Interactive decision support for academic advising

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdallah Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Academic Advising ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Scheduling ◽  
Initial Application ◽  
Interactive Decision Support ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Challenging Tasks ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to support academic advising, which plays a crucial role in student success and retention. The paper focuses on one of the most challenging tasks involved in academic advising: individual course scheduling. This task includes not only careful planning for different courses over several semesters according to students’ preferences and goals but also must conform to many student constraints and administrative regulations, some of which may rely on student-specific cases.. Design/methodology/approach This paper introduces a novel approach that tries to provide meaningful support to decision makers involved in the course scheduling problem. The approach uses optimization algorithms to perform a pro-active analysis of the impact of different problem aspects and eventually suggests a balanced study plan that tries to satisfy both student preferences and advisor recommendations without violating any constraints. Findings An initial application of the proposed system is used to discuss its benefits. Originality/value The paper introduces a novel approach that uses optimization techniques to support making efficient decisions during the academic advising process.

Fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making to identify the order of establishing temporary logistics hubs during disaster response

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajali Maharjan ◽  
Shinya Hanaoka
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Group Decision Making ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Group Decision ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Numerical Illustration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the importance of the order of establishment of temporary logistics hubs (TLHs) when resources (mobile storage units used as TLHs) are limited and to present the development and implementation of a methodology that determines the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making. Design/methodology/approach It employed a decision support system that considers multiple decision makers and subjective attributes, while also addressing the impreciseness inherent in post-disaster decision making for ordering the establishment of TLHs. To do so, an optimization model was combined with a fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making approach. A numerical illustration was performed using data from the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Findings The results showed the location and order of establishment of TLHs, and demonstrated the impact of decision makers’ opinions on the overall ordering. Research limitations/implications The study does not discuss the uncertain nature of the location problem and the potential need for relocation of TLHs. Practical implications This methodology offers managerial insights for post-disaster decision making when resources are limited and their effective utilization is vital. The results highlight the importance of considering the opinions of multiple actors/decision makers to enable coordination and avoid complication between the growing numbers of humanitarian responders during disaster response. Originality/value This study introduces the concept of the order of establishment of TLHs and demonstrates its importance when resources are limited. It develops and implements a methodology determining the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making.

Assessment of jeans sewing thread consumption by applying metaheuristic optimization methods

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Boubaker Jaouachi ◽  
Faouzi Khedher
Keyword(s):  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Shop Floor ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Processing ◽  
Metaheuristic Optimization ◽  
Sewing Thread ◽  
Metaheuristic Methods ◽  
Input Parameters ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis work highlights the optimization of the consumed amount of sewing thread required to make up a pair of jeans using three different metaheuristic methods; particular swarm optimization (PSO), ant colony optimization (ACO) and genetic algorithm (GA) techniques. Indeed, using metaheuristic optimization techniques enable industrialists to reach the lowest sewing thread quantities in terms of bobbins per garments. Besides, the compared results of this research can obviously prove the impact of each input parameter on the optimization of the sewing thread consumption per pair of jeans.Design/methodology/approachTo assess objectively the sewing thread consumption, the optimized sewing conditions such as thread composition, needle size and fabric composition are investigated and discussed. Hence, a Taguchi design was elaborated to evaluate and optimize objectively the linear model consumption. Thanks to its principal characteristics and popularity, denim fabric is selected to analyze objectively the effects of studied input parameters. In addition, having workers with same skills and qualifications to repeat each time the same sewing process will involve having the same sewing thread consumption values. This can occur in some levels such as end of sewing, the number of machine failures, the kind of failure and its complexity, the competency of the mechanic and his way to repair failure, the loss of thread caused by threading and its frequency. Seam repetition due to operator lack of skill will obviously affect clothing appearance and hence quality decision. Interesting findings and significant relationship between input parameters and the amount of sewing thread consumption are established.FindingsAccording to the comparative results obtained using metaheuristic methods, the PSO and ACO technique gives the lowest values of the consumption within the best combination of input parameters. The results show the accuracy of the applied metaheuristic methods to optimize the consumed amount needed to sew a pair of jeans with a notable superiority of both PSO and ACO methods compared to experimental ones. However, compared to GA method, ACO and PSO algorithms remained the most accurate techniques allowing industrials to minimize the consumed thread used to sew jeans. They can also widely optimize and predict the consumed thread in the investigated experimental design of interest. Consequently, compared to experimental results and regarding the low error values obtained, it may be concluded that the metaheuristic methods can optimize and evaluate both studied input and output parameters accurately.Practical implicationsThis study is most useful for denim industrial applications, which makes it possible to anticipate, calculate and minimize the high consumption of sewing threads. This paper has not only practical implications for clothing appearance and quality but also for reduction in thread wastage occurring during shop floor conditions like machine running, thread breakage, repairs, etc. (Kawabata and Niwa, 1991). Unless the used sewing machine is equipped within a thread trimmer improvement in garment seam appearance cannot be achieved. By comparing and analyzing the operating activities of the regular lock stitch 301 machine with and without a thread trimmer, a difference in time processing can be grasped (Magazine JUKI Corporation, 2008). Time consumed in trimming by a lockstitch machine without a thread trimmer equals 3.1 s compared to 2.6 s by a thread trimming one. Hence, the reduction rate in the time processing equals 16.30%. This paper aimed to implement the optimal consumption (thread waste outstanding number of trials). Unless highly skilled workers are selected and well-motivated, the previous recommended changes will not be applied. The saved cost of the sewing thread reduction can be used to buy a better quality of fabric and/or thread. However, these factors are not always the same as they can vary according to customer's requirements because thread consumption is never a standard for sewn product categories such as trousers, shirts and footwear (Khedher and Jaouachi, 2015).Originality/valueUntil now, there is no work dealing with the investigation of the metaheuristic optimization of the consumed thread per pair of jeans to minimize accurately the amount of sewing thread as well as the sewing thread wastage. Even though these techniques of optimization are currently in full development due to some advantages such as generality and possible application to a large class of combinatorial and constrained assignment problems, efficiency for many problems in providing good quality approximate solutions for a large number of classical optimization problems and large-scale real applications, etc., are not applied yet to decrease sewing thread consumption. Some recent published works used statistical techniques (Taguchi, factorial, etc.), to evaluate approximate consumptions; conversely, other geometrical and mathematical approaches, considering some assumptions, used stitch geometry and remained insufficient to give the industrialists an implemented application generating the exact value of the consumed amount of sewing thread. Generally, in the clothing field 10–15% of sewing thread wastage should be added to the experimental approximate consumption value. Moreover, all investigations are focused on the approximative evaluations and theoretical modeling of sewing thread consumption as function of some input parameters. Practically, the obtained results are successfully applied and the ACO method gives the most accurate results. On the other hand, in the point of view of industrialists the applied metaheuristic methods (based on algorithms) used to decrease the amount of consumed thread remained an easy and fruitful solution that can allow them to control the number of sewing thread bobbin per garments.

scholarly journals Co-producing digitally-enabled courses that promote desistance in prison and probation settings

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Morris ◽  
Victoria Knight
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Digital Content ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Offending Behaviour ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Delivery Models

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to set out an approach to innovation in criminal justice settings that gives service users a “voice” through the co-production of digital content designed for services that promote desistance. The authors describe the benefits and challenges of involving service users in co-creating mediated digital content within a co-production framework.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a new methodology for developing desistance-oriented programmes. The authors draw on a distinctive co-production exemplar within a prison setting that captures the perspectives of people who have shared their voices and the authors begin to explore the impact that co-production has had for them and for the service.FindingsThe testimonies of service users involved in this exemplar provide insights into the benefits and challenges of co-production in the criminal justice system more broadly.Practical implicationsCo-production is a credible service design strategy for developing digital services in prisons and probation; Complementary Digital Media (CDM) provides a promising pedagogical approach to promoting desistance; CDM enables service users to share their voice and stories to assist their peers. Digitally enabled courses to promote desistance can be well suited to peer support delivery models.Originality/valueCDM is a novel approach that uses co-production to create highly tailored content to promote desistance in discrete target groups. CDM can be used to digitalise processes within traditional offending behaviour programmes (OBPs). It can also enable the development of innovative toolkit approaches for flexible use within day-to-day therapeutic conversations between service users and criminal justice staff or peer supporters. CDM thereby offers practitioners in criminal justice settings an entirely new set of evidence-informed resources to engage service users.

Stressed decision makers and use of decision aids: a literature review and conceptual model

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 710-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Adya ◽  
Gloria Phillips-Wren
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Decision Aids ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Decision Quality ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Managerial Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Decision making is inherently stressful since the decision maker must choose between potentially conflicting alternatives with unique hazards and uncertain outcomes. Whereas decision aids such as decision support systems (DSS) can be beneficial in stressful scenarios, decision makers sometimes misuse them during decision making, leading to suboptimal outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between stress, decision making and decision aid use. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct an extensive multi-disciplinary review of decision making and DSS use through the lens of stress and examine how stress, as perceived by decision makers, impacts their use or misuse of DSS even when such aids can improve decision quality. Research questions examine underlying sources of stress in managerial decision making that influence decision quality, relationships between a decision maker’s perception of stress, DSS use/misuse, and decision quality, and implications for research and practice on DSS design and capabilities. Findings The study presents a conceptual model that provides an integrative behavioral view of the impact of a decision maker’s perceived stress on their use of a DSS and the quality of their decisions. The authors identify critical knowledge gaps and propose a research agenda to improve decision quality and use of DSS by considering a decision maker’s perceived stress. Originality/value This study provides a previously unexplored view of DSS use and misuse as shaped by the decision and job stress experienced by decision makers. Through the application of four theories, the review and its findings highlight key design principles that can mitigate the negative effects of stressors on DSS use.

Nature-based therapy as a treatment for veterans with PTSD: what do we know?

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorthe Varning Poulsen
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Target Group ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive argument for nature-based therapy (NBT) for veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome. It is the aim to generate an overview of the evidence for NBT to the target group. A review of available scientific literature within the field, has been comprehensively conducted. This work is the foundation for the recommendations to decision makers and politicians. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a conceptual analyses and a general review of the literature. Following steps have been conducted. Based on the research question, relevant work (scientific papers) have been identified using search terms in English within the three areas the target group (veterans), the diagnosis (post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) and treatment (NBT). Study-quality and evidence level have been assessed and discussed. Findings The findings show a wide variation according to the interventions the nature setting, the length and frequency of the NBT session as well as the health outcome measures. The studies demonstrated a positive impact on the PTSD symptoms, quality of life and hope. None of the studies found negative impact of the interventions. Being in a group of other veterans facing the same problems was highlighted as well. Some studies measured the ability to return to workforce for the veterans and found NBT beneficial in that process. Research limitations/implications The limitation of the research due to the methods of identifying studies. The purpose of this was to give an overview of existing literature, and there can be studies, that are not found in this process. Including qualitative and quantitative methods are useful in a process of understanding the impact of NBT for veterans with PTSD. The quantitative studies, which unfortunately are few, can give information of the extent to which the treatment affects the symptoms of PTSD. Seen in the perspective of the burden for the veterans suffering from PTSD and the economic burden for society, the process of synthesizing the research in the field in order to generate a fundament seems necessary. Practical implications This policy papers are useful in order to make recommendations for politicians and decision makers as well as practitioners. Social implications The burden of suffering from PTSD is heavy for the veterans and their family. The society must drive forward the development of new and better evidence-based treatment programs for veterans with PTSD. NBT might be a step in the right direction of this. Originality/value It is well-known that there are an increase in the number of veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Generally the drop-out rate of the veterans is high in conventional treatment and it is found that veterans experience some side effects from medical treatment. NBT is, in existing research, found to have a positive impact on the veterans, and therefore, it should be part of future treatment programs for veterans with PTSD.

Examining confirmation biases: implications of sponsor congruency

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Devlin ◽  
Andrew C. Billings
Keyword(s):  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Expected Return ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fan Identification ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Cognitive Benefits ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate occurrences of confirmation bias existing for sponsors whose brand is congruent to a sport. More specifically, this research investigates: if confirmation biases for congruent brands occur in the absence of exposure, the impact audience segmentation has on sponsorship evaluations by comparing highly identified fans to non-fans, and if congruent sponsors are recalled more often than incongruent sponsors after exposure. Design/methodology/approach An experiment was conducted to measure how exposure, type of sponsor, and fan identification impacts recognition, attitude, and purchase intention. Findings The results confirm sport-congruent brands are more likely to be falsely recognized as a sponsor than non-congruent sponsors in the absence of sponsorship participation. Sport consumers’ confirmation biases yield positive attitudes and purchase intentions for congruent brands even in the absence of immediate exposure. Lastly, exposure has no impact on recall or sponsor outcomes, suggesting the need for articulating the brand’s connection prior to the event to build stronger memory traces. Practical implications Congruent brands should carefully consider investment costs and expected return on investment, noting benefits of participation might be marginal as a result of confirmation biases. Potential sponsors should also understand cognitive benefits begin before exposure to the sponsorship occurs, and therefore need to articulate a connection to the event prior to exposure by consumers. Originality/value The findings suggest the importance of confirmation biases when attempting to reach sport consumers. Some brands may be able to increase recall and recognition even in the absence of exposure, thus helping decision makers when managing budgets.

Factors driving indebtedness among small- and medium-sized dairy companies

2020 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-175
Author(s):  
Alberto Mazzoleni ◽  
Enrica Pollonini
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Financial Structure ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeWe developed a model to demonstrate how multiple interrelated aspects of a firm influence its recourse to third-party financing, which frequently depends on the characteristics of each food production chain.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted an empirical research on a relevant sample of small- and medium-sized Italian dairy firms. Our research methodology is inspired by the grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967).FindingsOur findings illustrated that firm indebtedness is the result of intertwined variables, linked to different firm dimensions, including growth, financial structure and economic dynamics.Research limitations/implicationsA portion of the analysed phenomenon is not explained using the sample and econometric tools.Practical implicationsThere are practical implications for the decision-makers in a firm (in particular, the managers and the shareholders) as the model allows to evaluate the influence of a set of mutually interdependent firm variables for the indebtedness level.Originality/valueFirst, we considered the recourse to third-party financing within the context of the systems theory (Millová and Blatný, 2015) and from the perspective of linked causes and mutually connected variables. Second, our research focussed on a well-defined food chain and on features of firms operating in this context. Last, our model considered the impact of the recent economic crisis, which motivated us to review the existing models.

A game-theoretic model for roadway performance management

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hesham Osman ◽  
Mazdak Nikbakht
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Theoretic Model ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Game Theoretic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Asset Managers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a socio-technical approach to modeling the behavior of roadway users, asset managers, and politicians toward roadway performance and asset management. This approach models the complex interactions that occur between these agents in a complex system. Most modeling approaches in the domain of infrastructure asset management take a purely asset-centric approach and fail to address these socio-technical interactions. Design/methodology/approach – Interactions among political decision makers, asset management strategy developers, and road users are modeled using a game-theoretic approach. The interactions are modeled as a non-cooperative game in which politicians, asset managers, and road users are the main players. Each player is autonomous and aims to come up with the set of moves to maximize their respective level of satisfaction in response to other players’ moves. Multi-attribute utility theory is used to deal with multitude of players’ goals, and the Nash equilibria of the game are south out to develop appropriate strategies for different players. Findings – An illustrative example for a road network of a Canadian city is used to demonstrate the developed methodology. The developed methodology demonstrates how behaviors of various agents involved in the sphere of asset management impacts their collective decision-making behavior. Originality/value – The developed framework provides asset managers and political decision makers with a valuable tool to evaluate the impact of public policy decisions related to asset managers on road performance and the overall satisfaction of road users.

Characterization of metals in air and soil near a steel making plant in the North part of Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena C. Rada ◽  
Marco Ragazzi ◽  
Marco Tubino ◽  
Andrea Gambaro ◽  
Clara Turetta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Best Available Technologies ◽  
The North ◽  
Steel Making ◽  
North Part ◽  
Negative Role ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define suitable tracers that are particularly significant in assessing the impact on the surrounding environment caused by a steel making plant. Design/methodology/approach – The authors focussed on the detection and quantification of inorganic pollutants such as heavy metals in the soil and in the air in the surrounding area of the steel making plant. The presented data, concerning a plant in the North part of Italy, come from an approach that took into account the advantages of different devices and sampling criteria: apart from conventional devices, two kinds of deposimeters have been used (for characterizing either total or wet/dry depositions). Their locations have been chosen taking into account the distance from the plant. Findings – The paper demonstrates that the presence of diffused emissions plays an important (negative) role still today; thus a modern plant should reduce this kind of emission in order to be accepted from the population living in the surroundings. In the analyzed case study, the benefits of adopting the best available technologies can be seen from the temporal variability of the incidence of the plant. Originality/value – The value of the paper is in the support that it can give to decision makers that must manage a steel making plant in an area.

scholarly journals Contractual governance as a source of institutionalised waste in construction

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 550-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Sarhan ◽  
Christine Pasquire ◽  
Emmanuel Manu ◽  
Andrew King
Keyword(s):  
Transaction Cost Economics ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Capital Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contractual Arrangements ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Contractual Governance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The construction industry has been subject to substantial criticism for its short-term “hit-and-run” relationships which are focussed on win-lose situations. Despite the wide recognition of these problems the industry persistently resists the radical demanded of it. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to investigate why this might be the case by reviewing the governance problem confronting clients and decision makers in construction procurement, as conceptualised in transaction cost economics (TCE). Second, to critically analyse and question the efficiency and effectiveness of various safeguarding approaches, which are taken for granted and commonly practiced in construction, from a lean perspective. Design/methodology/approach The analysis of this paper is based on an in-depth critical review of 76 construction procurement and contractual-related articles, ranging from 1994 to 2016, using theories of Lean construction and TCE as an analytical lens. Findings Findings reveal that clients and decision makers often tend to safeguard their project-specific assets, against opportunism and exploitation, through the deployment of formal contractual arrangements and governance structures. These arrangements and structures typically dominate the management of the project delivery often to the detriment of the project itself; but because there is a belief that interests are safeguarded, clients and decision makers feel they have taken the best course of action. This goes a long way to explaining the coherence of the current construction model. Research limitations/implications To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to demonstrate the usefulness of using principles of Lean construction in association with TCE when analysing construction-procurement-related issues. In particular, the use of a “lean” lens helps to expose the impact of procurement governance arrangements on process flow. The study also provides a potential research agenda that can lead to the development of prescriptive conceptual frameworks for causal analysis of institutionalised waste in construction. Practical implications The paper attempts to expose to clients and decision makers the amount of waste (and unnecessary cost) they embed by adhering to prevailing unfit-for-purpose contractual governance approaches. It also helps decision makers to consider alternative procurement arrangements and organisational techniques that could be of value and support collaborative ways of working. Originality/value The study contributes to the overall understanding of waste in construction by providing insight into various imperfect procurement and contractual arrangements, which are taken for granted and impede efficiency and improvement efforts in construction. The findings presented provide a theoretical anchor and rationale for developing alternative approaches to the design and delivery of capital projects.

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