customers are pushing automotive manufacturers to shift towards electric mobility. However, a rapid shift is not simple. The supply of raw materials needed to sustain the production of batteries does not meet the demand. In turn, causing shortages of some materials and heavily increasing their prices. This thesis addresses the supplier selection problem within a Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer with clients mainly in the automotive industry. The study has analyzed a set of relevant criteria to evaluate a supplier within the high-tech industry within a specific context. Furthermore, the study has determined whether differences exist between the importance of the criteria depending on the strategic profile of the material. The strategic profile depends on the profit impact and the supply risk of the material. In order to assess the importance weights of the criteria, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used and interviews were conducted with purchasing experts in the industry. This study provides a new approach to the existing literature of supplier selection, by studying this process in an industry in which it has never been done and also by assessing the supplier selection by categorizing the materials by their strategic profile, an approach that has not been studied in literature until the moment. Results show that the importance of some of the supplier selection criteria vary widely between the strategic profile of the materials, while the importance of other criteria remain the same. In addition, the study has also determined that the importance of the criteria vary also within the supplier selection process, having different importance levels at different steps. Finally, the results show that some criteria of a certain criticality represent a go-no go gate in the selection process. The conclusions are that the supplier selection process within the battery industry cannot be regarded as a homogenous process and that supplier selection criteria vary with the strategic importance of the material. Thus, suppliers must be assessed with different criteria importance weights when using a tool such as the AHP to perform supplier selection. Additionally, the critical criteria for each material must be determined prior to use the tool. / Politiker och konsumenter ställer allt högre krav på industrin att genomföra åtgärder för att bli mer hållbara, exempelvis genom att minska utsläpp av giftiga ämnen och växthusgaser samt ett mer effektivt resursanvändande. Transportsektorn och bilindustrin är särskilt utpekade inom miljödebatten på grund av deras höga miljöpåverkan och stora mängder av utsläpp. Biltillverkarna drivs därför mot en industriell omvandling där förnybara bränslen ska ersätta fossila bränslen. Övergången till eldrivna fordon är en långsam och komplicerad process där flödeskedjan för effektiv tillverkning av bilbatterier fortfarande är under utveckling. Tillgången på vissa råmaterial som behövs för produktionen av batterier räcker inte för att mätta efterfrågan vilket drar upp prisnivån. Samtidigt etablerar sig många nya leverantörer av råmaterial vars varierande kvalitet och pålitlighet skapar ytterligare utmaningar hos batteritillverkarna. Studien behandlar urvalsprocessen vid inköp av material hos en svensk litium-jonbatteritillverkare med kunder främst inom bilindustrin. Urvalskriterier för att utvärdera leverantörer inom högteknologisk industri analyserats. Därtill har det utretts om skillnader existerar mellan kriteriernas betydelse beroende på råvarornas strategiska profil. Den strategiska profilen beräknas genom dess påverkan på produktens slutkostnad tillsammans med risken för avbrott i försörjningskedjan. Metoden Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) används för att bedöma dessa kriteriers betydelse. Därtill har intervjuer genomförts med branch-experter för att ge fördjupad insikt i kriteriernas betydelse. Studien ger två huvudsakliga bidrag till den akademiska litteraturen. Först och främst utvärderas urvalskriterierna, som identifierats i litteraturstudien, inom en industrisektor där de inte prövats tidigare. Urvalskriterierna för leverantörsval appliceras dessutom specifikt för råmaterial av olika strategisk profil för att studera i vilken utsträckning de skiljer sig åt. Även denna ansats är tidigare oprövad inom den akademiska litteraturen. Resultaten visar att vikten av vissa kriterier varierar i hög utsträckning mellan material av olika strategisk profil, medan andra kriterier är näst intill opåverkade. Studien har dessutom fastställt att betydelsen av vissa kriterier varierar mellan olika steg i urvalsprocessen. Somliga kriterier representerar en kritisk punkt i urvalsprocessen och utesluter de leverantörer som inte kan leverera upp till en miniminivå. Studiens slutsas är att urvalsprocessen vid val av leverantör inom batteribranschen inte kan ses som en homogen process då urvalskriterierna varierar med materialets strategiska betydelse. Råmaterialens strategiska profil måste alltså tas i beaktning vid användning av ett urvalsverktyg som AHP. De kritiska kriterier som leverantören måste leva upp till måste dessutom fastställas innan verktyget kan tas i bruk.

The term accessibility is a regularly recurring concept in planning, where increased accessibility time and time again has proven impactful regarding how well an area develops. The importance of the concept has resulted in a wealth of research, where many methods have been developed to measure the concept. The wide variety of methods are a result of accessibility being an ambiguous and subjective concept whose definition and meaning may vary significantly from individual toindividual, as well as depending on the context in which it appears. Most of the encountered measurement methods are based on structural accessibility with a clear focus on accessibility to sites in a defined network. This rational and general approach to accessibility tend to ignore individual variations in perception. The aim of the study is, therefore, to develop a model to quantify the concept of accessibility, which in the context of the study is defined as "How well adapted the built environment is for an individual to effectively use, regardless of individual needs". This definition focuses on is on the individual's perceived accessibility of a specific urban environment. The basis for the model consists of seven developed indicators whose aim is to operationalize the concept of accessibility. These indicators are then used in the two different parts of the model, where one part intends to weigh the indicators against each other and the other parts aims to assess a specific urban environment, both parts are entirely based onthe views of the respondent. The model is tested in the framework of project Madendalen, where the municipality of Sundbyberg intends to transform the motorway Enköpingsvägen into an attractive city street. The model is tested by four different respondent groups, each of which possesses a unique and interesting perspective on accessibility. The result of the model test shows that the model works,and measures what it is intended to measure and produces a unique result that has not been encountered in the studied literature. However, the model needs to be further developed to increase its validity. How the model should be developed is explained in the discussion together with suggestions on how the model can be used in practice. / Begreppet tillgänglighet är ett regelbundet återkommande koncept i samhällsplaneringen, där ökad tillgänglighet gång på gång visat sig starkt påverka hur väl ett område utvecklas. Begreppets viktiga roll i planeringen har resulterat i en mängd forskning, där ett stort antal metoder utvecklats för att mäta begreppet. Den stora mängden olika metoder grundar sig i att tillgänglighet är ett tvetydigt och subjektivt begrepp vars definition och innebörd kan variera markant från individ till individ, samt beroende på vilken kontext det verkar inom. De flesta påträffade mätmetoderna utgår från strukturell tillgänglighet med stort fokus på tillgängligheten till platser i ett definierat nätverk. Detta rationella och övergripande angreppssätt har lätt en tendens att bortse från individers varierande uppfattning om en plats tillgänglighet. Syftet med studien är därför att utveckla en modell som avser kvantifiera begreppet tillgänglighet, som i studiens kontext definieras som “Hur väl anpassad den byggda miljön är för att en individ, oavsett individuella förutsättningar, ska kunna nyttja den effektivt” , där fokus ligger på individens upplevda tillgänglighet i en specifik stadsmiljö. Till grund för modellen står sju framtagna indikatorer som avser operationalisera begreppet tillgänglighet. Dessa indikatorer används i modellens två separata moment, där ena momentet ämnar att vikta indikatorerna mot varandra utifrån respondentens uppfattning och det andra ämnar att bedöma en specifik stadsmiljö, även där helt utifrån respondentens uppfattning. Modellen testas inom ramen för projekt Madendalen, där Sundbybergs stad avser omvandla motorleden Enköpingsvägen till en attraktiv stadsgata. Modellen testas av fyra olika respondentgrupper, som var och en besitter ett unikt och intressant perspektiv på tillgänglighet. Resultatet av modelltestet visar att modellen i grund och botten fungerar, den mäter det den är tänkt att mäta och producerar ett unikt resultat som inte påträffats i den studerade litteraturen. Modellen behöver dock bearbetas och utvecklas för att öka dess validitet. Hur modellen bör utvecklas tas upp i diskussionen tillsammans med förslag på hur modellen kan användas i praktiken i planeringsprocessen.

The objective of the research was to develop and validate a multifaceted model such as a fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model that considers both qualitative and quantitative elements with relative significance in assessing the likelihood of falls and aid in the design of NASA Ground Support Operations in aerospace environments. The model represented linguistic variables that quantified significant risk factor levels. Multiple risk factors that contribute to falls in NASA Ground Support Operations are task related, human/personal, environmental, and organizational. Six subject matter experts were asked to participate in a voting system involving a survey where they judge risk factors using the fundamental pairwise comparison scale. The results were analyzed and synthesize using Expert Choice Software, which produced the relative weights for the risk factors. The following are relative weights for these risk factors: Task Related (0.314), Human/Personal (0.307), Environmental (0.248), and Organizational (0.130). The overall inconsistency ratio for all risk factors was 0.07, which indicates the model results were acceptable. The results show that task related risk factors are the highest cause for falls and the organizational risk are the lowest cause for falls in NASA Ground Support Operations. The multiple risk factors weights were validated by having two teams of subject matter experts create priority vectors separately and confirm the weights are valid. The fuzzy AHP model usability was utilizing fifteen subjects in a repeated measures analysis. The subjects were asked to evaluate three scenarios in NASA KSC Ground Support Operations regarding various case studies and historical data. The three scenarios were Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), Launch Complex Payloads (LCP), and Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The Kendall Coefficient of Concordance for assessment agreement between and within the subjects was 1.00. Therefore, the appraisers are applying essentially the same standard when evaluating the scenarios. In addition, a NASA subject matter expert was requested to evaluate the three scenarios also. The predicted value was compared to accepted value. The results from the subject matter expert for the model usability confirmed that the predicted value and accepted value for the likelihood rating were similar. The percentage error for the three scenarios was 0%, 33%, 0% respectively. Multiple descriptive statistics for a 95% confidence interval and t-test are the following: coefficient of variation (21.36), variance (0.251), mean (2.34), and standard deviation (0.501). Model validation was the guarantee of agreement with the NASA standard. Model validation process was partitioned into three components: reliability, objectivity, and consistency. The model was validated by comparing the fuzzy AHP model to NASA accepted model. The results indicate there was minimal variability with fuzzy AHP modeling. As a result, the fuzzy AHP model is confirmed valid. Future research includes developing fall protection guidelines.

Addressing environmental burdens associated with the operation and infrastructure of the electrical transmission system products is imperative. Implementing Ecodesign practices in the early stages of product development and adopting circularity approaches throughout the product value chain is crucial to mitigate adverse impacts. However, transitioning from a traditional to a circular business model necessitates a well-defined strategic plan enabling organisations to assess their current situation and develop effective tactics. Nevertheless, trade-offs between circularity and sustainability must be carefully considered, as circular practices may not always align with the triple bottom line. Therefore, accurately prioritising circular strategies is essential for establishing a circular and sustainable product life cycle. This research evaluates business practices of Grid Solutions and proposes priority strategies, guidelines and KPIs to enhance product circularity. For this purpose, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology based on expert’s judgment, is implemented. The prioritised strategies are analysed using an Importance vs Difficulty matrix to identify high-value and strategic actions. Simultaneously, product circularity indicators are evaluated and ranked based on the AHP outcomes. Subsequently, the most relevant indicator is assessed through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the prioritised guidelines, through High Voltage (HV) equipment. Results highlight that minimising energy consumption is essential for improving product circularity, as LCA analysis confirms. The chosen circular indicator is tested by comparing an HV product version with lower energy losses to the product baseline, exhibiting a 51.45% increase in sustainable circularity and approximately 20% reduction in adverse environmental impacts. Additionally, prioritising efforts to minimise non-conformities, promote repairability, and enable upgrades are also of high relevance. Finally, the research provides recommendations for New Product Introduction (NPI) frameworks and sustainable reporting.

Yes / The cost of medical care is snowballing at an alarming and unmaintainable rate universally. Consequently, the need for a trusted quality management (QM) system at healthcare organizations is a must. Such system will aid the healthcare governance to increase the effectiveness and decrease the cost. It will help in minimizing the risk and enhancing patient safety. Several challenges facing healthcare QM in Oman are creating computerizing monitoring tool and confirming commitment of decision makers at all levels. The Report of Quality and Patient Safety (RQPS) in Oman 2016 highlighted the low level of patient safety and quality culture among staff. It recommended to inaugurate a well-defined organizational chart based on each healthcare organization’s vision and mission. Therefore, it is important to design a national accreditation system that is accredited by an international accreditation body. Such step will help in prioritizing the needs and minimizing the cost of maintaining and upgrading systems. To overcome these challenges, this article is presenting a novel methodology of hybrid knowledge-based (KB) system to assess QM in healthcare environment (QMHE) using gauging absence of prerequisites tool for benchmarking and analytical hierarchy process for prioritizing. The KB-QMHE model can be used as a standard to assess QM at any healthcare organization around the globe. The results showed that 852 questions were answered by the quality managers in a tertiary hospital in Oman; the percentage of bad points in this hospital was 32%. The KB-QMHE model has clearly shown that the priority 1, in level 0, is to focus on the patient-centered dimension in the healthcare quality dimensions submodule. Output, also, suggested a prioritized action plan covering healthcare governance module, healthcare leadership module and healthcare organization’s resources module in level 1–3.

The purpose of this study is to devise a methodology to target industries that would incorporate community preferences in the targeting process. A case-study approach was taken and included three Virginia counties. The most distinctive feature of this research is the use of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a method that allows participants to weigh the importance of subjective and objective criteria. Seven firm impacts are used to score the attractiveness of a firm, including economic, public, and environmental impacts. The vector of priority weights obtained from the AHP are applied to the initial score calculated for the impacts of each industry, creating a ranking of preferred industries that are recommended for targeting. From this research it is concluded that community preferences should be an integral part of industrial targeting and economic development in general. State-level policies should be as flexible as possible in order for local level governments to be able to use those policies to attract firms that help that community meet its goals. Rather than focusing energy creating a large number of jobs, community preferences indicate that more effort needs to be spent to attract non-polluting firms that offer higher paying jobs. / Master of Science