Neste trabalho é apresentado um breve estudo sobre o processo de descoberta de conhecimento em banco de dados, com enfoque na etapa de mineração de dados através de regras de associação. Propostas por Agrawal em 1993, num estudo chamado análise de cesta de mercado, as regras de associação representam que com um certo grau de suporte e confiança um conjunto de itens pode estar presente numa transação visto que outro conjunto está presente. A necessidade de análise semelhante às realizadas por Agrawal surgiu em outros campos e estas foram estendidas a outras aplicações. Neste, são apresentadas as principais variações sobre o tema regras de associação encontradas na literatura. É proposta a mineração de dados através de regras de associação sobre filtros de mensagens e canais de informação do software de catálogo, agenda e correio eletrônico Direto. Para as pesquisas são utilizadas três ferramentas: Intelligent Miner, CBA e Magnus Opus. Elas foram aplicadas sobre uma lista de discussão da Linguagem Java, pois o projeto Direto ainda não possui mensagens públicas. As ferramentas possuem características distintas: o Intelligent Miner permite a definição de hierarquias sobre os dados que serão minerados; o Magnus Opus trabalha com diversos filtros e com a definição de intervalos para o tratamento de campos numéricos; o CBA permite que sejam especificados suportes múltiplos para os itens. / This work presents a brief review about knowledge discovery in database having association rules as the data mining process. Association rules were proposed by Agrawal in 1993 in a basket data analysis. Association rules have been extended to other applications because there is a necessity for similar Agrawal’s analysis in different domains. Here are presented some variations proposed in the literature about association rules along with the main algorithms. This work proposes the use of association rules over message filters and information channels from the Direto, which is a catalog, schedule and e-mail software. Three data mining tools were used: Intelligent Miner, CBA and Magnus Opus. They were applied over a Java discussion list because Direto project does not have public messages. Each tool has distinct features: Intelligent Miner allows to define a hierarchy over the data that will be mined; Magnus Opus works with many filters over the data and permits to define ranges over numeric fields and CBA allows to specify multiple minimum support over the items.

Ett företag som ska välja mellan olika investeringsalternativ kan använda sig av nettonuvärdesmetoden för att beräkna vilken investering som anses mest lönsam. För att genomföra uträkningen prognostiseras framtida positiva kassaflöden som investeringen förväntas generera. Nettonuvärdesmetoden kan även användas vid bedömningar av infrastrukturinvesteringar men för den offentliga sektorn är de positiva kassaflödena inte lika frekventa i investeringsprocessen. För den offentliga sektorn är det istället befolkningens nytta av en investering som värderas. Nyttan är från början kvalitativ och värderas monetärt med hjälp av kalkylvärden, kalkylprinciper, trafikprognoser och andra verktyg. En monetär värdering av nytta gör att en nettonuvärdesuträkning blir möjlig. För att genomföra omformuleringen används en metod som kallas Cost-Benefit Analysis. Genom metoden identifieras de kvalitativa effekterna av en investering för att de sedan ska kunna kvantifieras. Studiens undersökningsenhet är Trafikverket som utvecklar och underhåller det Svenska transportsystemet. Studien har identifierat vilka värden Trafikverket kvantifierar i sin nettonuvärdesuträkning, vilka faktorer som ligger bakom värderingen och hur kvantifieringen går till. Det är nyttan i form av sparad tid, trafiksäkerhet och konsekvenser för miljö som kvantifieras. Undersökningen har skett genom insamling av teori i form av vetenskapliga artiklar samt rapporter och den empiriska utgångspunkten har varit de rekommendationer och den beräkningsmetodik som Trafikverket använder sig av vid den monetära värderingen. Värderingen av nytta som genereras av en investering är beroende av befolkningens betalningsvilja för ökad nytta. Det är den betalningsviljan som är grunden för de rekommendationer som Trafikverket följer. Resultatet har visat de faktorer som är grunden för värderingen, vilka värden som kvantifieras och hur kvantifieringen är möjlig, för att Trafikverket ska kunna använda nettonuvärdesmetoden för att göra en bedömning angående ett investeringsalternativ. / When a company decides which project to invest in among different alternatives they can use the net present value method. The method uses the expected generation of cash flow from the different investments in order to determine which investment would generate the most profit for the company. The net present value method can also be used by the public sector to decide between different projects. The public sector does not consider the same aspects with regards to cash flows as companies. The public sector calculates future cash flows in terms of benefits and costs for the countries population. The benefits from an investment are qualitative from the start and need to be monetized in order to be used in the net present value calculation. The quantification of the qualitative effects is accomplished though calculation values, calculation principles, traffic forecasts and other applications. To be able to facilitate the transformation the public sector can use a method called Cost-Benefit Analysis. The method makes it possible to identify the qualitative effects of an investment and then translate the effects to quantity values. A case study has been made with the Swedish Transport Administration as investigation unit, which is the organization that develops and maintains the Swedish transportation system. The case study has resulted in an identification of which values the Swedish Transport Administration decides to monetize, which aspects the values depends on and how the monetization is made. It is the benefits of saved travel time, value of a statistical life and environmental effects that are monetized. The theoretical part of the study is composed of scientific journals and reports. The empirical part of the study has been founded in the different recommendations and calculation methods which the Swedish Transport Administration uses to perform the monetization. The valuation of the benefits generated from a project is dependent on the populations’ willingness to pay for it. It is the willingness to pay which is the foundation of the recommendations which the Swedish Transport Administration adhere to. The results have shown the different aspects which are the foundation for the valuation. The results have also shown which values are quantified and how the quantification is possible to enable the Swedish Transport Administration to use the net present value method in order to judge different investment alternatives.

Currently several disparate and incomplete approaches are being used to analyse and make decisions on the complex methodology of carbon capture and storage (CCS). A literature review revealed that, as CCS is a new and complex technology, there is no agreed-upon thorough assessment method for high-level CCS decisions. Therefore, a risk model addressing these weaknesses was created for assessing complex CCS decisions using a multi-criteria decision analysis approach (MCDA). The model is aimed at transparently and comprehensively assessing a wide variety of heterogeneous CCS criteria to provide insights into and to aid decision makers in making CCS-specific decisions. The risk model includes a variety of tools to assess heterogeneous CCS criteria from the environmental, social, economic and engineering fields. The model uses decision trees, sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation in combination with utility curves and decision makers’ weights to assess decisions based on data and situational uncertainties. Elements in the model have been used elsewhere but are combined here in a novel way to address CCS decisions. Three case studies were developed to run the model in scenarios using expert opinion, project-specific data, literature reviews, and engineering reports from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Europe. In collaboration with Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, a pilot study was conducted with CCS experts in Alberta to assess how they would rank the importance of CCS criteria to a project selection decision. The MCDA model was run using experts’ criteria weights to determine how CCS projects were ranked by different experts. The model was well received by the CCS experts who believed that it could be adapted and commercialized to meet many CCS decision problems. The survey revealed a wide range in experts’ understanding of CCS criteria. Experts also placed more emphasis on criteria from within their field of expertise, although economic criteria dominated weights overall. The results highlight the benefit of a model that clearly demonstrates the trade-offs between projects under uncertain conditions. The survey results also revealed how simple decision analyses can be improved by including more transparent methods, interdisciplinary criteria and sensitivity analysis to produce more comprehensive assessments.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um breve estudo sobre o processo de descoberta de conhecimento em banco de dados, com enfoque na etapa de mineração de dados através de regras de associação. Propostas por Agrawal em 1993, num estudo chamado análise de cesta de mercado, as regras de associação representam que com um certo grau de suporte e confiança um conjunto de itens pode estar presente numa transação visto que outro conjunto está presente. A necessidade de análise semelhante às realizadas por Agrawal surgiu em outros campos e estas foram estendidas a outras aplicações. Neste, são apresentadas as principais variações sobre o tema regras de associação encontradas na literatura. É proposta a mineração de dados através de regras de associação sobre filtros de mensagens e canais de informação do software de catálogo, agenda e correio eletrônico Direto. Para as pesquisas são utilizadas três ferramentas: Intelligent Miner, CBA e Magnus Opus. Elas foram aplicadas sobre uma lista de discussão da Linguagem Java, pois o projeto Direto ainda não possui mensagens públicas. As ferramentas possuem características distintas: o Intelligent Miner permite a definição de hierarquias sobre os dados que serão minerados; o Magnus Opus trabalha com diversos filtros e com a definição de intervalos para o tratamento de campos numéricos; o CBA permite que sejam especificados suportes múltiplos para os itens. / This work presents a brief review about knowledge discovery in database having association rules as the data mining process. Association rules were proposed by Agrawal in 1993 in a basket data analysis. Association rules have been extended to other applications because there is a necessity for similar Agrawal’s analysis in different domains. Here are presented some variations proposed in the literature about association rules along with the main algorithms. This work proposes the use of association rules over message filters and information channels from the Direto, which is a catalog, schedule and e-mail software. Three data mining tools were used: Intelligent Miner, CBA and Magnus Opus. They were applied over a Java discussion list because Direto project does not have public messages. Each tool has distinct features: Intelligent Miner allows to define a hierarchy over the data that will be mined; Magnus Opus works with many filters over the data and permits to define ranges over numeric fields and CBA allows to specify multiple minimum support over the items.

Context: Exploratory Testing (ET) and Scripted Testing (ST) are two of the more commonly practiced manual testing approaches in industry. ST is a traditional testing approach in which testing is carried out by executing pre-designed test cases. While in ET, learning, test designing and test execution are carried out simultaneously. In many instances, ET and ST complement each other very well in projects; however, proponents of ET claim that ET is more cost-beneficial in comparison to ST. Moreover, a few studies have indicated that ET is more effective in defect detection. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted to compare the costs and benefits of these two approaches. Objectives: The aim of this study was to conduct a qualitative Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) of ET in comparison with ST. By comparing and analyzing these two testing approaches, this study attempts to aid in decision-making with respect to how resources should be allocated for ET and ST for certain projects. Methods: The factors of costs and benefits of ET and ST were identified by conducting six semi-structured interviews in industry. Based on the analysis of these factors, a CBA model is proposed. The academic and industrial evaluation of the proposed CBA model was performed by conducting five interviews with researchers and practitioners. In addition, a qualitative CBA of a process of ET, Session-Based Testing Management (SBTM), and a process of ST, Test-Case Based Testing (TCBT) is conducted by collecting data through questionnaires and interviews with industry practitioners. A total of 22 questionnaire responses and seven interviews were analyzed. Results: By analyzing the identified cost and benefit factors, a CBA model was developed based on the testing phases stated in the ISO/IEC 29119 standard. A qualitative CBA of the SBTM process in comparison with the TCBT process was conducted by applying the CBA model in a questionnaire. The following findings were gathered from the CBA: • The differences of the SBTM and TCBT processes are identified by an analysis of the activities performed in various organizations, which the respondents belonged to. • The results of the analysis and comparison, of the costs (in terms of effort) and benefits (quality of the testing activities) of these two testing processes, are presented with respect to each testing phase. • The factors that impact the costs and benefits of using SBTM and TCBT, are summarized and discussed in this report. • The scenarios, in which SBTM and TCBT can be more cost-beneficial, are identified based on practitioners’ opinions. Conclusions: According to the survey results, industry practitioners consider SBTM as more cost-beneficial in comparison with TCBT, particularly in the test design, implementation and test execution phases. However, industry practitioners also stressed that ET should not be considered as a replacement for ST. In some contexts, testing objectives are better achieved through a more scripted approach, while, in other contexts, testing objectives will benefit more from the ability to create and improve tests as they are being executed. Whether a testing approach is valuable or cost-beneficial also depends on the context of project and the required benefits.

The thesis is devoted to an evaluation of social and economic benefit, which is produced by major international sport event. Particular costs and benefits of the alpine skiing World Cup competitions held in Czech Republic are described and evaluated, using standard tools of investment project evaluation. Applied procedure arises from CBA (cost benefit analysis) methodology. All important effects of the analysed sport event are expressed as an amount in the form of money. Based on the values of selected indicators is then pronounced a concluding verdict, if the project is acceptable or not.

This paper tries to answer the question related to the implementation of one of Europe's most influential EU-directives, the Water Framework Directive. The Directive requires Member States to achieve good ecological potential and good surface water chemical status for bodies of water until year 2015. If the states cannot achieve those objectives within this period, then there may be grounds for exemptions from the requirement to prevent further deterioration of to achieve good status under specific conditions. One of those conditions could be that, the completing the improvements within the timescale would be disproportionately expensive. Question which is examined in this paper is, what criteria would be most appropriate for determining the disproportionate costs. Based on the review of most WFD-related studies and EU legislation are selected criteria, which should be used for the assessment of the disproportionate costs.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um breve estudo sobre o processo de descoberta de conhecimento em banco de dados, com enfoque na etapa de mineração de dados através de regras de associação. Propostas por Agrawal em 1993, num estudo chamado análise de cesta de mercado, as regras de associação representam que com um certo grau de suporte e confiança um conjunto de itens pode estar presente numa transação visto que outro conjunto está presente. A necessidade de análise semelhante às realizadas por Agrawal surgiu em outros campos e estas foram estendidas a outras aplicações. Neste, são apresentadas as principais variações sobre o tema regras de associação encontradas na literatura. É proposta a mineração de dados através de regras de associação sobre filtros de mensagens e canais de informação do software de catálogo, agenda e correio eletrônico Direto. Para as pesquisas são utilizadas três ferramentas: Intelligent Miner, CBA e Magnus Opus. Elas foram aplicadas sobre uma lista de discussão da Linguagem Java, pois o projeto Direto ainda não possui mensagens públicas. As ferramentas possuem características distintas: o Intelligent Miner permite a definição de hierarquias sobre os dados que serão minerados; o Magnus Opus trabalha com diversos filtros e com a definição de intervalos para o tratamento de campos numéricos; o CBA permite que sejam especificados suportes múltiplos para os itens. / This work presents a brief review about knowledge discovery in database having association rules as the data mining process. Association rules were proposed by Agrawal in 1993 in a basket data analysis. Association rules have been extended to other applications because there is a necessity for similar Agrawal’s analysis in different domains. Here are presented some variations proposed in the literature about association rules along with the main algorithms. This work proposes the use of association rules over message filters and information channels from the Direto, which is a catalog, schedule and e-mail software. Three data mining tools were used: Intelligent Miner, CBA and Magnus Opus. They were applied over a Java discussion list because Direto project does not have public messages. Each tool has distinct features: Intelligent Miner allows to define a hierarchy over the data that will be mined; Magnus Opus works with many filters over the data and permits to define ranges over numeric fields and CBA allows to specify multiple minimum support over the items.

Diploma thesis deals with analysis of completion of plaza in the city centre, determination of it´s cash-flow and economic efficiency and afterwards the work determinate the costs and benefits of the investment for city district of Nitra and for it´s inhabitans in comparison to currently approved variant. Theorethical part of work descripe the basic terms, methods and theory that will be used in the practical part of work Practical part of work look to potentionally real project, specify its cashflow and efficiency and also relative externalities, costs and benefits for city district.

The diploma thesis is focused on evaluation of the economic efficiency of investment projects of transport infrastructure in the Czech Republic. These projekcts are evaluated according to the methodological documents of the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure and thr Directorate of Roads and Motorways of the Czech Republic. The diploma thesis also deals with the comparison od individual methodological procedures and their influence on the resulting indicators of economic efficiency of transport infrastructure condtructions.