The Texas Department of Transportation has been experiencing budget fluctuations in the recent past. These budget fluctuations can have a pronounced effect in the agency’s highway maintenance operations if key maintenance activities must be delayed due to budget constraints. The methodology proposed in this research project aims at reducing the impact of budget fluctuations on highway maintenance by identifying and ranking maintenance activities based on a set of identified maintenance objectives. With the help of maintenance experts from the highway agency, four maintenance objectives were identified and considered for this research project: include Aesthetics, Safety, System Operations and System Preservation. A similar process was conducted to identify the most relevant maintenance activities from a list of over 120 different maintenance functions used by the Texas Department of Transportation. The original list of maintenance functions was reduced by combining similar sub-categories. Ultimately, 16 maintenance functions were identified and included in this research project, representing an average of over 75 percent of the agencies maintenance expenditures between fiscal years 2008 – 2010. These four maintenance objectives and sixteen maintenance functions were then evaluated by maintenance experts from different geographic locations of the state using the Analytical Hierarchy Process to produce an Overall Relative Weight for each maintenance function. This process allowed each evaluator’s judgments and preferences to influence the final weight values and rankings of the maintenance functions. The Overall Relative Weight corresponds to each maintenance sub-category’s component from each maintenance objective and can be defined as the performance risk of not carrying out the maintenance activity. This information can be used by maintenance engineers and administrators, when faced with budget shortfalls, to suspend or reduce maintenance activities that have a lower performance risk in favor of performing activities that have a higher one. This will dampen the impact of budget fluctuations on highway maintenance operations by performing critical maintenance treatments at the expense of less critical. / text

The overbridging aspect of this interpretative master thesis is the implementation of a project prioritizing strategy. The concept is subdivided into three processes and entities, which could be seen as tools; project management office(PMO), project evaluation and project selection, which in turn are discussed separately. The thesis investigates how the tools impact the prioritizing strategy and why a company must follow a certain prioritizing strategy. The primary focus has been an IS/IT department at a large Swedish industrial company. Results from interviews at the industrial company have been compared to current theory. In order to map best practice methods a benchmarking study has been conducted at an auto manufacturer, medical company and a telecom company. When implementing a prioritizing strategy it is vital to have a project methodology in order to streamline the project management itself. Also, a PMO with a controlling objective should focus on the task of verifying project information quality and thus minimizing the information overflow to the decision makers. To continuously improve the project mythology and minimize the secondary failures, project should be evaluated. Prioritizing process should not only be made in the project selection phase but continuously during portfolio life cycle by comparing project relevance to risk. A prioritizing strategy would not only highlight the most important projects in the organization, but also make sure that they also receive highest support. A vision for a well defined prioritizing strategy is having project that consume more resources for a shortened time frame instead of having projects consuming less resources but for a longer time frame.

To provide a more in-depth analysis of potential roadway projects, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) desired a method of evaluating projects according to their economic potential without using potentially costly computer models or excessive data collection. Brigham Young University (BYU) was retained to research and recommend criteria for the economic development criteria in the project-prioritization process. A literature review was first undertaken to better understand the transportation-economic development relationship. Using the literature review, combined with the information from the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), criteria were established to evaluate the economic potential of a roadway project. The criteria were finalized using a Policy Delphi method that included the Research Team and TAC. The four aggregate criteria and one bonus criterion recommended are: 1) population and education; 2) existing infrastructure; 3) economic attractiveness; 4) tourism; and 5) the bonus: economic choke-points, which allows UDOT regions to specify a prioritized list of projects that could help increase the economic development potential of an area if those projects are built. An evaluation framework was also developed for the economic development criteria. Any project that passes the Tier I analysis is recommended to be subjected to the economic analysis of the Tier II process. The researchers recommend that once a list of passing Tier I projects is received, the list should be sent out to any participating in the expert feedback portion of the economic attractiveness scoring as well as to the UDOT regions and districts for choke-point prioritization analysis. All of the databases will be updated to provide the most up-to-date scoring possible. When all of the scores have been assigned, the projects will then be listed by highest to lowest scores. The list will then be compiled by UDOT who will present the information to the Transportation Commission in a manner that will best assist in the decision-making process. The research created a scoring evaluation for each recommended criterion. Each criterion also received a weighting. The scoring and the framework are recommended to UDOT as the economic analysis of the Tier II evaluation. The criteria are recommended to be automated in a geographic information systems (GIS) database to aid in the scoring process.

Volvo’s plant in Umeå has a constant need for development, where to start new activities like projects and investments are important tools, where the competition on the market is increasing. The need for investments are major compared to the resources available, both in terms of human resources and economic resources. The plant needs to prioritize trying to choose what kind of investments are the best for the plant’s future. The problem is that there is a lack of reliable priority model for investments that consider several different parameters. To solve this issue the goal is to create a useful model that can work as a tool to prioritize projects and investments in an appropriate and reliable way. The study began with a literature review to make the researcher approach the subject and gather the knowledge needed for this study. After this, qualitative semi-structured interviews were made with different managers at the plant, to acquire their expertise and knowledge regarding the selection of criteria and their preferences of how the model should work. The next step was to analyze the old model used at the plant, its strengths, and weaknesses. At the same time, constant discussions were held with the supervisor and his manager but as well with the university, mainly through seminars. When the researcher felt he was ready he started to create the new model. There were 30 criteria included in the model, mainly collected through interviews. The large number of criteria collected were sorted into Volvo’s catchwords SQDCEP (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Environmental, People). These were decided to function as the main criteria in the model, and all the 30 criteria were called sub-criteria. The model itself originates from a process called the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). It is an established and wellknown methodology to make prioritizations. Its main idea is to compare every single project against each other which makes the method very thoughtful, solid and probably better than other ones. The conclusion is that the model is complete and should work perfectly to be used for Volvo and other companies in the complex manufacturing industry. Furthermore, the criteria chosen for the model should also be applicable for other similar companies to Volvo, as the criteria are not unique.

Nowadays, organizations are shifting towards project-based management strategies in order to implement more flexible structures that allow them to respond and compete in complex business environments. In this way, project management has been regarded as a valuable competence, providing the organization and its management teams the opportunity to adapt the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to meet project requirements as well as organizational goals. Among the wide array of decisions project managers have to evaluate project selection (PS) and project prioritization (PP) are crucial in order to maximize stakeholder’s value through the effective management and allocation of resources to projects that are in alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives. Moreover, the integration of management techniques, guidelines and practices has also become a necessity for intergovernmental (IGOs) and non-profit organizations (NPOs), especially because they do not possess a conventional bottom line and in most instances, their main goal is rarely profit maximization. Although the main objective of operations of IGOs and NPOs is also success, this is difficult to be defined and evaluated. As a matter of fact, studies related to project management in IGOs and NPOs argue that the literature available has ignored the public good sector to a great extent, since the majority of the portfolio management tools available are tailored for commercial and for-profit organizations (FPOs). Consequently, this study explores the project portfolio management (PPM) process in intergovernmental and non-profit organizations focusing specifically on the decision-making process regarding project selection and prioritization. It provides an understanding of the main criteria these organizations take into consideration when selecting and prioritizing projects and the impact these methodologies have in terms of achieving project and organizational success. In addition, it examines the role of the project management office (PMO) and individual project managers based on their influence on the decisions concerning project selection and prioritization, as well as project success and organizational success. The key findings of this study confirm the relevance of the priorities determined by the main stakeholders as one of the principal criteria for project selection, followed by the allocation of funding and resources and the need for strategic alignment. Furthermore, in terms of determining a ranking among the selection criteria, this study has found that within these organizations all the different requirements encompassed in the selection process should be treated as equal. Additionally, it has been possible to determine that for intergovernmental and non-profit organizations the project selection and project prioritization phases are not isolated from one another; and are in fact treated as on single criteria. Conversely, the findings of this study contradict the proposition that the project management office is highly influential in the decision-making process of IGOs and IGOs; however, it emphasizes the role of the project manager in project and organizational success as highly valuable since they possess the hard and soft project management skills that increase the chances to achieve the organizational goals.

The research focuses on the selection and prioritization of Continuous Improvement (CI)projects in organizations. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing appropriatecriteria for selecting projects that align with an organization's needs, skills, and goals. Thechosen criteria are prioritized to ensure that those are crucial to the overall success and have themost significant influence on project decisions. The criteria are obtained through a literaturereview and interviews with the management team in the company. Finally, six critical criteriaare considered for the organization, Health & Safety, Impact on Customers, Financial Impact,Impact on Business Strategy, Risk of Project, and Project Duration. A survey has beenconducted to weight and prioritize the selected criteria based on their importance by using theAnalytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method.Additionally, the research focuses on the utilization of AHP and Failure Mode and EffectAnalysis (FMEA) in supporting organization project selection. In the following, six CI projectsfrom the organization portfolio are selected to be ranked and weighted based on the criteria’sweight by using the AHP method. The overall weight of each project evaluates as a benefit ofthe project. FMEA, on the other hand, helps identify and address potential failures and risksassociated with projects. By combining AHP and FMEA, organizations can gain acomprehensive understanding of project risks and benefits and make informed decisions onproject selection. To facilitate a holistic understanding, a benefit-risk matrix that integrates theevaluation of both the benefits and risks of the projects is presented. This matrix will serve as avisual representation, enabling decision-makers to assess the trade-offs and make informeddecisions. The final proposed model based on AHP simplifies and organizes the decisionmaking process for the case company and ensures structure and consistency.The overall conclusion highlights the benefits of using the proposed methods, such as improveddecision-making, alignment with organizational goals, and resource optimization. This methodemphasizes the need for a structured approach to project selection and acknowledges thesignificance of risk assessment in project management.

The annual budget cycle in urban road/transport authorities by implication requires transport infrastructure projects to be ranked in terms of their relative value, to enable project selection by starting from the most deserving proposal. This follows from the fact that the total cost of feasible projects practically always exceeds available funds, signalling the need for some kind of selection protocol. Cost benefit analysis (CBA), when applied in a narrow sense, is not suitable for this purpose as it focuses on economic efficiency only. Attempts to broaden it have been criticized by some scholars. Although the diversity of impacts points to a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, this is considered unscientific in certain quarters; at best, its practical value needs to be demonstrated. In the case of the City of Tshwane (CoT), problems with current project appraisal are evident in that different methods – none of which is defensible – are used, sometimes resulting in rankings that are contradictory. This thesis therefore attempts the following: (a) to develop a basic approach that combines the best elements of traditional methods; (b) to customize this approach to the specific context and needs of road authorities in the municipal sphere of government, using CoT as an example; and (c) to demonstrate the application of the resulting appraisal framework, utilizing appropriate decision-support software for this purpose. Recommendations include the following: An appraisal framework should combine CBA and MCA by adopting an overall MCA approach with economic efficiency – focusing on the optimal allocation of scarce resources – as one of the decision criteria. For completeness‟ sake, three additional decision criteria are deemed necessary: equity (focusing on income distribution impacts); sustainability (focusing on environmental impacts); and compatibility (focusing on the alignment of projects with stated goals and objectives). This framework may well apply to road authorities in other spheres of government – the optimum application in each case will depend on the composition of the relevant decision-making team. The inherent nature of project appraisal requires a two-phased approach in all cases: the evaluation of mutually exclusive alternatives, followed by the ranking of independent projects. State-of-the-art decision support software is indispensable for implementing this framework. / Transport Economics / D. Com. (Transport Economics)

A necessidade de investimento em saneamento no Brasil é essencial, pois está vinculada à melhoria da qualidade de vida da sociedade. Os projetos de saneamento exigem altos investimentos e, para garantir a prestação dos serviços, é necessário um sistema complexo de infraestrutura. Os elevados custos envolvidos e a limitação de recursos financeiros fazem com que seja preciso estabelecer prioridades para execução de projetos de saneamento. Com efeito, o objetivo desta pesquisa é propor um modelo multicritério de decisão para apoiar decisões de hierarquia de projetos de abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário. A pesquisa abordada tem enfoque qualitativo, sendo também vista como metodológica, pois sua finalidade é envolver métodos e procedimentos adotados como científicos. Assim, traz como escopo apoiar e estruturar o processo de decisão em que são definidos: os elementos (intervenientes, alternativas potenciais, critérios, problemática); tipos de decisão em grupo; escolha dos métodos multicritérios (PROMETHEE II & GAIA e ELECTRE IV); modelagem de preferência; sistemas de apoio à decisão (D-SIGHT e ELECTRE III-IV); avaliação de resultados e análise de sensibilidade. Procura-se garantir que a pesquisa tenha caráter prático, razão por que foi realizada a aplicação numérica do modelo no contexto da bacia dos rios Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí, região sudeste do Brasil. / The need of investment in water supply and sewage projects in Brazil is substantial to improve the quality of life. These projects require high investments and, mostly, to ensure the provision of these services it is necessary a complex infrastructure. Due to the high costs associated with the lack of resources, it is relevant to prioritize projects. Thus, the purpose of this research is to propose a multicriteria decision model to support decisions hierarchy of water supply and sewage projects. This work has a qualitative and methodological approach; the goal is to inquire a scientific procedure. The object is to structure the decision-making process defined by its main concepts (actors, potential alternatives, criteria, problems), group decision making; selection of multiple criteria methods (PROMETHEE II & GAIA, ELECTRE IV); preference modeling, decision support systems (D-SIGHT and ELECTRE III-IV), evaluation and sensitivity analysis. This study seeks a practical purpose, so the proposed model, is applied in the basin of Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí. The contribution here to aid similar situations where is necessary to establish priorities of sanitation projects.

The annual budget cycle in urban road/transport authorities by implication requires transport infrastructure projects to be ranked in terms of their relative value, to enable project selection by starting from the most deserving proposal. This follows from the fact that the total cost of feasible projects practically always exceeds available funds, signalling the need for some kind of selection protocol. Cost benefit analysis (CBA), when applied in a narrow sense, is not suitable for this purpose as it focuses on economic efficiency only. Attempts to broaden it have been criticized by some scholars. Although the diversity of impacts points to a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, this is considered unscientific in certain quarters; at best, its practical value needs to be demonstrated. In the case of the City of Tshwane (CoT), problems with current project appraisal are evident in that different methods – none of which is defensible – are used, sometimes resulting in rankings that are contradictory. This thesis therefore attempts the following: (a) to develop a basic approach that combines the best elements of traditional methods; (b) to customize this approach to the specific context and needs of road authorities in the municipal sphere of government, using CoT as an example; and (c) to demonstrate the application of the resulting appraisal framework, utilizing appropriate decision-support software for this purpose. Recommendations include the following: An appraisal framework should combine CBA and MCA by adopting an overall MCA approach with economic efficiency – focusing on the optimal allocation of scarce resources – as one of the decision criteria. For completeness‟ sake, three additional decision criteria are deemed necessary: equity (focusing on income distribution impacts); sustainability (focusing on environmental impacts); and compatibility (focusing on the alignment of projects with stated goals and objectives). This framework may well apply to road authorities in other spheres of government – the optimum application in each case will depend on the composition of the relevant decision-making team. The inherent nature of project appraisal requires a two-phased approach in all cases: the evaluation of mutually exclusive alternatives, followed by the ranking of independent projects. State-of-the-art decision support software is indispensable for implementing this framework. / Transport Economics / D. Com. (Transport Economics)

A necessidade de investimento em saneamento no Brasil é essencial, pois está vinculada à melhoria da qualidade de vida da sociedade. Os projetos de saneamento exigem altos investimentos e, para garantir a prestação dos serviços, é necessário um sistema complexo de infraestrutura. Os elevados custos envolvidos e a limitação de recursos financeiros fazem com que seja preciso estabelecer prioridades para execução de projetos de saneamento. Com efeito, o objetivo desta pesquisa é propor um modelo multicritério de decisão para apoiar decisões de hierarquia de projetos de abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário. A pesquisa abordada tem enfoque qualitativo, sendo também vista como metodológica, pois sua finalidade é envolver métodos e procedimentos adotados como científicos. Assim, traz como escopo apoiar e estruturar o processo de decisão em que são definidos: os elementos (intervenientes, alternativas potenciais, critérios, problemática); tipos de decisão em grupo; escolha dos métodos multicritérios (PROMETHEE II & GAIA e ELECTRE IV); modelagem de preferência; sistemas de apoio à decisão (D-SIGHT e ELECTRE III-IV); avaliação de resultados e análise de sensibilidade. Procura-se garantir que a pesquisa tenha caráter prático, razão por que foi realizada a aplicação numérica do modelo no contexto da bacia dos rios Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí, região sudeste do Brasil. / The need of investment in water supply and sewage projects in Brazil is substantial to improve the quality of life. These projects require high investments and, mostly, to ensure the provision of these services it is necessary a complex infrastructure. Due to the high costs associated with the lack of resources, it is relevant to prioritize projects. Thus, the purpose of this research is to propose a multicriteria decision model to support decisions hierarchy of water supply and sewage projects. This work has a qualitative and methodological approach; the goal is to inquire a scientific procedure. The object is to structure the decision-making process defined by its main concepts (actors, potential alternatives, criteria, problems), group decision making; selection of multiple criteria methods (PROMETHEE II & GAIA, ELECTRE IV); preference modeling, decision support systems (D-SIGHT and ELECTRE III-IV), evaluation and sensitivity analysis. This study seeks a practical purpose, so the proposed model, is applied in the basin of Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí. The contribution here to aid similar situations where is necessary to establish priorities of sanitation projects.