Selection of Regional Sustainable Development Project Using the Method of Multiple-criteria Optimization

The purpose of this article is to reveal the method of multiple-criteria optimization for the selection of regional sustainable development projects. Projects for regional sustainable development in the strategic planning are currently considered as an important instrument sustaining competitiveness and productive capabilities of the European economy and supporting developing areas, as an aim of the Europe 2020 strategy. Methodology. European countries implement national strategies by using the broad methodology of project management for reaching strategic aims. In such a context, it becomes necessary to provide a generalized method of projects' evaluation and their selection by the corresponding committees, proceeding from the best international practices and effective policy guidelines. Thus, the aim of this paper is to provide multiple-criteria method for the selection of the optimal regional development project out of the number of competing alternatives. Results. This paper reveals the decision-making process behind the expert selection of the most competitive project, based on a set of following criteria: social, economic, ecological and budgetary efficiency. Our method is as follows: we are considering all the available components of efficiency through the lens of integral factor. For each component we propose a set of local indicators that describe its degree of efficiency in comparable values. The projects of Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration of Ukraine are considered as main case of this study. To analyze them we use the methodology of multiple-criteria evaluation of regional sustainable development projects. As a result of this process it becomes possible to choose the optimal project for regional development out of wide array of projects being filed by the applicants. Value/originality. Value and originality of the multiple-criteria optimization method is the capability to provide the selection of regional sustainable development project on the base of clear criteria which precludes the possibility of corruption and unfounded decisions being taken by the authorities during the process of the planning the economic activities. As current method of decision-making is based on quantitative assessments of projects’ value, government and local government representatives are guided by a common vision and subjective impressions on the application. The advantages of the proposed method are methodological simplicity, flexibility and universality, which are crucial in the multiple-criteria decision-making in public administration. One of the advantages of this method is that it allows providing a justification for the results and conclusions of the selection process.

Multiple-Criteria Fuzzy Optimization of the Heat Treatment Processes for Two Steel Rolled Products

This paper presents a developed method for fuzzy multiple-criteria optimization of the rolled-steel heat treatment processes in the modern metallurgical plant. At the first stage of the study, by means of passive industrial experiments or a mathematical simulation of heat transfer processes, and using statistical methods, the regression dependencies of the output parameters of process quality on the input variables that are technological parameters are established. Then, based on the quality parameters, membership functions are formed that represent local criteria of the process quality, and their ranks are calculated using the matrix of pairwise comparisons. The practically useful methodology of the fuzzy multiple-criteria optimization of technological processes is proposed. To illustrate this methodology’s practical efficiency, the solutions of two optimization problems are found by maximizing the global criterion that aggregates local criteria using their ranks. It is shown that the efficiency of the obtained optimal heat treatment modes significantly exceeds the efficiency of the technology used earlier in the plant.

Application of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process to Underground Mining Method Selection

The paper proposes a problem-solving approach in the area of underground mining, related to the evaluation and selection of the optimal mining method, employing fuzzy multiple-criteria optimization. The application of fuzzy logic to decision-making in multiple-criteria optimization is particularly useful in cases where not enough information is available about a given system, and where expert knowledge and experience are an important aspect. With a straightforward objective, multiple-criteria decision-making is used to rank various mining methods relative to a set of criteria and to select the optimal solution. The considered mining methods represent possible alternatives. In addition, various criteria and subcriteria that influence the selection of the best available solution are defined and analyzed. The final decision concerning the selection of the optimal mining method is made based on mathematical optimization calculations. The paper demonstrates the proposed approach as applied in a case study.