What If...? Pandemic Policy-Decision-Support to Guide a Cost-Benefit-Optimised, Country-Specific Response

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Mannarini ◽  
Francesco Posa ◽  
Thierry Bossy ◽  
Lucas Massemin ◽  
Javier Fernandez-Castanon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Country Specific

Assessing desalination as a sustainable alternative using a multiple criteria decision support model

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Fernandes ◽  
M. C. Almeida ◽  
A. G. Henriques
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Multiple Criteria ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Decision Support Model

Desalination technologies provide an alternative for potable water production, having significant potential for application where fresh water scarcity exists. Potential benefits have to be balanced with other factors, such as high costs, high energy consumption, and significant environmental impacts, for the understanding of real risks and gains of desalination within the context of integrated water resources management. Multiple factors can be considered when analysing the viability of a desalination project but often a limited approach is used. The complexity in the analysis lies in finding the alternatives that obey to multiple objectives (e.g. reduced environmental impact, social acceptance, less cost associated). In this paper, development of a methodology based on multiple criteria decision support system for the evaluation and ranking the potential of desalination technologies is described and applied to a Portuguese case study. Relevant factors to the selection of desalination technologies were identified using SWOT analysis and the MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique) approach was applied. Technical alternatives considered include reverse osmosis and multi-effect desalination (MED), together with energy production by fossil fuels or solar energy. Production of water by conventional approaches was also considered. Results, for non-economic benefits, show higher score for MED solar but, in the cost-benefit analysis, conventional methods of water production have higher ranking since costs of renewable energies are not yet competitive. However, even if not preferred in economic terms, desalination is ranked significantly above the conventional approaches for non-economic criteria.

scholarly journals A Framework for Risk-Based Cost–Benefit Analysis for Decision Support on Hydrogeological Risks in Underground Construction

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Johanna Merisalu ◽  
Jonas Sundell ◽  
Lars Rosén
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Expert Elicitation ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Underground Construction ◽  
Groundwater Leakage ◽  
Risk Reducing

Construction below the ground surface and underneath the groundwater table is often associated with groundwater leakage and drawdowns in the surroundings which subsequently can result in a wide variety of risks. To avoid groundwater drawdown-associated damages, risk-reducing measures must often be implemented. Due to the hydrogeological system’s inherent variability and our incomplete knowledge of its conditions, the effects of risk-reducing measures cannot be fully known in advance and decisions must inevitably be made under uncertainty. When implementing risk-reducing measures there is always a trade-off between the measures’ benefits (reduced risk) and investment costs which needs to be balanced. In this paper, we present a framework for decision support on measures to mitigate hydrogeological risks in underground construction. The framework is developed in accordance with the guidelines from the International Standardization Organization (ISO) and comprises a full risk-management framework with focus on risk analysis and risk evaluation. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) facilitates monetization of consequences and economic evaluation of risk mitigation. The framework includes probabilistic risk estimation of the entire cause–effect chain from groundwater leakage to the consequences of damage where expert elicitation is combined with data-driven and process-based methods, allowing for continuous updating when new knowledge is obtained.

Multivariable Automatisierungsentscheidungen*/Multivariate automation decisions – A tool for cost-benefit assessments as a basis for decision-making

2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (03) ◽  
pp. 134-139
Author(s):  
P. Burggräf ◽  
J. Wagner ◽  
M. Dannapfel ◽  
K. Müller ◽  
B. Koke
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Cost And Benefit ◽  
Benefit Evaluation ◽  
Level Of Automation

Der wachsende Bedarf an Wandlungsfähigkeit führt zu einer höheren Frequenz in der Umplanung von Montagesystemen und erfordert eine kontinuierliche Überprüfung und Anpassung des Automatisierungsgrades. Um auch die komplexen Umgebungsbedingungen abzubilden, sollen nicht-monetäre Faktoren in den Entscheidungsprozess eingebunden werden. Um die Entscheidung zu unterstützen, stellt dieser Beitrag ein Tool zur Identifizierung und Bewertung von Automatisierungsszenarien mittels einer Nutzwert-Aufwand-Analyse vor.   The increasing need for adaptability in assembly leads to a higher planning frequency of the system and requires continuous checks and adaptations of the appropriate level of automation. To account for the complex environmental conditions, non-monetary factors are included in the decision-making process. This paper presents a decision support tool to identify and evaluate automation scenarios by means of cost and benefit evaluation.

scholarly journals Decision Support Framework for Cycling Investment Prioritization

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Draženko Glavić ◽  
Miloš N. Mladenović ◽  
Marina Milenković
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Preference Ranking ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
User Attitudes ◽  
Decision Support Framework ◽  
Conflicting Objectives

Considering the significant potential for environmental, economic, social and health benefits from cycling, transport planners around the world are considering a wide variety of strategies for its promotion. However, cycling investments still have to find their place in a coherent package among other policies. Different constraints often imply a need for prioritization in cycling project implementation. The need for prioritization list of proposed investments can be caused by different factors such as available budget, available time, and regulatory constraints. Evaluation of investments in cycling infrastructure is a field of study that still requires further development, as previous research has mostly focused on questions of what to build and where. Previously used cost-benefit methods have substantive and procedural limitations in dealing with non-commensurable effects, and dealing with multiple conflicting objectives stemming from different stakeholders. On the contrary, development of prioritization list is formulated here as a semi-structured decision problem, thus belonging to the group of multi-criteria analysis (MCA) methods. The MCA methodology implemented in this decision-support framework is based on Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE). The expert-based decision-support framework includes procedures for defining list of evaluation criteria and their weights, scoring of alternatives, and sensitivity analysis. Presented decision-support framework is applied on six bicycle sections of the EuroVelo route 8 through Montenegro. Results provide a list of prioritized infrastructural investments, as well as list of criteria with weights, and sensitivity analysis. Decision-support framework is discussed in the context of further professionalizing of cycling planning, as well as short-term and long-term structuration of organization learning in the transition country context. Finally, this development opens up directions for further contextualization of decision criteria, and greater consideration of user attitudes in cycling promotion.

scholarly journals Examining perceptions of the usefulness and usability of a mobile-based system for pharmacogenomics clinical decision support: a mixed methods study

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Blagec ◽  
Katrina M Romagnoli ◽  
Richard D Boyce ◽  
Matthias Samwald
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Clinical Decision Support ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Clinical Implementation ◽  
Hypothetical Patient

Background. Pharmacogenomic testing has the potential to improve the safety and efficacy of pharmacotherapy, but clinical application of pharmacogenetic knowledge has remained uncommon. Clinical decision support (CDS) systems could help overcome some of the barriers to clinical implementation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception and usability of a web- and mobile-enabled CDS system for pharmacogenetics-guided drug therapy – the Medication Safety Code (MSC) system – among potential users (i.e., physicians and pharmacists). Furthermore, this study sought to collect data on the practicability and comprehensibility of potential layouts of a proposed personalized pocket card that is intended to not only contain the machine-readable data for use with the MSC system but also human-readable data on the patient’s pharmacogenomic profile. Methods. We deployed an emergent mixed methods design encompassing (1) qualitative interviews with pharmacists and pharmacy students, (2) a survey among pharmacogenomics experts that included both qualitative and quantitative elements and (3) a quantitative survey among physicians and pharmacists. The interviews followed a semi-structured guide including a hypothetical patient scenario that had to be solved by using the MSC system. The survey among pharmacogenomics experts focused on what information should be printed on the card and how this information should be arranged. Furthermore, the MSC system was evaluated based on two hypothetical patient scenarios and four follow-up questions on the perceived usability. The second survey assessed physicians’ and pharmacists’ attitude towards the MSC system. Results. In total, 101 physicians, pharmacists and PGx experts coming from various relevant fields evaluated the MSC system. Overall, the reaction to the MSC system was positive across all investigated parameters and among all user groups. The majority of participants were able to solve the patient scenarios based on the recommendations displayed on the MSC interface. A frequent request among participants was to provide specific listings of alternative drugs and concrete dosage instructions. Negligence of other patient-specific factors for choosing the right treatment such as renal function and co-medication was a common concern related to the MSC system, while data privacy and cost-benefit considerations emerged as the participants’ major concerns regarding pharmacogenetic testing in general. The results of the card layout evaluation indicate that a gene-centered and tabulated presentation of the patient’s pharmacogenomic profile is helpful and well-accepted. Conclusions. We found that the MSC system was well-received among the physicians and pharmacists included in this study. A personalized pocket card that lists a patient's metabolizer status along with critically affected drugs can alert physicians and pharmacists to the availability of essential therapy modifications.

scholarly journals Opportunities for Systematically Valuing Ecosystem Service Benefits Produced by Federal Conservation Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-191
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Benefit Transfer ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Conservation Programs ◽  
Private Lands ◽  
Ecosystem Service Valuation

Federal agencies invest taxpayer dollars every year in conservation programs that are focused on improving a suite of ecosystem services produced on private lands. A better understanding of the public benefits generated by federal conservation programs could help improve governmental efficiency and economic welfare by providing science-based evidence for use in policy decision-making regarding targeting of federal conservation investments. Of specific concern here are conservation investments made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While previous research has shown that efficiency gains are possible using cost-benefit analysis for targeting conservation investments, agency-wide implementation of this approach by policy makers has been constrained by the limited availability of location-specific information regarding conservation benefits. Cost-effective opportunities for integrating location-specific ecosystem service valuation research with USDA conservation decision-making include: (1) institutionalizing funding of comparable studies suitable for benefit transfer, (2) utilizing non-traditional data sources for research complementing benefit transfer, and (3) creating a state-of-the-art program for developing and communicating research in ecosystem service valuation exemplifying the highest standards of scientific conduct.

Policy Decision Support Through Social Simulation

2011 ◽  
pp. 716-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Antunes ◽  
Ana Respício ◽  
João Balsa ◽  
Helder Coelho
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Social Simulation ◽  
Geographic Space ◽  
Alternative Scenarios ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Rationality Theory

Public policies are concerned with the definition of guidelines that promote the achievement of specific goals by a society/community of citizens. Citizens share a common geographic space under a set of political governance rules and, at the same time, are subject to common cultural influences. On the other hand, citizens have differentiated behaviours due to social, economical, and educational aspects as well as due to their individual personalities. Public interest relates with individual interests held in common—the result of joining the individual goals for the community. However, community goals may conflict with individuals’ self-interests. The outcome of public policies is emergent from this very complex set of rules and social and individual behaviours. Decision support in such a context is a hard endeavour that should be founded in comprehensive exploration of the set of available designs for the individual actors and the collective mechanisms of the society. Social simulation is a field that can be useful in such a complex problem, since it draws from heterogeneous rationality theory into sociology, economics, and politics, having computational tools as aid to perform analysis of the conjectures and hypotheses put forward, allowing the direct observation of the consequences of the design options made. Through social simulation it is possible to gain insights about the constraints and rules that effectively allow for the design and deployment of policies. The exploration of this set of possible models for individual actors, their relationships, and collective outcome of their individual actions is crucial for effective and efficient decision support. Ever since the work of Simon (1955), it has been known that perfect rationality is not attainable in a useful and timely fashion. Social simulation provides an alternative approach to limited rationality, since it encompasses both observer and phenomenon in the experimentation cycle. Decision support systems can be enhanced with these exploratory components, which allow for the rehearsal of alternative scenarios, and to observe in silica the outcomes of different policy designs before deploying them in real settings.

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