bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pension reform legislation enacted with GATT trade package affects funding requirements
Authors: Davis Jeff , Young Gretchen 
Published: July 2007

AbstractChanges to pension law contained in last year's GATT trade legislation may have a substantial impact on employers with underfunded pension plans. Many employers will face an increase in their annual funding requirements. Some may wish to consider accelerating contributions to these plans to avoid paying increased premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) as well as to avoid the need to notify participants that their plan is underfunded. All employers with defined benefit plans will need to modify the method by which they calculate lump sum distributions, both in terms of the minimum amounts they are required to pay and the maximum amounts they may pay within the limits of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code.
New transfer pricing IRS regulations and their business implications
Authors: Tang Roger Y. W. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractTransfer pricing regulations in the United States and many other countries have changed over the last five years. In the United States, final regulations for Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code were released on July 1, 1994. These regulations are effective for taxable years beginning after October 6, 1994. This article summarizes the transfer pricing methods allowable for sales and transfer of tangible and intangible property. The procedure for obtaining an advance pricing agreement is explained. The article also discusses management implications of those new transfer pricing regulations for business enterprises.
A guide to the new FASB statement on derivatives and hedging
Authors: Royall Robert L. , Stone Craig 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAt long last, the FASB is issuing its controversial statement on accounting for derivatives and hedging activities. It is one of the most complex standards ever issued, and companies involved in derivatives and hedging activities should prepare to adopt it as soon as possible. The authors provide a comprehensive view of the new statement to help you do that.
Multiattribute signed orders
Authors: Fishburn Peter C. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA self‐reflecting signed order is a preference relation that compares relative likes and dislikes for items in a set X by jointly ordering X and a disjoint copy of X. If you would like Jones but not Smith appointed to a committee, and also think it more important to exclude Smith than include Jones, your self‐reflecting signed order records this information. We review basic representational theory for signed orders, then examine them when X is multiattributed. Axioms for additive measurement of multiattribute self‐reflecting signed orders are specified for several X‐structures.
Cone contraction method with visual interaction for multiple‐objective non‐linear programmes
Authors: Jaszkiewicz Andrzej , Slowinski Roman 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe describe an interactive procedure, implemented on a PC, for solving multiple‐objective non‐linear programming (MONP) problems. The procedure is composed of two stages. The first stage consists of modelling decision maker's (DM's) preferences using a fuzzy outranking relation in a sample of non‐dominated points. The relation is then translated into a preference cone defining a subset of non‐dominated points of greatest interest to the DM. In the second stage the subset of non‐dominated points generated by the cone is scanned interactively. A graphical interface enables a visual interaction. The DM can either reduce directly the subset of non‐dominated points to be scanned or retract to the first stage and give finer preference information which results in contraction of the cone and reduction of the subset of non‐dominated points scanned in the second stage. Description of the procedure is followed by presentation of its application to a didactic MONP problem.
Lexicographic aggregation of semiorders
Authors: Pirlot Marc , Vincke Philippe 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIt is well known that the lexicographic aggregation of complete preorders gives a complete preorder. Unfortunately, this property is no longer true when the lexicographic rule is applied to semiorders. In this paper we study some ways of defining a lexicographic aggregation of semiorders and the properties of the resulting structures.
Dynamic multi‐criteria decision making
Authors: Kornbluth J. S. H. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractMost medium‐and long‐term decision making in industry and government can be viewed as dynamic multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM), in which the decision makers are free to alter the emphasis placed on each objective in the light of developing circumstances. In this paper the problem of time‐dependent weights in MCDM is discussed and an analysis of empirical data associated with dynamic decision making is presented.
Transforming continuous utility into additive utility using kolmogorov's theorem
Authors: Sounderpandian Jayavel 
Published: July 2007

AbstractFor a multidimensional criteria space to have an additive utility function, the strong condition of independence among the co‐ordinates (also known as separability) must be satisfied. However, if we are allowed to transform the criteria space into another, then a theorem due to Kolmogorov implies that we can, even in the absence of independence, transform the space into one that has a continuous additive utility function. Since this transformation is complex, it has only theoretical significance. However, certain related results from neurocomputing theory are quite practical and signify that there exists some scope for neurocomputing in multi‐criteria decision analysis.
Aspiration/reservation‐based decision support—a step beyond goal programming
Authors: Ogryczak Wlodzimierz , Lahoda Steve 
Published: July 2007

AbstractReal‐life decision problems are usually so complex that they cannot be modelled with a single objective function, thus creating a need for clear and efficient techniques for handling multiple criteria to support the decision process. A widely used technique and one commonly taught in general OR/MS courses is goal programming, which is clear and appealing. On the other hand, goal programming is strongly criticized by multiple‐criteria optimization specialists for its non‐compliance with the efficiency (Pareto‐optimality) principle. In this paper we show how the implementation techniques of goal programming can be used to model the reference point method and its extension, aspiration/reservation‐based decision support. Thereby we show a congruence between these approaches and suggest how the GP model with relaxation of some traditional assumptions can be extended to an efficient decision support technique meeting the efficiency principle and other standards of multiobjective optimization theory.
Cognitive validity in design of decision‐aiding techniques
Authors: Larichev O. I. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIssues of the cognitive validity of prescriptive decision‐aiding methods are discussed in this paper. In view of the difficulty of external validation, the focus is on internal validation of the user interface. The following criteria are applied to a variety of decision aid designs: (1) psychologically valid measurement of features impacted by the decision; (2) psychologically valid elicitation of decision maker's preferences incorporated into a decision rule which processes those features; (3) possibility of checking for decision maker's consistency; (4) possibility of providing him/her with an explanation of the aids findings.
Some results concerning the quality of vertex solutions found by a method for multiple‐objective linear programming
Authors: Breslawski Steven T. , Zionts Stanley 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe Zionts‐Wallenius algorithm for multiple‐objective linear programming terminates with an extreme point solution that is locally but not necessary globally optimal. To find the globally optimal solution, a search along the facets of the solution space polyhedron may be required. In this paper we report the results of an experiment to determine how close the local and global optima are. We discuss the concept of closeness and propose one measure. Computer simulation is used to determine, in general, the quality of the solution found by the Zionts‐Wallenius method for two types of non‐linear utility functions. The merits of a search procedure are discussed in the context of the results.
The application of correspondence analysis to multiple‐criteria decision making
Authors: Cheung Yan‐Leung 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to show how correspondence analysis can be a useful aid in multiple‐criteria decision making, particularly in the case of categorical criteria values. Under different types of input information, the technique is used to perform some preliminary analyses with a bonus of providing a simultaneous graphical representation of the alternatives and criteria. This picture can provide a better understanding of the structure of the two sets of variables to the decision maker before a decision is made.
A non‐linear multi‐criteria model for strategic fms selection decisions
Authors: Kuula Markku , Stam Antonie , Ranta Jukka 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe strategic decision of selecting an optimal flexible manufacturing system (FMS) configuration is a complicated question which involves evaluating trade‐offs between a number of different, potentially conflicting criteria such as annual production volume, flexibility, production and investment costs and average throughput of the system. Recently, several structured multicriteria approaches have been proposed to aid management in the FMS selection process. While acknowledging the non‐linear nature of a number of the relationships in the model, notably between batch size and the number of batches produced of each part, these studies used linear simplifications to illustrate the decision dynamics of the problem. These linear models were shown to offer useful analytical tools in the FMS pre‐design process. Owing to the non‐linearities of the true relationships, however, the trade‐offs between the criteria could not fully be explored within the linear framework.This paper builds on the two‐phase decision support framework proposed by Stam and Kuula (1991) and uses a modified non‐linear multi‐criteria formulation to solve the problem. The software used in the illustration can easily be implemented, is user‐interactive and menu‐driven. The methodology is applied to real data from a Finnish metal product company and the results are compared with those obtained in previous studies.
Aggregating preference rankings: An AHP‐based approach
Authors: Mobolurin Ayodele , Bryson Noel 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe problem considered here involves the selection of an alternative by a group of decision makers in a context that involves the aggregating of votes from a preferential ballot. A popular approach for solving such problems is the well‐known weighting problem formulation. However, with such a formulation two issues become of critical importance: (a) the weights should reflect the decision‐making group's belief on the importance of each rank position and (b) the weights should accord each alternative a fair (if not its best) assessment. Many researchers have studied this problem and proposed various solution strategies. None of these strategies, however, appears to have adequately addressed both issues. The objective of this research is to develop a group decision‐making model that solves the problem in a manner that adequately addresses the two critical issues identified, as well as allows for sensitivity analysis and is fairly robust with respect to the various paradoxes identified in voting systems.
Multiple‐criteria decision aid: Some epistemological considerations
Authors: Munda Giuseppe 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThis paper attempts to analyse in a critical way some essential aspects of the multiple‐criteria decision aid (MCDA) methodology using modern epistemological instruments. Particular attention is paid to the problem of information precision and uncertainty and to the distinction considered essential between the concepts of choice and decision. Since it is maintained that the respect of subjectivity in decision aid is of fundamental importance, an analysis follows of the main approaches by which MCDA methods attempt to take the subjective component of the decision maker into account, indicating some characteristics which may be desirable in an MCDA model for this purpose.
Economic optimization by compromise programming: The joint production model
Authors: Ballestero Enrique , Romero Carlos 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn a basic microeconomic model (joint production and consumer's utility curves) three key optima appear: the best technological mix, the maximum profit point and the consumer's utility optimum. Compromise analysis can help to clarify their connections. This paper and other recent research attempt to specify the conditions which guarantee that these three optima coincide. Thus compromise programming becomes a valuable surrogate of economic optimization.
Generating interior search directions for multiobjective linear programming
Authors: Arbel Ami , Oren Shmuel S. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA new multiobjective linear programming (MOLP) algorithm is presented. The algorithm uses a variant of Karmarkar's interior‐point algorithm known as theaffine‐scaling primal algorithm.Using this single‐objective algorithm, interior search directions are generated and used to provide an approximation to the gradient of the (implicitly known) utility function. The approximation is guided by assessing locally relevant preference information for the various interior directions through interaction with a decision maker (DM). The resulting algorithm is an interactive approach that makes its progress towards the solution through the interior of the constraints polytope.
Resolution of dilemmas: A mathematical theory
Authors: Kostreva Michael M. , Polyashuk Marina V. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA mathematical formulation for a dilemma (i.e. a situation in which a very difficult choice between two alternatives must be made) is given. Multiple‐objective programming is assumed as the model for a single decision maker. It is shown that, in principle, any dilemma is resolvable. Furthermore, there is always more than one way in which to resolve a dilemma. Illustrative examples from non‐convex optimization are presented.
In search of cognitive equilibrium: Beauty, quality and harmony
Authors: Zeleny Milan 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe field of MCDM should become significantly concerned about problems that are also qualitative, ‘messy’, fuzzy or not well‐defined—they abound in human systems. Dealing exclusively with quantitatively well‐defined problematique (the proverbial ‘finding the shortest path’) is part of the unidimensional legacy of OR/MS: it programmatically neglects attributes of beauty, quality, harmony, aesthetics, safety and reliability. Yet these are the criteria which are ardently sought after by modern humans, while being mostly ignored or neglected by modern technocrats.
Stepwise contouring of efficient criterion vectors for large‐scale MOLP
Authors: Choi Yong Sun , Kim Soung Hie 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn this paper a new method of presenting the overall (focused) structure of the efficient criterion vectors (N) for large‐scale MOLP is proposed. The proposed algorithm ASEOV (approximation of the set of efficient objective vectors) determines the representative subset of N and ensures full coverage of N, with corresponding coverage precision indicated. ASEOV works in objective space directly and eliminates unnecessary computational effort at the collapsing extreme points of X, which are transformed to non‐extreme points in objective space. The Tchebycheff metric is employed to measure the coverage precision. ASEOV allows a decision maker (DM) to control the determination procedure by assessing the coverage allowance for each criterion. When the DM's preference is available, ASEOV can focus contouring on the subset of N which fits with the extracted preference. Combined with proper interactive methods, this focused contour over N can reduce the DM's burden, inconsistency or cognitive bias in assessing his preference from which to derive the final best‐compromise solution. An illustrative example is presented.
Decomposition of multivariate utility functions in non‐additive expected utility theory
Authors: Dyckerhoff Rainer 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn expected utility many results have been derived that give necessary and/or sufficient conditions for a multivariate utility function to be decomposable into lower‐dimensional functions. In particular, multilinear, multiplicative and additive decompositions have been widely discussed. These utility functions can be more easily assessed in practical situations.In this paper we present a theory of decomposition in the context of nonadditive expected utility such as anticipated utility or Choquet expected utility. We show that many of the results used in conventional expected utility carry over to these more general frameworks.If preferences over lotteries depend only on the marginal probability distributions, then in expected utility the utility function is additively decomposable. We show that in anticipated utility the marginality condition implies not only that the utility function is additively decomposable but also that the distortion function is the identity function. We further demonstrate that a decision maker who is bivariate risk neutral has a utility function that is additively decomposable and a distortion function q for which q(½) = ½.
Letter to the editor, Schools on Islands, a journal as a Ferry
Authors: Bots Pieter , Kok Matthijs , Lootsma Freerk , Roc Leo 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn an electronic brainstorming session, experts and users of methods for multi‐criteria decision analysis discussed editorial policies for a journal which is confronted with the conflicts between isolated schools of thought. The present paper describes the session and highlights how experts in multi‐criteria decision analysis view the applications of their own methods on their own decision problems.
Rank disagreement: A comparison of multi‐criteria methodologies
Authors: Buede Dennis M. , Maxwell Daniel T. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA number of multi‐criteria decision support techniques have emerged in recent years that use varying computational approaches to arrive at the most desirable solution and thereby ‘recommend’ a course of action. Decision makers who use the results of this analytic work should be assured that the computational schemes used by their supporting analysts or decision support software produce the appropriate solutions. We conducted a series of simulation experiments that compared the top‐ranked options resulting from the computational algorithms that support Multi‐Attribute Value Theory (MAVT) and three methods that are reported in the literature that allow rank reversals, the change in rank order of two options when an unrelated option is added or deleted from the analysis: the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Percentaging and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). We also included a Fuzzy algorithm proposed by Yager to gauge its consistency with the other algorithms, even though it is not subject to rank reversals. These experiments demonstrated that the MAVT and AHP techniques, when provided with the same decision outcome data, very often identify the same alternative as ‘best’. The other techniques are noticeably less consistent with MAVT, the Fuzzy algorithm being the least consistent. The situations under which the most frequent and significant differences occurred were dependent upon the method.The results of our experiments indicate that other issues (e.g. the processes used for problem structuring and the elicitation of value weights) are likely to be of greater significance to problem outcome (based on our experience) than the choice between the computational algorithms of MAVT and AHP. The results cause us to be concerned about the use of the other methods.
Sensitivity analysis with interdependent criteria for multicriteria decision making: The case of soil pollution treatment
Authors: Van Herwijnen Marjan , Rietveld Piet , Thevenet Kelly , Tol Richard 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThis paper is focused on interdependences between criteria in multicriteria decision analyses. Such interdependences are usually ignored in sensitivity analyses. After a discussion on the nature of interdependences, methods are presented to deal with interdependences in the context of Monte Carlo experiments. These methods are applied in the context of soil pollution treatment alternatives. It is shown that ignoring interdependences may have a distorting effect on the results of sensitivity analysis on rankings of alternatives.
An adaptive approach for modelling multiattribute choice
Authors: Prave Rose Sebastianelli , Keith Ord J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAn adaptive approach for modelling individual‐level choice among multiattribute alternatives using the binary logit model is presented. The algorithm involves the collection of paired comparison data. In an effort to maximize the amount of information obtainable from each response, it is based on the experimental design criterion of D‐optimality. A simulation study indicates that the proposed algorithm outperforms other sequential selection approaches in terms of estimation accuracy and predictive efficiency under certain circumstances. The results appear to encourage the use of such an adaptive algorithm for individual‐level modelling in light of the potential reduction in data requirements without significant loss in predictive accuracy.
Scale horizons in analytic hierarchies
Authors: Dodd F. J. , Donegan H. A. , McMaster T. B. M. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn the light of the many criticisms to which the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) of Saaty has been subjected, the authors have produced a refined version, the modified analytic hierarchy process. This paper develops further the ideas behind the modified process and illustrates with examples some of the difficulties in the AHP and their resolution.
Lessons for successful nonprofit governance
Authors: Drucker Peter F. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBoards of nonprofit organizations malfunction as often as they function effectively. As the best‐managed nonprofit organizations demonstrate, both the board and the executive are essential to the proper functioning of a nonprofit organization. These administrative organs must work as equal members of a team rather than one subordinate to the other. Moreover, the work of the executive and the board does not divide neatly into policy‐making versus execution of policy. Boards and executives must be involved in both functions and must coordinate their work accordingly. In a well‐functioning nonprofit organization, the executive will take responsibility for assuring that the governance function is properly organized and maintained.
Changing labor market patterns in the nonprofit and for‐profit sectors: Implications for nonprofit management
Authors: Preston Anne E. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA decade ago, women who chose to work in the nonprofit sector made relatively small monetary sacrifices. However, recent data point to a marked decline, during the 1980s, in the wages of women in the nonprofit sector relative to women in the for‐profit sector. This relative decline in wages is likely to lead to labor shortages in the nonprofit sector if nonprofit managers do not engage in active policies to attract new workers.