It is believed that the critical next step from examinations of operations and the environment is the study of sustainability and supply chains (Linton, Klassen, and Jayaraman (2007)). Environmental quality and preservation as well as meeting the stress of emission reductions is rapidly becoming an important issue for public policy (Wilkinson, Hill, and Gollan (2001)). However, Lambertini and Mantovani (2007) note the disregard, unrelated to regulatory requirements, of research practitioners to the potential benefits of appropriate competition policy measures and consumer pressures (Srivastara (2007)). In addition, a firm’s success, notably, in terms of financial and/or environmental practices, has been tied, in part, to the strength of its ability to coordinate and integrate activities along the entire supply chain (Spekman, Kamauff Jr., and Myhr (1998)), and to effectively implement multicriteria decisionmaking tools to aid in their strategic decisions. I present five essays in this dissertation. For each model I utilize the theory of variational inequalities, derive the formulation, present qualitative properties, and provide numerical examples. The first essay develops the multitiered sustainable supply chain network model with multicriteria decision-making. In the second essay I construct a modeling and computational framework that allows for the determination of optimal carbon taxes applied to electric power plants in the context of electric power supply chain (generation/distribution/consumption) networks. The third essay considers electric power supply chain networks and develops a model of tradable pollution permits in the case of multiple pollutants and spatially distinct receptor points. In the fourth essay, I quantify and assess, from a system-optimized sustainable supply chain network perspective, the environmental effects resulting when a horizontal supply chain integration occurs. In the fifth and final essay, I extend the work of Nagurney (2009) to the multiproduct supply chain network domain to quantify the impacts. This dissertation is heavily based on the following papers: Nagurney, Liu, and Woolley (2006), Nagurney, Liu, and Woolley (2007), Woolley, Nagurney, and Stranlund (2009), Nagurney and Woolley (2009) and Nagurney, Woolley, and Qiang (2009).

Humanitarian relief and aid organizations all over the world implement efforts aimed at recovering from disasters, reducing poverty and promoting human rights. The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a series of quantitative decision models to help address some of the challenges faced by humanitarian logistics. The first study discusses the development of a spreadsheet-based multicriteria scheduling model for a small development aid organization in a South American developing country. Development aid organizations plan and execute efforts that are primarily directed towards promoting human welfare. Because these organizations rely heavily on the use of volunteers to carry out their social mission, it is important that they manage their volunteer workforce efficiently. In this study, we demonstrate not only how the proposed model helps to reduce the number of unfilled shifts and to decrease total scheduling costs, but also how it helps to better satisfy the volunteers’ scheduling preferences, thus supporting long-term retention and effectiveness of the workforce. The purpose of the second study is to develop a decision model to assist in the management of humanitarian relief volunteers. One of the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations is that there exist limited decision technologies that fit their needs while it has also been pointed out that those organizations experience coordination difficulties with volunteers willing to help. Even though employee workforce management models have been the topic of extensive research over the past decades, no work has focused on the problem of managing humanitarian relief volunteers. In this study, we discuss a series of principles from the field of volunteer management and develop a multicriteria optimization model to assist in the assignment of both individual volunteers and volunteer groups to tasks. We present illustrative examples and analyze two complementary solution methodologies that incorporate the decision maker's preferences and knowledge and allow him/her to trade-off conflicting objectives. The third study discusses the development of a decision model for the procurement of goods in humanitarian efforts. Despite the prevalence of procurement expenditures in humanitarian efforts, procurement in humanitarian contexts is a topic that has only been discussed in a qualitative manner in the literature. In our paper, we introduce a two stage decision model with recourse to improve the procurement of goods in humanitarian relief supply chains and present an illustrative example. Conclusions, limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed. / Ph. D.

O planejamento da expansão do sistema elétrico é uma das principais atividades em uma distribuidora de energia elétrica, representando uma grande parcela dos investimentos realizados pelas distribuidoras para atender a demanda dos consumidores e os critérios estabelecidos pela agência reguladora (ANEEL). As empresas buscam o apoio de métodos multicritério no processo decisório de investimento, para otimizar e priorizar, com o intuito de obterem êxito na elaboração de um plano de obras que contemple aspectos técnicos e econômicos. A revisão sistêmica da literatura foi realizada em trabalhos de relevância para o tema em estudo, com auxílio de cinco bases de dados. O referencial teórico, que totaliza 52 publicações, apresenta conceitos teóricos sobre o processo decisório através de métodos multicritério de apoio à decisão, bem como exemplifica, através de aplicações práticas como os métodos estão sendo utilizados na área de energia. Com base nesta revisão foi possível estruturar a aplicação da Teoria da Utilidade Multiatributo (MAUT) em um processo decisório de investimento para fins de planejamento da expansão do sistema de distribuição em uma concessionária distribuidora de energia elétrica. Com a aplicação do método fica evidenciada a importância de um procedimento formal para auxiliar os decisores na hierarquização de forma objetiva dos alimentadores de energia elétrica mais críticos, proporcionando maior clareza e aprendizado em todo o processo de planejamento da expansão do sistema elétrico. Ao final, desenvolveu-se uma ferramenta para tratamento do grande volume de dados, que disponibiliza as informações depuradas para auxiliar na tomada decisão de investimento em ações eficientes, que melhorem a qualidade do fornecimento e atendam o crescimento do sistema. A partir da revisão bibliográfica e com a aplicação do método, oportunidades para estudos futuros foram identificadas. / The expansion planning of the electric system is one of the main activities in an electric energy distributor, representing a large part of the investments made by the distributors to meet the consumer demand and the criteria established by the regulatory agency (ANEEL). The companies seek the support of multi-criteria methods in the investment decision-making process, to optimize and prioritize, in order to succeed in the elaboration of a work plan which contemplates technical and economic aspects. The systemic review of the literature was carried out in current and relevant articles for the subject under study, with the aid of five database sources. The theoretical reference, which totals 52 publications, presents theoretical concepts on the decision process through multicriteria methods of decision support, as well as exemplifies through practical applications how the methods are have been used in the area of energy. Based on this review, it was possible to structure the application of the Multiattribute Utility Theory (MAUT) in an investment decision process for the purpose of planning the expansion of the distribution system in an electric power distribution concessionaire. The application of the method shows the importance of a formal procedure to assist decision makers in the objective hierarchy of the most critical electric power feeders, providing greater clarity and learning throughout the planning process of the expansion of the electric system. In the end, a tool was developed to treat the large volume of data, which provides the purified information to assist in the decision making of investment in assertive actions that improve the quality of supply and meet growth of the system. From the literature review and with the application of the method, opportunities for future studies have been identified.

Submitted by Secretaria Pós de Produção (tpp@vm.uff.br) on 2017-08-01T01:26:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 M2016 - Jose Artur Moraes Vieira.pdf: 2506150 bytes, checksum: 586cf2bf3d9b631d29846fc88be94f0a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-01T01:26:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 M2016 - Jose Artur Moraes Vieira.pdf: 2506150 bytes, checksum: 586cf2bf3d9b631d29846fc88be94f0a (MD5) / As discussões recentes sugerem a utilização de recursos de maneira otimizada, dada a sua escassez cada vez mais presente, sejam ambientais, de prazo, financeiros, políticos ou legais. Tal fato torna a tomada de decisão e planejamento estratégico baseados em cenários futuros uma tarefa complexa, já que dispõe alternativas múltiplas e incertas. Este estudo, então, propõe um modelo para prospecção de cenários apoiado na abordagem de Auxílio Multicritério à Decisão (AMD), considerando obrigatoriamente, fatores políticos, econômicos, sociais, tecnológicos e ambientais, que possa ser utilizado como ferramenta para auxiliar no planejamento estratégico das empresas e aplica-lo em uma empresa de serviços de engenharia, localizada no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A motivação do tema estudado está na possibilidade da aplicação de técnicas AMD no planejamento estratégico. Como resultado foi mostrada a utilidade do modelo proposto visto que possibilitou ao gestor analisar alternativas através da prospecção de futuros realizada. / Recent discussions suggest the use of resources optimally, given their scarcity increasingly present, whether environmental, term, financial, political or legal. This fact makes the decision-making and strategic planning based on future scenarios a complex task, as it has multiple and uncertain alternatives. This study then proposes a model for prospecting scenarios supported in Multicriteria Decision Aid (AMD), considering necessarily political, economic, social, technological and environmental factors, which can be used as an auxiliary tool in strategic planning companies and apply it in an engineering services company located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The motivation of the subject studied is the possibility of applying AMD techniques in strategic planning. As a result was shown the usefulness of the proposed visa that enabled the manager to analyze alternatives over the prospect of future held model.

A educação superior no Brasil exige que as instituições de ensino procurem melhorar suas práticas educacionais, com o objetivo de aumentar a qualidade de seus cursos. Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido um protocolo para avaliação do uso de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem em Instituições de Ensino Superior, com base em uma pesquisa sobre a utilização de ferramentas e recursos de AVA. Para tratamento dos dados do diagnóstico de utilização, são propostas duas metodologias multicritério de apoio à decisão, AHP para obtenção dos pesos dos critérios e Promethee para classificação dos cursos em grupos. Fez-se também uma comparação da aplicação deste protocolo em dois cenários distintos (cenário 1, com o mesmo valor de peso para todos os critérios e o cenário 2, com valores de pesos atribuídos segundo uma das possibilidades encontradas na literatura), de modo a propor alternativas que contribuam para aprimorar as práticas educacionais. / Higher education in Brazil requires that educational institutions seeking to improve their educational practices, in order to increase the quality of their courses. In this work we developed a protocol for evaluating the use of Virtual Learning Environments in Higher Education Institutions. For treatment of data from diagnostic use of two methodologies are proposed multicriteria decision support; AHP to obtain the weights of the criteria for classification of PROMETHEE and courses in groups. There was also a comparison of the implementation of this protocol in two different scenarios (scenario 1, with the same weight for all criteria and scenario 2, with values of weights assigned according to the possibilities found in the literature), in order to propose alternatives that contribute to improve educational practices.

An increasing number of agencies have begun to define sustainability for transportation systems and are taking steps to incorporate the concept into the regional transportation planning process. Planning for sustainable transportation systems should at the very least incorporate their broader impacts on system effectiveness, environmental integrity, economic development, and the social quality of life. This study reviews definitions, performance measures, and evaluation methodologies for transportation system sustainability and demonstrates a framework for incorporating sustainability considerations in transportation planning and decision making. Through a case study using data from the Atlanta Metropolitan Region, the study evaluates competing transportation and land use plans based on a broad range of sustainability parameters using relevant spatial and environmental analyses. A multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method enables the aggregation of individual performance measures into four basic indexes and further into a composite sustainability index based on regional goals and priorities. The value of the indexes lies in their ability to capture the multidimensional nature of sustainability as well as important tradeoffs among the potentially conflicting decision criteria. A decision support tool is proposed to visualize dominance and tradeoffs when evaluating alternatives and to effectively reflect changing regional priorities over time. The proposed framework should help decision makers with incorporating sustainability considerations into transportation planning as well as identifying superior plans for predetermined objectives.

Η επιλογή και η αξιολόγηση προσωπικού είναι ένα σημαντικό πρόβλημα, το οποίο μπορεί να επηρεάσει την αποτελεσματικότητα και την αποδοτικότητα μιας επιχείρησης. Διάφορες ποσοτικές μέθοδοι έχουν προταθεί ως βοήθεια για τη λήψη τέτοιων αποφάσεων. Η παρούσα εργασία παρουσιάζει τα πιο σημαντικά και ευρέως γνωστά μοντέλα, που χρησιμοποιούνται στα πεδία επιλογής και αξιολόγησης προσωπικού. Επικεντρώνεται επίσης σε μια ανάλυση του MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique). Το MACBETH είναι μια πολυκριτηριακή προσέγγιση λήψης αποφάσεων, η οποία απαιτεί μόνο ποιοτικές κρίσεις σε σχέση με τις αξίες και βοηθά τους αποφασίζοντες να ποσοτικοποιήσουν τις διαφορές ελκυστικότητας των επιλογών. Τέλος εφαρμόζουμε αυτή την τεχνική χρησιμοποιώντας το λογισμικό M-MACBETH, χρησιμοποιώντας πραγματικά δεδομένα μεγάλης ελληνικής τράπεζας. / The employee evaluation and selection system is an important problem that can significantly affect the future competiveness and the performance of an organization. Various quantitative methods have been proposed as an aid to such decisions. This work presents the most important and common models, that are used in the employee evaluation and selection area. It also focuses on a comprehensive overview of MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique). MACBETH is a multicriteria decision analysis approach, which requires only qualitative judgements about differences of value to help a decision maker quantify the relative attractiveness of options. Finally, an application of this technique takes place using M-MACBETH software, based on real data from a big Greek bank.

Baigiamajame magistro darbe nagrinėjamos pastato statybos vietos parinkimo problemos, esama situacija Lietuvoje bei užsienyje. Aptarti metodai, kurie gali būti naudojami problemai spręsti. Išnagrinėti veiksniai, turintys įtakos parenkant pastato statybos vietą. Parinkti vietos parinkimą lemiantys rodikliai bei suformuoti jų nustatymo algoritmai. Remiantis turimais duomenimis sudarytas pastato statybos vietos parinkimo modelis. Taikant projektų daugiakriterinio kompleksinio proporcingo įvertinimo metodą parenkama daugiabučio gyvenamojo pastato statybos vieta. Išnagrinėjus teorinius ir praktinius pastato statybos vietos parinkimo aspektus, pateikiamos baigiamojo darbo išvados ir siūlymai. / The objective of final paper of master studies is to create the model of building lot selection. In this paper there are studying the problems of building lot selection, the present situation in Lithuania and abroad in this issue, giving the methods that could be used to solve these problems. Defining the factors, which influence the building lot selection, there are giving the rates that have influence on building lot selection, and there are giving the structure of estimation algorithms of these rates. According to the method of multi criteria integrated proportional evaluation of the projects, there are selected the building lot of the residential block of flats. Analyzing the academic and practical aspects of building lot selection, in the end of the work there are giving conclusions and proposals.

The purpose of this study is to prepare a geotechnical microzonation map regarding the suitability of the residential areas in EskiSehir downtown area. In order to obtain the microzonation map, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) based Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is used. For this analysis, the slope, flood susceptibility, soil, depth to groundwater table, swelling potential and liquefaction potential layers are prepared. The weight values to the layers and rank values to the classes of each layer are assigned by applying Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methods. Two geotechnical microzonation maps are obtained as outputs of these methods. The study area is categorized into three different zones regarding the foundation suitability of residential areas as: (1) Areas suitable for settlement / (2) Provisional settlement areas / (3) Areas requiring detailed geotechnical investigations. The maps prepared using SAW and AHP methods are found to be consistent with each other. The geotechnical microzonation map prepared using AHP method is recommended as the final map of the study area.

Σήμερα, ίσως περισσότερο από κάθε άλλη περίοδο στο παρελθόν, η ποιότητα έχει αναδειχθεί ως η ουσιώδης προϋπόθεση επιβίωσης των προϊόντων και των υπηρεσιών. Ο γκουρού της ποιότητας E.W. Deming το 1980 έγραφε: «Στο τέλος του αιώνα θα υπάρχουν δύο είδη επιχειρήσεων. Αυτές που εφαρμόζουν Συστήματα Ολικής Ποιότητας και εκείνες που δεν θα υπάρχουν πλέον στον επιχειρηματικό χώρο». Ο αφορισμός αυτός ίσως ακούγεται υπερβολικός. Το γεγονός όμως ότι ζούμε σε ένα έντονα ανταγωνιστικό και παγκοσμιοποιημένο περιβάλλον, ιδιαίτερα σε μια τέτοια περίοδο οικονομικής κρίσης, κάνει κατανοητό πως το κλειδί για την επιβίωση και την αποτελεσματικότητα των επιχειρήσεων είναι η υψηλή ποιότητα των προϊόντων και των υπηρεσιών που παρέχουν και η σύνδεση τους με την ικανοποίηση του πελάτη. Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι, αφενός, η μελέτη εκείνων των μοντέλων χωροθέτησης που αφορούν την κάλυψη της ζήτησης των προϊόντων / υπηρεσιών και αφετέρου η ενσωμάτωση, σε αυτά, της ποιότητας ως χαρακτηριστικό των εγκαταστάσεων που πρόκειται να χωροθετηθούν. / The purpose of this thesis is to describe the facility location models regarding to the demand covering of products and services and to integrate quality as a characteristic of the facilities.