Decision making is an inherent part of human life. Every day we decide on little things, but also some more complex problems may appear. In such cases, we need to choose a more complex process leading to the final decision. To do so, many multiple-criteria decision-making methods can be used. These methods will be explored in this thesis. They will be used to select accident insurance according to the preferences and requirements of several respondents. Accident insurance protects the insured person against the impairment of their life caused by the consequences of their injury. Accident insurance is a commitment for many years, so its choice needs close attention. The choice of the insurance can be assessed based on of several criteria. Designing a model of multi-criteria decision-making strategy was the main goal of this diploma thesis. The thesis is divided into two parts - the theoretical and practical part. Theoretical part defines the concepts of decision making, multi-criteria decision making and its methods using specialized literature. It also defines the concept of insurance and its specifics relating to accident insurance. The practical part focuses on the specific solution of the given problem. The first step was a survey of offers of insurance companies operating on the Czech market that have separate accident insurance in their product portfolio. Based on these offers, decision variants have been created. The second step was to determine the five criteria on whose basis the variants were evaluated. After the general procedure has been established, the model has been applied. The proposed procedure was tried on a group of respondents to select the best offer for them. The target group, for which the procedure was designed, was set for people between the ages of 40 and 50 who do not have a risky job and do not engage in any hazardous leisure activities. Their preferences were determined by a questionnaire, based on which the decision matrices and weightings of the individual criteria were compiled. The optimal option was recommended to respondents.

Zhong-Yao Zhu. / "6th August 2002." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 227-239). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Man, Chi Yan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-41). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Difficult goals in multiple-goal context --- p.1 / Multiple-goal achievement as a complex task --- p.2 / Moderating effect of cognitive flexibility --- p.4 / Moderating effect of multiple-goal efficacy --- p.5 / The model --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Study 1 --- p.8 / Method --- p.8 / Participants --- p.8 / Procedures --- p.8 / Measures --- p.8 / Analysis --- p.10 / Model testing --- p.12 / Hypotheses testing --- p.13 / Discussion --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Study 2 --- p.19 / Method --- p.19 / Participants --- p.19 / Task --- p.19 / Procedures --- p.22 / Measures --- p.23 / Analysis --- p.25 / Manipulation checks and other data inspection --- p.25 / Hypotheses testing --- p.32 / Discussion --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- General discussion --- p.34 / Limitation --- p.34 / Implications --- p.35 / Conclusion --- p.37 / References --- p.38 / Appendix A --- p.42 / Appendix B --- p.43

Orientador: Valério Antonio Pamplona Salomon / Banca: Claudemir Leif Tramarico / Banca: Claudio Luis Piratelli / Resumo: A implantação do Balanced Scorecard (BSC) pode criar um diferencial competitivo em Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES). O estudo presente tem por objetivo a utilização de análise multicritério para realização de priorização das perspectivas do BSC em três instituições de ensino superior, administradas pela mesma Mantenedora. Levando-se em consideração que o BSC não possui medição de suas perspectivas em escala de importância, fato esse que pode atrapalhar os gestores durante a implantação, nesse trabalho é possível verificar a utilização do método AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), na tomada de decisões com múltiplos critérios, o que permitiu a realização da priorização de perspectivas do BSC em cada uma das IES. Assim, as Instituições de Ensino poderão realizar a implantação do BSC de acordo com o grau de importância das perspectivas na visão de seus Diretores. Por meio dessa pesquisa, foi possível realizar uma análise com a utilização de duas importantes ferramentas: o BSC e o AHP na gestão das Instituições, o que permiti aos Diretores uma melhor condição na preparação e melhor monitoramento dos indicadores estratégicos. / Abstract: The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) deployment can create a competitive differential in Higher Education Institution (HEI). The purpose of this study is to use a multicriteria analysis to prioritize the perspectives of BSC in three higher education institutions, managed by the same maintainer. Considering that the BSC does not have a measurement of its perspectives in scale of importance, which can hinder managers during implantation, in this work it is possible to verify the use of the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method of making decision with multiple criteria, which allowed the achievement of the prioritization of BSC perspectives in each HEI. Thus, the Educational Institutions may carry out the implementation of the BSC according to the degree of importance of the perspectives in the vision of its Principals. Through this research, it was possible to carry out an analysis with the use of two important tools: the BSC and the AHP in the management of the Institutions, which will allow the Principals a better condition in the preparation and better monitoring of the indicators strategic. / Mestre

Banca: Linda Lee Ho / Banca: José Luiz Contador / Banca: João Roberto Ferreira / Banca: José Arnaldo Barra Montevechi / Bancs: Antonio Fernando Branco Costa / Resumo: A docente analisa sua produção científica, enfatizando as pesquisas realizadas após o seu doutorado, concluído em 2009. Trata-se de uma série de 17 artigos versando sobre gráficos de controle para o monitoramento de processos univariados e multivariados. Com relação à processos univariados, a docente investigou o desempenho dos gráficos de controle autocorrelacionados e também com regras especiais de decisão. Com relação à processos multivariados, propôs novas estatísticas para o monitoramento do vetor de médias e/ou da matriz de covariâncias e, mais recentemente, vem investigando o desempenho dos gráficos de controle para o monitoramento de processos multivariados autocorrelacionados, com e sem regras especiais de decisão / Abstract: The author analysis yours scientific production, focusing on the research published after the conclusion of her doctorate, in 2009. It is a set of 17 articles about control charts for monitoring univariate and multivariate processes. Regarding univariate processes, the author investigated the performance of autocorrelated control charts and control charts with special runs rules. Regarding multivariate processes, the author proposed new statistics for monitoring the mean vector and/or the covariance matrix, and recently, has been investigating the performance of the control charts for monitoring multivariate autocorrelated processes, with or without special runs rules

Energy efficiency stands out with its potential to address a number of challenges that today's electric utilities face, including increasing and changing electricity demand, shrinking operating capacity, and decreasing system reliability and flexibility. Being the least cost and least risky alternative, the share of energy efficiency programs in utilities' energy portfolios has been on the rise since the 1980s, and their increasing importance is expected to continue in the future. Despite holding great promise, the ability to determine and invest in only the most promising program alternatives plays a key role in the successful use of energy efficiency as a utility-wide resource. This issue becomes even more significant considering the availability of a vast number of potential energy efficiency programs, the rapidly changing business environment, and the existence of multiple stakeholders. This dissertation introduces hierarchical decision modeling as the framework for energy efficiency program planning in electric utilities. The model focuses on the assessment of emerging energy efficiency programs and proposes to bridge the gap between technology screening and cost/benefit evaluation practices. This approach is expected to identify emerging technology alternatives which have the highest potential to pass cost/benefit ratio testing procedures and contribute to the effectiveness of decision practices in energy efficiency program planning. The model also incorporates rank order analysis and sensitivity analysis for testing the robustness of results from different stakeholder perspectives and future uncertainties in an attempt to enable more informed decision-making practices. The model was applied to the case of 13 high priority emerging energy efficiency program alternatives identified in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. The results of this study reveal that energy savings potential is the most important program management consideration in selecting emerging energy efficiency programs. Market dissemination potential and program development and implementation potential are the second and third most important, whereas ancillary benefits potential is the least important program management consideration. The results imply that program value considerations, comprised of energy savings potential and ancillary benefits potential; and program feasibility considerations, comprised of program development and implementation potential and market dissemination potential, have almost equal impacts on assessment of emerging energy efficiency programs. Considering the overwhelming number of value-focused studies and the few feasibility-focused studies in the literature, this finding clearly shows that feasibility-focused studies are greatly understudied. The hierarchical decision model developed in this dissertation is generalizable. Thus, other utilities or power systems can adopt the research steps employed in this study as guidelines and conduct similar assessment studies on emerging energy efficiency programs of their interest.

Abstract not available

Flexible approaches for eliciting preferences of decision makers involved in a conflict are developed along with applications to real-world disputes. More specifically, two multiple criteria decision making approaches are proposed for capturing the relative preferences of a decision maker participating in a conflict situation. A case study in logistics concerned with the conflict arising over the expansion of port facilities on the west coast of North America as well as a transportation negotiation dispute are used to illustrate how these approaches can be integrated with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution, a practical conflict analysis methodology. Ascertaining the preferences of the decision makers taking part in a conflict constitutes a key element in the construction of a formal conflict model. In practice, the relative preferences, which reflect each decision maker’s objectives or goals in a given situation, are rather difficult to obtain. The first method for preference elicitation is to integrate an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) preference ranking method with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution. The AHP approach is used to elicit relative preferences of decision makers, and this preference information is then fed into a graph model for further stability analyses. The case study of the Canadian west coast port congestion conflict is investigated using this integrated model. Another approach is based on a fuzzy multiple criteria out-ranking technique called ELECTRE III. It is also employed for ranking states or possible scenarios in a conflict from most to least preferred, with ties allowed, by the decision maker according to his or her own value system. The model is applied to a transportation negotiation dispute between the two key parties consisting of shippers and carriers.

Flexible approaches for eliciting preferences of decision makers involved in a conflict are developed along with applications to real-world disputes. More specifically, two multiple criteria decision making approaches are proposed for capturing the relative preferences of a decision maker participating in a conflict situation. A case study in logistics concerned with the conflict arising over the expansion of port facilities on the west coast of North America as well as a transportation negotiation dispute are used to illustrate how these approaches can be integrated with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution, a practical conflict analysis methodology. Ascertaining the preferences of the decision makers taking part in a conflict constitutes a key element in the construction of a formal conflict model. In practice, the relative preferences, which reflect each decision maker’s objectives or goals in a given situation, are rather difficult to obtain. The first method for preference elicitation is to integrate an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) preference ranking method with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution. The AHP approach is used to elicit relative preferences of decision makers, and this preference information is then fed into a graph model for further stability analyses. The case study of the Canadian west coast port congestion conflict is investigated using this integrated model. Another approach is based on a fuzzy multiple criteria out-ranking technique called ELECTRE III. It is also employed for ranking states or possible scenarios in a conflict from most to least preferred, with ties allowed, by the decision maker according to his or her own value system. The model is applied to a transportation negotiation dispute between the two key parties consisting of shippers and carriers.

The use of architectures for the design, development, and documentation of system-of-systems engineering has become a common practice in recent years. At the same time, acquisition guidance has been recently reformed to move from the bottom-up approach of the Requirements Generation System (RGS) to the top-down approach mandated by the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), which requires the use of DoDAF to support acquisition. Defense agencies have had difficulty adjusting to these new policies, and are struggling to determine how to meet new acquisition requirements. This research has developed the Architecture-based Technology Evaluation and Capability Tradeoff (ARCHITECT) Methodology to respond to these challenges and address concerns raised about the defense acquisition process. The methodology integrates existing tools and techniques for systems engineering and system of systems engineering with several new modeling and simulation tools and techniques developed as part of this research to fill gaps noted in prior CBAs. Additional criteria for the methodology were developed by leveraging lessons learned from similar fields, including management science and cognitive psychology. A suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) mission is used to demonstrate the application of ARCHITECT and to show the plausibility of the approach. Overall, it is shown that the ARCHITECT methodology results in an improvement over current CBAs in the criteria developed here.