Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

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Two interesting challenges have been created in the traditional transportation planning process through recent adoption of more interactive roles by Federal, State and local transportation agencies and of those representing the communities being impacted by proposed transportation projects. First, the decision-making groups that formerly included solely transportation and related professionals now consist of professionals from state and local agencies and other stakeholders impacted by those proposed projects. Furthermore, the economic justification methodologies commonly used, such as the benefit/cost ratio, no longer provide a sufficient means for evaluation since they now must take account of non-quantifiable or qualitative impacts, such as local quality of life and sustainable development. These new challenges require a new way of thinking, and a new methodology to handle them. A new methodology is required not only to take qualitative performances into consideration, but also to accommodate the diversities created by those in the decision-making process. This research focuses on the alternative evaluation stage as it often demonstrates the above challenges. The objective of the proposed methodology is to develop "a continuous process of learning and understanding through communicative means by virtue of a fair and open framework in developing the group consensus rather than relying solely on the STATUS QUO." The new methodology that combines the advantages of three unrelated components is proposed to reduce the complexities in complex decision situations. The three components include the conflict resolution model (SANTA), the analytical method (AHP), and the group decision support system (GDSS). The proposed methodology also explores a new way to take advantage of the Internet which allows decision makers to make their decisions from any where at any time. A small-scaled pilot study was set up to test the methodology and the software developed according to the framework outlined by the proposed methodology. Many benefits are discovered by the participants' observations without their prior knowledge about the methodology and the software. Those benefits include Flexibility, Accessibility, Transparency, and Efficiency, or FATE. There are two possible applications of this new methodology, i.e., in real-world problem-solving situations and as a learning tool. / Graduation date: 2003

Although everyone knows that rational thinking is so important, people still always make some decisions by irrational emotion. Previous studies of making decisions suggest that decision makers mainly maximize their own profit based on economical principle and also with the ability to assess every decision selection¡¦s benefit and cost. They also indicate that most management level decision makers may use analytical, rational and logical ways to analyze every problem they encounter and when it refers to decision making. In our daily life, what do we exactly conform to the suggestion of rational decision making theories? Is irrational decision making with emotional involvement consistent with our daily choice and important decision? People make all kinds of decisions no matter they are important or easy decision for himself /herself or for the others. In other word, decisions build up and make up our life, so it is important to understand what kind of factors affects our step of decision making. Through reviewing of the essays and theses, induction of the interview information, we realize rational and irrational factors intervene into the process of decision making. In terms to decision making, we choose ¡§marriage¡¨ as our research scope, discuss rational and irrational factor affect decision makers¡¦ thinking through the four step of decision making: information collection, development of programs, selection of program and implementation of program. In the step of information collection, individual will search for rational consideration and irrational element. Decision maker will make the decision and influence by irrational factors which include affection, emotion and feeling. When it comes to implementation, some ideas emerge in their mind.

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This thesis evaluates how industrial product firms screen new product ideas. Its aims are to investigate: (1) the evaluative dimensions used when assessing proposals, (2) how these criteria relate to screening decisions and (3) how new product environments--market, product and firm--affect this decision model. / A two stage research approach involved: (1) the establishment of new product screening attributes relevant to industrial product firms and (2) a reassessment by managers of recently screened new product ideas (accepts and rejects) in terms of these attributes. / Managers' new product screening decisions supported the hypothesized decision model. Nine of the eleven composite dimensions characterizing new industrial products, were key determinants in explaining screening decisions. These dimensions were further classified according to: (1) four basic criteria categories, (2) the basic risk/return investment model and (3) the screening role played by each. Moreover, the project environment, particularly its market, had a significant influence on the screening model. The results have implications for developing operationally more effective screening approaches.

The high school to college transition may be especially influential in creating feelings of social loneliness in adolescents. Failure to establish social structures may lead to feelings of loneliness and an increased need for social approval from their peers in the new environment. It was therefore predicted that the more lonely a student is, the more likely he/she would look for approval from others and the more likely he/she would acquiesce to a decision to participate in unethical actions proposed by peers. This prediction was tested in a sample of 158 female and 133 male college students. The evidence suggests that participants who were the most lonely were most likely to report a willingness to engage in unethical behaviors when encouraged by others. However, contrary to expectations, the need for approval did not mediate the relationship between loneliness and unethical behavior. Gender differences were found in the endorsement of unethical behaviors. Male participants were more likely to report a willingness to engage in unethical acts than were female participants. / Department of Psychological Science

Bi-level programming techniques are developed for decentralized decision problems with decision makers located in a two-level decision making system; the upper decision maker is termed the leader while the lower is the follower. Both the leader and the follower try to optimise their own objective functions and the corresponding decisions do not control but do affect those of the other level. This research aims at solving bi-level decision problems with five extensions, i.e. multiple leaders/followers/objectives, fuzzy coefficients and goals. By using particle swarm optimisation and/or cut set and/or goal programming and/or Nash equilibrium concept, related mathematical models and corresponding algorithms are developed to solve fuzzy linear bi-level decision problems, fuzzy linear multi-objective bi-level decision problems, fuzzy linear multi-follower multi-objective bi-level decision problems, fuzzy linear goal bi-level decision problems, multi-leader one-follower bi-level decision problems, one-leader multi-follower bi-level decision problems, and multileader multi-follower bi-level decision problems. A fuzzy bi-level decision support system is then developed which implements all the algorithms to support bi-level decision making with different features. Finally, by using these bi-level models and algorithms, we explore possible applications in the fields of railway train set organisation, railway wagon flow management, strategic bidding in the electricity market, and supply chains to solve real world bi-level decision problems. The results of experiments show that the models and algorithms are effective for solving real world bi-level decision problems.