The main aim of this paper is to study how economic environment and logic reasoning guidance the decision-making process to start-up a new business by potential entrepreneurs. The study proposes a ...new method using the family of selection indices with OWA operator, which allows aggregating information according to the level of importance and their level of objectivity and subjectivity in the same formulation within the decision-making process. To develop case study, we have taken into account some industries of the sports sector and some critical environmental factors that influence the competitiveness and entrepreneurship in Colombia to start a new business. The results show in an orderly way all information aggregated, which can help potential investors and entrepreneurs to make a decision based on their preferences. Finally, the applicability of this method in real case can be given in aggregation different sources of information to help at dealing decision-making processes.
The Covid-19 pandemic revealed the difficulties of vaccinating a population under the circumstances marked by urgency and limited availability of doses while balancing benefits associated with ...distinct guidelines satisfying specific ethical criteria. We offer a vaccination strategy that may be useful in this regard. It relies on the mathematical concept of envy-freeness. We consider finding balance by allocating the resource among individuals that seem heterogeneous concerning the direct and indirect benefits of vaccination, depending on age. The proposed strategy adapts a constructive approach in the literature based on Sperner's Lemma to point out an approximate division of doses guaranteeing that both benefits are optimized each time a batch becomes available. Applications using data about population age distributions from diverse countries suggest that, among other features, this strategy maintains the desired balance, throughout the entire vaccination period. We discuss complementary aspects of the method in the context of epidemiological models of age-stratified Susceptible - Infected - Recovered (SIR) type.
The traditional banking functions of lending, deposit-taking and payment intermediation are being unbundled in the new frontiers of money that extend from virtual currencies to crypto-assets and from ...shadow payments to quasi-money. The possibility for digital-centred change in the financial industry is illustrated by distributed ledger technology, of which 'blockchain' is the most prominent example of automated decision-making. Other forms of decentralised supply of money, payment services, and funding processes may allow households and businesses to obtain loans and pool risks without having recourse to financial intermediaries. This article examines the alternative provision of access to low-cost zero-friction payments from the perspective of the underbanked. Promoting innovation through alternatives to credit means integrating vulnerable and excluded customers into mainstream financial systems. Blockchain technology backed by a possible modification of the law on the recognition and transfer of property rights might prove instrumental in unlocking the value of the assets possessed by the underbanked or even the unbanked.
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
An der onkologischen Versorgung beteiligte Fachkräfte des Gesundheitswesens sind in den Prozess der Antragstellung zu onkologischen Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen involviert und ...können den Entscheidungsprozess auf verschiedenen Ebenen mit beeinflussen.
Hauptfragestellung
Lassen sich typische expertenseitige Einstellungen zu onkologischen Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen und Einstellungsprofile identifizieren?
Methode
In einer Querschnittstudie beantworteten 606 Fachkräfte des Gesundheitswesens einen Online-Fragebogen zu 13 Einstellungs-Items. Antwortprofile wurden mittels latenter Klassenanalyse (Selektionskriterium: „adjusted Bayesian information criterion“ aBIC) ausgewertet. Zusammenhänge der Klassen mit den Einstellungsitems sowie den Berufsgruppen wurden varianzanalytisch beziehungsweise mittels Chi-Quadrat-Test analysiert.
Ergebnisse
Es zeigt sich eine insgesamt positive Einstellung zu onkologischen Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen. Eine 4‑Klassen-Lösung beschreibt die Dateninformation optimal:
generell sehr positive Einstellung
(42,7 %),
generell positive Einstellung insbesondere bei kurativer Behandlung
(21,6 %),
kritischere Einstellung
(12,9 %)
, generell positive Einstellung unabhängig von kurativer Behandlung
(22,8 %). Die latenten Klassen unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich 11 der Einstellungsitems (η
2
> 0,14 für 9 Items) sowie der Berufsgruppenzugehörigkeit (χ
2
(9) = 58,12,
p
< 0,001) signifikant.
Diskussion
87,1 % der Befragten haben eine generell sehr positive oder positive Einstellung zu onkologischen Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen. Betrachtet man den Antragstellungsprozess als einen partizipativen Entscheidungsprozess, ist die Anerkennung der onkologischen Rehabilitation als ein zentraler Bestandteil der medizinischen Versorgung durch die Fachkräfte im Gesundheitswesen von besonderer Bedeutung.
An online evolving method, named evolving finite state machine (e-FSM), is proposed to develop an optimal Markov driving model. The model has the same properties as a standard Markov model, but its ...states and transition dynamics evolve without human supervision. In this article, we introduce: 1) the principles of the e-FSM's novel capabilities: online state determination and online transition-dynamics identification for elaborating the Markov driving model and 2) an advanced online evolving framework (a-OEF) for supporting the reinforcement-learning-based controller's decision making by using the evolved model. For the evaluation of the proposed methodology and framework, the ego vehicle is controlled by the double deep <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{Q} </tex-math></inline-formula>-network (DDQN) controller with and without the a-OEF in the multilane driving scenario where various naturalistic traffic situations are simulated. Simulation results show that better control performance in terms of fast and safe driving is achieved via the DDQN with the a-OEF, which demonstrates that the Markov driving models evolved by the e-FSMs effectively support detecting and revising the controller's incorrect decision making.
•Focus group discussions about stage-specific stakeholder influences on PV adoption.•Shift from passive exposure to proactive search for information during decision-making.•Influence of social ...network vanishes for less intimate stakeholders.•Desire for information from trustworthy and expert stakeholders increases.•Local utilities and authorities are trustworthy experts not exploiting their potential.
Although there is a clear indication that stages of residential decision making are characterized by their own stakeholders, activities, and outcomes, many studies on residential low-carbon technology adoption only implicitly address stage-specific dynamics. This paper explores stakeholder influences on residential photovoltaic adoption from a procedural perspective, so-called stakeholder dynamics. The major objective is the understanding of underlying mechanisms to better exploit the potential for residential photovoltaic uptake. Four focus groups have been conducted in close collaboration with the independent institute for social science research SINUS Markt- und Sozialforschung in East Germany. By applying a qualitative content analysis, major influence dynamics within three decision stages are synthesized with the help of egocentric network maps from the perspective of residential decision-makers. Results indicate that actors closest in terms of emotional and spatial proximity such as members of the social network represent the major influence on residential PV decision-making throughout the stages. Furthermore, decision-makers with a higher level of knowledge are more likely to move on to the subsequent stage. A shift from passive exposure to proactive search takes place through the process, but this shift is less pronounced among risk-averse decision-makers who continuously request proactive influences. The discussions revealed largely unexploited potential regarding the stakeholders local utilities and local governments who are perceived as independent, trustworthy and credible stakeholders. Public stakeholders must fulfill their responsibility in achieving climate goals by advising, assisting, and financing services for low-carbon technology adoption at the local level. Supporting community initiatives through political frameworks appears to be another promising step.
The decision-making process and the information flow from physicians to patients regarding deliveries through cesarean section (C-section) has not been adequately explored in Bangladeshi context. ...Here, we aimed to explore the extent of information received by mothers and their family members and their involvement in the decision-making process. We conducted a qualitative exploratory study in four urban slums of Dhaka city among purposively selected mothers (
= 7), who had a cesarean birth within one-year preceding data collection, and their family members (
= 12). In most cases, physicians were the primary decision-makers for C-sections. At the household level, pregnant women were excluded from some crucial steps of the decision-making process and information asymmetry was prevalent. All interviewed pregnant women attended at least one antenatal care visit; however, they neither received detailed information regarding C-sections nor attended any counseling session regarding decisions around delivery type. In some cases, pregnant women and their family members did not ask health care providers for detailed information about C-sections. Most seemed to perceive C-sections as risk-free procedures. Future research could explore the best ways to provide C-section-related information to pregnant women during the antenatal period and develop interventions to promote shared decision-making for C-sections in urban Bangladeshi slums.
Energy storage systems (ESSs) are being deployed widely due to numerous benefits including operational flexibility, high ramping capability, and decreasing costs. This study investigates the economic ...benefits provided by battery ESSs when they are deployed for market-related applications, considering the battery degradation cost. A comprehensive investment planning framework is presented, which estimates the maximum revenue that the ESS can generate over its lifetime and provides the necessary tools to investors for aiding the decision making process regarding an ESS project. The applications chosen for this study are energy arbitrage and frequency regulation. Lithium-ion batteries are considered due to their wide popularity arising from high efficiency, high energy density, and declining costs. A new degradation cost model based on energy throughput and cycle count is developed for Lithium-ion batteries participating in electricity markets. The lifetime revenue of ESS is calculated considering battery degradation and a cost–benefit analysis is performed to provide investors with an estimate of the net present value, return on investment and payback period. The effect of considering the degradation cost on the estimated revenue is also studied. The proposed approach is demonstrated on the IEEE Reliability Test System and historical data from PJM Interconnection.
This paper proposes a theoretical model that can be used in making decisions regarding theinnovation ways. The innovation strategy is designed with the competitive intelligence system. Thismodel will ...be implemented software and will be applied in a service company. The results of thepresent study will be communicated in a future paper.
No studies have examined how health care mergers and acquisitions affected the hospital supply chain and its employees since the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
To describe ...the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in a hospital supply chain from the employee perspective.
We conducted two rounds of interviews, one year apart, with supply chain employees at an urban academic health system preparing to adopt an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software (N = 11 in Round I and N = 8 in Round II). Two researchers coded transcripts for themes using NVivo 11.
We identified the following barriers to technology integration: silos between supply chain groups (e.g. Purchasing, Information Management, Strategic Sourcing), between employees and management, and resulting from prior mergers; focus on short-term problems and fear of change; and lack of transparent communication about upcoming changes. Facilitators of technology integration included motivation to work in supply chain; long-term vision that allowed tolerance of change and positive outlook; and transparent communication.
Desire for shared leadership among employees emerged as a major theme, indicating the need for active involvement of employees during transition to new integrative technology.
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