Scheduling forest road maintenance using the analytic hierarchy process and heuristics

Abstract

Modelagem da decis��o por pacotes de viagem: um estudo usando processo de hierarquia anal��tica AHP

The objective of this dissertation is to propose a Multi Criteria Decision Aid Model to be used by the costumers of the travel agencies and help them to choose the best package travel. The main objective is to contribute for the simplification of the travel package decision choice from the identification of the models of values and preference of the customers and applying them to the existing package. It is used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to structuralize a decision hierarchic model composed by six criteria (package cost, hotel category, security of the city, travel time, direct flight and position in ranking of the 10 most visited destination) and five real alternatives of packages for a holiday of three days created from travel agency data. The decision analysis was realized for the choice of a travel package by a group composed by two couples that regularly travels together, to which was asked to do a pairwise judgment of the criteria and the alternatives. The mains results show that, although been a group that travels together, there are different models of values in the weights of the criteria and a certain convergence in the scales of preferences of the alternatives in the criteria. It was not pointed a dominant alternative for all the members of the group separately, but an analysis of a total utility of the group shows a classification and an order of the travel packages and an alternative clearly in front of the others. The sensitivity analysis revels that there are changes in the ranking, but the two alternatives best classified in the normal analysis are the same ones in the sensitivity analysis, although with the positions changed. The analysis also led to a simplification of the process with the exclusion of alternatives dominated for the others ones. As main conclusion, it is evaluated that the model and method suggested allow a simplification of the decision process in the choice of travel packages

Aplica����o do Processo Anal��tico Hierarquico (AHP) Para Prioriza����o de Obras de Interven����o em ��reas e Setores de Risco Geol��gico nos Munic��pios de Itapecerica da Serra e Suzano (SP)

Municipal Plans of Risk Reducing (PMRR's) were produced in settlements in the municipalities of Itapecerica da Serra (SP) and Suzano (SP), covering areas at risk of landslides and washouts of banks of streams. The development of PMRR's provided the delimitation of areas of risk, the indication of intervention works in order to eliminate and / or reduce risks, and consequently an indication of the areas and priority sectors for implementation of intervention works. The prioritization of areas and sectors that should receive the works of reducing or eliminating risk was performed by an expert involved in risk mapping. Despite the specialist's judgment exercise caution, the decision regarding the priority sites for implementation of alternative interventions is subjective. Since there is no way to eliminate this subjectivity, the use of decision-making techniques is important to evaluate whether the expert's reasoning is consistent. One of the first techniques developed for multiple criteria is the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process). This paper describes the results of a research carried out in order to assess whether the use of Analytic Hierarchy Process contributes to the results of the indication of the areas and priority sectors for implementation of interventions can be considered more consistent than in situations where the priority occurs without the use of decision making techniques. Results were compared between the prioritization of interventions for implementation contained in PMRR's of Itapecerica da Serra and Suzano and those obtained from the use of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). It was concluded that such techniques permits an evaluation of the expert's judgment is logically coherent, thus contributing to produce results more technically based.

Proposta de modelo conceitual de QFD integrado com AHP, modelo de Kano e an��lise SWOT no desenvolvimento de produto

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Aplica����o do processo hier��rquico anal��tico (AHP) na prioriza����o de ��reas de risco geol��gico para a implanta����o de interven����es em assentamentos urbanos prec��rios

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

Analytic hierarchy process helps evaluate projects in Indian oil pipeline industry

Conventionally, oil pipeline projects are evaluated thoroughly by the owner before investment decision is made using market, technical and financial analysis sequentially. The market analysis determines pipelines throughput and supply and demand points. Subsequent, technical analysis identifies technological options and economic and financial analysis then derives the least cost option among all technically feasible options. The subsequent impact assessment tries to justify the selected option by addressing environmental and social issues. The impact assessment often suggests alternative sites, technologies, and/or implementation methodology, necessitating revision of technical and financial analysis. This study addresses these issues via an integrated project evaluation and selection model. The model uses analytic hierarchy process, a multiple-attribute decision-making technique. The effectiveness of the model has been demonstrated through a case application on cross-country petroleum pipeline project in India.

Application of analytic hierarchy process for measuring and comparing the global performance of intensive care units

Purpose: To develop a model for the global performance measurement of intensive care units (ICUs) and to apply that model to compare the services for quality improvement. Materials and Methods: Analytic hierarchy process, a multiple-attribute decision-making technique, is used in this study to evolve such a model. The steps consisted of identifying the critical success factors for the best performance of an ICU, identifying subfactors that influence the critical factors, comparing them pairwise, deriving their relative importance and ratings, and calculating the cumulative performance according to the attributes of a given ICU. Every step in the model was derived by group discussions, brainstorming, and consensus among intensivists. Results: The model was applied to 3 ICUs, 1 each in Barbados, Trinidad, and India in tertiary care teaching hospitals of similar setting. The cumulative performance rating of the Barbados ICU was 1.17 when compared with that of Trinidad and Indian ICU, which were 0.82 and 0.75, respectively, showing that the Trinidad and Indian ICUs performed 70% and 64% with respect to Barbados ICU. The model also enabled identifying specific areas where the ICUs did not perform well, which helped to improvise those areas. Conclusions: Analytic hierarchy process is a very useful model to measure the global performance of an ICU. �� 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring the operational performance of intensive care units using the analytic hierarchy process approach

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to develop a performance measurement model for service operations using the analytic hierarchy process approach. Design/methodology/approach - The study reviews current relevant literature on performance measurement and develops a model for performance measurement. The model is then applied to the intensive care units (ICUs) of three different hospitals in developing nations. Six focus group discussions were undertaken, involving experts from the specific area under investigation, in order to develop an understandable performance measurement model that was both quantitative and hierarchical. Findings - A combination of outcome, structure and process-based factors were used as a foundation for the model. The analyses of the links between them were used to reveal the relative importance of each and their associated sub factors. It was considered to be an effective quantitative tool by the stakeholders. Research limitations/implications - This research only applies the model to ICUs in healthcare services. Practical implications - Performance measurement is an important area within the operations management field. Although numerous models are routinely being deployed both in practice and research, there is always room for improvement. The present study proposes a hierarchical quantitative approach, which considers both subjective and objective performance criteria. Originality/value - This paper develops a hierarchical quantitative model for service performance measurement. It considers success factors with respect to outcomes, structure and processes with the involvement of the concerned stakeholders based upon the analytic hierarchy process approach. The unique model is applied to the ICUs of hospitals in order to demonstrate its effectiveness. The unique application provides a comparative international study of service performance measurement in ICUs of hospitals in three different countries. �� Emerald Group Publishing Limited.