A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm-based soft computing model for educational data mining

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a soft computing model based on multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA), namely, modified micro genetic algorithm (MmGA) coupled with a decision tree (DT)-based classifier, in classifying and optimising the students’ online interaction activities as classifier of student achievement. Subsequently, the results are transformed into useful information that may help educator in designing better learning instructions geared towards higher student achievement. Design/methodology/approach A soft computing model based on MOEA is proposed. It is tested on benchmark data pertaining to student activities and achievement obtained from the University of California at Irvine machine learning repository. Additional, a real-world case study in a distance learning institution, namely, Wawasan Open University in Malaysia has been conducted. The case study involves a total of 46 courses collected over 24 consecutive weeks with students across the entire regions in Malaysia and worldwide. Findings The proposed model obtains high classification accuracy rates at reduced number of features used. These results are transformed into useful information for the educational institution in our case study in an effort to improve student achievement. Whether benchmark or real-world case study, the proposed model successfully reduced the number features used by at least 48 per cent while achieving higher classification accuracy. Originality/value A soft computing model based on MOEA, namely, MmGA coupled with a DT-based classifier, in handling educational data is proposed.

Download Full-text

An areal openness model (AOM) for quantifying the “openness” of floor plans

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ◽

10.1108/ijbpa-04-2020-0032 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Zoraya Roldán Rockow ◽

Brandon E. Ross

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Floor Plan ◽

Existing Buildings ◽

Content Type ◽

Alternative Plan ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Reasonable Approach ◽

Floor Plans

PurposeThis paper aims to describe and demonstrate a quantitative areal openness model (AOM) for measuring the openness of floor plans. Creation of the model was motivated by the widely reported but rarely quantified link between openness and adaptability.Design/methodology/approachThe model calculates values for three indicators: openness score (OS), weighted OS (WOS) and openness potential (OP). OS measures the absence of obstructions (walls, chases, columns) that separate areas in a floor plan. WOS measures the number of obstructions while also accounting for the difficulty of removing them. OP measures the potential of a floor plan to become more open. Indicators were calculated for three demolished case study buildings and for three adapted buildings. The case study buildings were selected because openness – or lack thereof – contributed to the owners' decisions to demolish or adapt.FindingsOpenness indicators were consistent with the real-world outcomes (adaptation or demolition) of the case study buildings. This encouraging result suggests that the proposed model is a reasonable approach for comparing the openness of floor plans and evaluating them for possible adaptation or demolition.Originality/valueThe AOM is presented as a tool for facility managers to evaluate inventories of existing buildings, designers to compare alternative plan layouts and researchers to measure openness of case studies. It is intended to be sufficiently complex as to produce meaningful results, relatively simple to apply and readily modifiable to suit different situations. The model is the first to calculate floor plan openness within the context of adaptability.

Download Full-text

How to evaluate sustainability of supply chains? A dynamic network DEA approach

Industrial Management & Data Systems ◽

10.1108/imds-09-2016-0389 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 117 (9) ◽

pp. 1866-1889 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Vahid Shokri Kahi ◽

Saeed Yousefi ◽

Hadi Shabanpour ◽

Reza Farzipoor Saen

Keyword(s):

Big Data ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Real World ◽

Performance Optimization ◽

Network Dynamic ◽

Network Dea ◽

Content Type ◽

Dea Model ◽

Proposed Model ◽

First Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel network and dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for evaluating sustainability of supply chains. In the proposed model, all links can be considered in calculation of efficiency score. Design/methodology/approach A dynamic DEA model to evaluate sustainable supply chains in which networks have series structure is proposed. Nature of free links is defined and subsequently applied in calculating relative efficiency of supply chains. An additive network DEA model is developed to evaluate sustainability of supply chains in several periods. A case study demonstrates applicability of proposed approach. Findings This paper assists managers to identify inefficient supply chains and take proper remedial actions for performance optimization. Besides, overall efficiency scores of supply chains have less fluctuation. By utilizing the proposed model and determining dual-role factors, managers can plan their supply chains properly and more accurately. Research limitations/implications In real world, managers face with big data. Therefore, we need to develop an approach to deal with big data. Practical implications The proposed model offers useful managerial implications along with means for managers to monitor and measure efficiency of their production processes. The proposed model can be applied in real world problems in which decision makers are faced with multi-stage processes such as supply chains, production systems, etc. Originality/value For the first time, the authors present additive model of network-dynamic DEA. For the first time, the authors outline the links in a way that carry-overs of networks are connected in different periods and not in different stages.

Download Full-text

A bi-level mathematical model for logistic management considering the evolutionary game with environmental feedbacks

The International Journal of Logistics Management ◽

10.1108/ijlm-04-2021-0199 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Peiman Ghasemi ◽

Fariba Goodarzian ◽

Angappa Gunasekaran ◽

Ajith Abraham

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Model ◽

Lagrangian Relaxation ◽

Evolutionary Games ◽

Relaxation Method ◽

Objective Functions ◽

Content Type ◽

Medical Centers ◽

Location Routing ◽

Proposed Model

PurposeThis paper proposed a bi-level mathematical model for location, routing and allocation of medical centers to distribution depots during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The developed model has two players including interdictor (COVID-19) and fortifier (government). Accordingly, the aim of the first player (COVID-19) is to maximize system costs and causing further damage to the system. The goal of the second player (government) is to minimize the costs of location, routing and allocation due to budget limitations.Design/methodology/approachThe approach of evolutionary games with environmental feedbacks was used to develop the proposed model. Moreover, the game continues until the desired demand is satisfied. The Lagrangian relaxation method was applied to solve the proposed model.FindingsEmpirical results illustrate that with increasing demand, the values of the objective functions of the interdictor and fortifier models have increased. Also, with the raising fixed cost of the established depot, the values of the objective functions of the interdictor and fortifier models have raised. In this regard, the number of established depots in the second scenario (COVID-19 wave) is more than the first scenario (normal COVID-19 conditions).Research limitations/implicationsThe results of the current research can be useful for hospitals, governments, Disaster Relief Organization, Red Crescent, the Ministry of Health, etc. One of the limitations of the research is the lack of access to accurate information about transportation costs. Moreover, in this study, only the information of drivers and experts about transportation costs has been considered. In order to implement the presented solution approach for the real case study, high RAM and CPU hardware facilities and software facilities are required, which are the limitations of the proposed paper.Originality/valueThe main contributions of the current research are considering evolutionary games with environmental feedbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and location, routing and allocation of the medical centers to the distribution depots during the COVID-19 outbreak. A real case study is illustrated, where the Lagrangian relaxation method is employed to solve the problem.

Download Full-text

An M/M/C/K queueing system in an inventory routing problem considering congestion and response time for post-disaster humanitarian relief: a case study

Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management ◽

10.1108/jhlscm-12-2020-0119 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Mahdieh Masoumi ◽

Amir Aghsami ◽

Mohammad Alipour-Vaezi ◽

Fariborz Jolai ◽

Behdad Esmailifar

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Inventory Routing ◽

Humanitarian Relief ◽

Exact Methods ◽

Routing Problem ◽

Content Type ◽

Inventory Routing Problem ◽

The People ◽

Proposed Model

PurposeDue to the randomness and unpredictability of many disasters, it is essential to be prepared to face difficult conditions after a disaster to reduce human casualties and meet the needs of the people. After the disaster, one of the most essential measures is to deliver relief supplies to those affected by the disaster. Therefore, this paper aims to assign demand points to the warehouses as well as routing their related relief vehicles after a disaster considering convergence in the border warehouses.Design/methodology/approachThis research proposes a multi-objective, multi-commodity and multi-period queueing-inventory-routing problem in which a queuing system has been applied to reduce the congestion in the borders of the affected zones. To show the validity of the proposed model, a small-size problem has been solved using exact methods. Moreover, to deal with the complexity of the problem, a metaheuristic algorithm has been utilized to solve the large dimensions of the problem. Finally, various sensitivity analyses have been performed to determine the effects of different parameters on the optimal response.FindingsAccording to the results, the proposed model can optimize the objective functions simultaneously, in which decision-makers can determine their priority according to the condition by using the sensitivity analysis results.Originality/valueThe focus of the research is on delivering relief items to the affected people on time and at the lowest cost, in addition to preventing long queues at the entrances to the affected areas.

Download Full-text

A multi-attribute approach to select the best method for repairing river bridge columns

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management ◽

10.1108/ecam-03-2021-0261 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Mitra Salmaninezhad ◽

S. Mahmood Jazayeri Moghaddas

Keyword(s):

Evaluation Criteria ◽

Bridge Columns ◽

Pier Scour ◽

Content Type ◽

Accuracy And Precision ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Research Findings ◽

Multi Attribute Decision Making ◽

Weighing Method

PurposePier scour is one of the main causes of damage to the columns of the river bridges. It is essential to select the best method among various repair methods based on different evaluation indices. However, there is no procedure for ranking these repair methods based on their attributes. The present study seeks to set an approach for this ranking.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) model is presented for ranking the repair techniques, in which alternatives are examined using the most important evaluation criteria. In addition, a combination of entropy and eigenvector methods has been proposed for weighting these attributes. A case study is then used to demonstrate the applicability and the validity of the method.FindingsThe execution of the model using two multi-criteria methods yielded similar results, which confirms its accuracy and precision. Moreover, the research findings showed the consistency of the objective and subjective weighting methods and the conformity of the weights obtained for the attributes from the combination of these methods to the nature of the problem.Originality/valueThe selection of the proper method for repairing the bridge columns plays an essential role in success of the bridge restoration. The proposed model introduces an approach for ranking repair methods and selecting the best one that has not been presented so far. Also, the weighing method for attributes is an innovative method for ranking restoration methods that has been proven in a case study.

Download Full-text

A novel product recommendation model consolidating price, trust and online reviews

Kybernetes ◽

10.1108/k-03-2018-0143 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (6) ◽

pp. 1355-1372 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ying Huang ◽

Nu-nu Wang ◽

Hongyu Zhang ◽

Jianqiang Wang

Keyword(s):

Search Engines ◽

Distance Measure ◽

Fuzzy Theory ◽

Online Reviews ◽

Purchasing Decisions ◽

Neutrosophic Sets ◽

Content Type ◽

Product Recommendation ◽

Proposed Model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for product recommendation to improve the accuracy of recommendation based on the current search engines used in e-commerce platforms like Tmall.com. Design/methodology/approach First, the proposed model comprehensively considers price, trust and online reviews, which all represent critical factors in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Second, the model introduces the quantization methods for these criteria incorporating fuzzy theory. Third, the model uses a distance measure between two single valued neutrosophic sets based on the prioritized average operator to consolidate the influences of positive, neutral and negative comments. Finally, the model uses multi-criteria decision-making methods to integrate the influences of price, trust and online reviews on purchasing decisions to generate recommendations. Findings To demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed model, a case study is conducted based on Tmall.com. The results of case study indicate that the recommendations of our model perform better than those of current search engines of Tmall.com. The proposed model can significantly improve the accuracy of product recommendations based on search engines. Originality/value The product recommendation method can meet the critical challenge from the search engines on e-commerce platforms. In addition, the proposed method could be used in practice to develop a new application for e-commerce platforms.

Download Full-text

Assessment of mixed network processes with shared inputs and undesirable factors

Operations Research and Decisions ◽

10.37190/ord200106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maryam Nematizadeh ◽

Alireza Amirteimoori ◽

Sohrab Kordrostami ◽

Mohsen Vaez-Ghasemi

Keyword(s):

Data Envelopment Analysis ◽

Real World ◽

Network Data ◽

Data Envelopment ◽

Parallel Section ◽

Mixed Network ◽

Weak Disposability ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Shared Inputs

In the real world, there are processes whose structures are like a parallel-series mixed network. Network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) is one of the appropriate methods for assessing the performance of processes with these structures. In the paper, mixed processes with two parallel and series components are considered, in which the first component or parallel section consists of the shared in-puts, and the second component or series section consists of undesirable factors. By considering the weak disposability assumption for undesirable factors, a DEA approach as based on network slack-based measure (NSBM) is introduced to evaluate the performance of processes with mixed structures. The proposed model is illustrated with a real case study. Then, the model is developed to discriminate efficient units.

Download Full-text

Organising to beat the Trade Union Act (2016) voting thresholds: a case study of organising and tactics from the University and College Union

Personnel Review ◽

10.1108/pr-10-2020-0756 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

James Richards ◽

Vaughan Ellis

Keyword(s):

Trade Union ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Best Practice ◽

Content Type ◽

Theoretical Contribution ◽

Proposed Model ◽

College Union ◽

The University ◽

Further Development

PurposeA retrospective action-research case study of one branch of the University and College Union (UCU) is used to show how threshold requirements of the Act can be systematically beaten.Design/methodology/approachThe paper responds to calls for “best practice” on how trade unions may react to member voting threshold requirements of the Trade Union Act 2016 (the Act). A broader aim is to make a theoretical contribution related to trade union organising and tactics in “get the vote out” (GTVO) industrial action organising campaigns.FindingsFindings are presented as a lead organiser's first-hand account of a successful GTVO campaign contextualised in relation to theories of organising. The findings offer “best practice” for union organisers required to beat the Act's voting thresholds and also contribute to theories surrounding trade union organising tactics.Research limitations/implicationsFurther development and adaptation of the proposed model may be required when applied to larger bargaining units and different organising contexts.Practical implicationsThe findings can inform the organising practices/tactics of trade unions in relation to statutory ballots. The findings also allow Human Resource (HR) practitioners to reflect on their approach to dealing with unions capable of mounting successful GTVO campaigns.Social implicationsThe findings have the potential to collectively empower workers, via their trade unions, to defend and further their interests in a post-financial crisis context and in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThis is the first known empirical account of organising to exceed voting thresholds of the Act, providing practical steps for union organisers in planning for statutory ballots. Further value lies in the paper's use of a novel first-hand account of a GTVO campaign, offering a new and first, theoretical model of organising tactics to beat the Act.

Download Full-text

Unlocking the value of HR to drive a change-ready culture

Strategic HR Review ◽

10.1108/shr-05-2017-0032 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 171-176

Author(s):

Campbell Macpherson

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Culture Change ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

World Culture ◽

Content Type ◽

Large Organization ◽

The Real ◽

Personal Experiences

Purpose This paper aims to present a case study focused on developing a change-ready culture within a large organization. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on personal experiences gleaned while driving an organization-wide culture change program throughout a major financial advisory firm. Findings This paper details over a dozen key lessons learned while transforming the HR department from a fragmented, ineffective, reclusive and disrespected department into one that was competent, knowledgeable, enabling and a leader of change. Originality/value Drawing on the real-world culture change intervention detailed here, including results and lessons learned, other organizations can apply similar approaches in their own organizations – hopefully to similar effect.

Download Full-text