Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Examining Strategic Information Technology In Relationship To The Need For Technology Modernization, Jill A. Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Strategic planning can be a critical business process for today’s organizations, especially for IT organizations that are facing continually changes in technology. This research was designed to investigate IT organizations’ use of strategic planning and determine if the organization uses their strategic plan to set project priorities. The second part of this research was to determine if the IT strategic plans are aligned with the overall organization’s strategic plan.

This research was conducted using a mail-type survey to IT Executives from organizations with sales/revenues under 100 million dollars, a maximum of 5000 employees, and SIC codes of 201 thru 399. …

Applying Dynamic Programming For Cargo Loading Problem, Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Maxmin Layout Problem, Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

No abstract provided.

Course Portfolio - Discrete Event Simulation, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This course portfolio, written by Dr. Paul Savory, provides an overview of his Discrete Event Simulation course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It offers an overview of the course goals, a summary of the classroom activities for achieving them, and a detailed assessment of student learning. He highlights his introduction of the simul8 programming environment to his students. In addition to exploring his students’ learning, Dr. Savory also explores different approaches for documenting his teaching by including multimedia clips (video and audio), uses graphs, uses color, and incorporates images. The resulting portfolio is one that can be reviewed, shared, and …

A Service Choice Model For Optimizing Taxi Service Delivery, Shih-Fen Cheng, Xin Qu

Shih-Fen CHENG

Taxi service has undergone radical revamp in recent years. In particular, significant investments in communication system and GPS devices have improved quality of taxi services through better dispatches. In this paper, we propose to leverage on such infrastructure and build a service choice model that helps individual drivers in deciding whether to serve a specific taxi stand or not. We demonstrate the value of our model by applying it to a real-world scenario. We also highlight interesting new potential approaches that could significantly improve the quality of taxi services.

Visualising Rationale In The Cpm, David H. Mott, Michael C. Dorneich

Michael C. Dorneich

Rationale is being explored by the ITA in planning, for shared understanding of plans, and for capturing dependencies between assumptions/decisions and parts of the plan. Informal rationale captured during evaluation of the Collaborative Planning Model has been explored in terms of alternative visual representations and questions that these raise.

Learning Without Default: A Study Of One-Class Classification And The Low-Default Portfolio Problem, Kenneth Kennedy, Brian Mac Namee, Sarah Jane Delany

Conference papers

This paper asks at what level of class imbalance one-class classifiers outperform two-class classifiers in credit scoring problems in which class imbalance, referred to as the low-default portfolio problem, is a serious issue. The question is answered by comparing the performance of a variety of one-class and two-class classifiers on a selection of credit scoring datasets as the class imbalance is manipulated. We also include random oversampling as this is one of the most common approaches to addressing class imbalance. This study analyses the suitability and performance of recognised two-class classifiers and one-class classifiers. Based on our study we conclude …

Introduction Of Applying Group Theory, Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

Hannaneh Rashidi-Bajgan

No abstract provided.

Developing A Philosophical Profile Of The Individual For Complex Problem-Solving Through Agent-Based Modeling, Ipek Bozkurt

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Research that focuses on the emotional, mental, behavioral and cognitive capabilities of individuals has been abundant within disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology, among others. The main argument made in this dissertation, however, is that a different perspective is necessary in order to gain insight about individuals when facing the complex problems that are presented within engineering and management disciplines. This is done by developing the Philosophical Profile of the Individual (PPI) that uses epistemology, ontology and teleology as underlying dimensions of philosophical predispositions. The epistemology dimension considers whether an individual is an Empiricist or a Rationalist, the ontology …

An Analytical Framework And Model Formulation For Measuring Risk In Engineering Enterprise Systems: A Capability Portfolio Perspective, Paul Raphael Garvey

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This work formulates an analytical framework and computational model for assessing risk in engineering enterprise systems. It addresses the engineering management problem of how to represent, model, and measure risk in large-scale, complex systems engineered to function in enterprise-wide environments.

The research in this dissertation extends current practice in the management of risk for traditional systems and creates new constructs and protocols for the management of risk in engineering large-scale, complex, and highly networked enterprise systems. This work advances engineering management theory and analytic practice as applied to the measurement and management of risk for enterprise systems engineered within capability …

Y Ahora Con Quién Tenemos Que Pactar? Modelo Matemático Para La Obtención De Coaliciones De Gobierno En Una Democracia Parlamentaria, Jaime Gil-Lafuente, Julio Rojas-Mora, Rodrigo Acuna-Agost

Julio Rojas-Mora

Durante el período de vida democrática española, hemos ido observando, reiteradamente, innumerables puzzles surgidos del resultado de unas elecciones generales, autonómicas o municipales que, como solución, dan paso a gobiernos compuestos por alianzas, momentáneas o duraderas, de varios partidos políticos.

En muchas democracias, es condición sine qua non, después de unas elecciones, que los partidos políticos que quieran gobernar sumen un número de representantes que supere el 50% del total de representantes. Ello provoca un periodo de mayor o menor incertidumbre originado por conocer, en principio, cuáles podrán ser los pactos y con qué partidos se alcanzará un gobierno considerado …

The Signing Of A Professional Athlete: Reducing Uncertainty With A Weighted Mean Hemimetric For Fuzzy Subsets, Julio Rojas-Mora, Jaime Gil-Lafuente

Julio Rojas-Mora

In this paper we present a tool to help reduce the uncertainty presented in the decision-making process associated to the selection and hiring of a professional athlete. A weighted mean hemimetric for fuzzy subsets with trapezoidal fuzzy numbers (TrFN) as their elements, allows to compare candidates to the “ideal” player that the technical body of a team believes should be hired.

Operational Knowledge Transfer In Municipal Utility Organizations, G. Christian Guvemator Iv

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Municipal water and wastewater utility systems experience several challenges related to maintaining an experienced operations workforce. One of these issues is the loss of operational knowledge as the current experienced workforce reaches the age of retirement. The future success of system operability depends upon a process that transfers the knowledge of the experienced employee into the organization before he or she retires. Recent investigations highlight the importance of, and the methods for, knowledge transfer; however, current literature does not include significant information on the municipal utility industry. The objective of this investigation is to identify how operational knowledge is being …

Towards The Quantitative Analysis Of The Connectivity Value Of Networked Operations, Dean Deller

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

While the nature of and the approach to command and control is evolving in order to meet the challenges of Information Age warfare, the essential functions that must be accomplished remain constant. One of those essential functions is the arrangement of the assets within a combat force. Certainly, the many different ways to arrange a given set of assets will have different impacts on the combat effectiveness of the force. Some arrangements will enable self-synchronization, while other arrangements will impede it. How then, should an Information Age combat force be organized in order to optimize its effectiveness?

The concept of …

Network Optimization Of Dynamically Complex Systems, Ramez Ahmed Shamseldin

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this research is to optimize large scale network handling capabilities for large system inventories and to implement strategies for the purpose of reducing capital expenses. As computers become more and more networked, it is easier to share files among storage media. In addition, more bandwidth will be consumed by network flow because customers will be connected through networks which will transfer files and data, such as video files (MPEGn, AVI, WMV, etc.) to be watched at a customer's computer (host). Furthermore, these networks terminals will be used as mini warehouses to save files and data. Selective files …

Adaptive Pareto Set Estimation For Stochastic Mixed Variable Design Problems, Christopher D. Arendt

Theses and Dissertations

Many design problems require the optimization of competing objective functions that may be too complicated to solve analytically. These problems are often modeled in a simulation environment where static input may result in dynamic (stochastic) responses to the various objective functions. System reliability, alloy composition, algorithm parameter selection, and structural design optimization are classes of problems that often exhibit such complex and stochastic properties. Since the physical testing and experimentation of new designs can be prohibitively expensive, engineers need adequate predictions concerning the viability of various designs in order to minimize wasteful testing. Presumably, an appropriate stochastic multi-objective optimizer can …

Exploitation Of Intra-Spectral Band Correlation For Rapid Feacture Selection And Target Identification In Hyperspectral Imagery, Michael K. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This research extends the work produced by Capt. Robert Johnson for detecting target pixels within hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The methodology replaces Principle Components Analysis for dimensionality reduction with a clustering algorithm which seeks to associate spectral rather than spatial dimensions. By seeking similar spectral dimensions, the assumption of no a priori knowledge of the relationship between clustered members can be eliminated and clusters are formed by seeking high correlated adjacent spectral bands. Following dimensionality reduction Independent Components Analysis (ICA) is used to perform feature extraction. Kurtosis and Potential Target Fraction are added to Maximum Component Score and Potential Target Signal …

Host-Based Multivariate Statistical Computer Operating Process Anomaly Intrusion Detection System (Paids), Glen R. Shilland

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Combat Identification Modeling Using Neural Network Techniques, Changwook Lim

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this research were: (1) validating Kim’s (2007) simulation method by applying analytic methods and (2) comparing the two different Robust Parameter Design methods with three measures of performance (label accuracy for enemy, friendly, and clutter). Considering the features of CID, input variables were defined as two controllable (threshold combination of detector and classifier) and three uncontrollable (map size, number of enemies and friendly). The first set of experiments considers Kim’s method using analytical methods. In order to create response variables, Kim’s method uses Monte Carlo simulation. The output results showed no difference between simulation and the analytic …

Bi-Criteria Single Facility Location Problem With Limited Distances, Ali Shahabi, Amin Vafadar Nikjoo, Mohammad Reza Kazemi

Amin Vafadarnikjoo

This paper deals with a bi-criteria model for locating single new facility on the plane where the effective service distance becomes a constant when the actual distance attains or exceeds a certain value. The criteria that are used in this bi-criteria model are minisum, that minimizes the sum of all the transportation costs and minimax, that minimizes the maximum distances from the new facility to the demand points. By using a mixed integer programming formulation, the model is transformed to an easier form, and then the technique of fuzzy programming has been applied to solve it. A numerical example is …

Investments In Energy Technological Change Under Uncertainty, Ekundayo Shittu

Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014

This dissertation addresses the crucial problem of how environmental policy uncertainty influences investments in energy technological change. The rising level of carbon emissions due to increasing global energy consumption calls for policy shift. In order to stem the negative consequences on the climate, policymakers are concerned with carving an optimal regulation that will encourage technology investments. However, decision makers are facing uncertainties surrounding future environmental policy. The first part considers the treatment of technological change in theoretical models.

This part has two purposes: (1) to show-through illustrative examples-that technological change can lead to quite different, and surprising, impacts on the …

Development Of A Decision Tool For Green Energy Investment In The Pioneer Valley, Benjamin R. Ewing

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

We present the process followed to create a decision-aid tool for use in renewable energy and energy efficiency investment decisions. Our tool is targeted at home and small business owners in the Pioneer Valley. We begin with the development of two prototype tools. The first was created for the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, and is an Excel-based tool that allows users to select various combinations of technologies and instantly see the financial, environmental, and educational impacts of their choice. The second examines only two technologies, solar photovoltaics and combined heat and power, and uses a cost minimization approach. These …

A New Multiobjective Modeling In Distribution Center Location Problem, Mehdi Jafarian, Azizolah Jafari, Mehdi Sharif-Yazdi, Seyed Javad Hosseininejad

Mehdi Jafarian

As has been mentioned in the literature, distribution centers location problem (DCLP) is a multiobjective problem. Cost (or distance) minimization is the primary objective in this area. While significance of each relation between a distribution center (DC) and a customer/retailer is different, it has not been considered seriously. By adapting available facility and new facility concepts of the multifacility location problem with costumer/retailer and a DC respectively, a utility function as the second objective based on the importance has been used. These importances are in decision maker (DM) s’ mind which should be quantified to be of use for modeling …

Rubric For Project Self-Evaluation, Paul Savory

Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Instructional Materials

I have developed this rubric to allow each member of a project team to offer a self-assessment of their own performance on the projects. It is my attempt to develop a standardized evaluation linked to specified criteria, making the grading process simpler and more transparent.

Rubric For Project Report Evaluation, Paul Savory

Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Instructional Materials

I have developed this rubric to formalize the evaluation or assessment of a project report. It is my attempt to develop a standardized evaluation linked to specified criteria, making the grading process simpler and more transparent.

Rubric For Presentation Evaluation, Paul Savory

Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Instructional Materials

I have developed this rubric to allow classmates and myself to offer an evaluation or assessment of a student classroom presentation. It is my attempt to develop a standardized evaluation linked to specified criteria, making the grading process simpler and more transparent.

Multiple Objective Optimization Of Performance Based Logistics, Delia Villanueva

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents a new Performance Based Logistics optimization model. Performance Based Logistics (PBL) is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers in mission critical environments that need to provide ultimate product availability at the lowest cost and with the highest level of customer satisfaction. The U.S. Department of Defense has mandated that Performance Based Logistics programs be adopted by its major weapon systems and equipment suppliers, is one of the newest support strategies to improve the weapon system readiness. This work presents a new multiple objective evolutionary approach that simultaneously optimizes objectives such as Reliability, Maintainability and Total Cost for Ownership. …

Multi-Objective Network Reliability Optimization Using Evolutionary Algorithms, Franciso Oswaldo Aguirre

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This work presents a new multiple objective evolutionary algorithm to solve three well known network reliability allocation problems considering different conflicting objectives to be optimized simultaneously. The new algorithm is applied in the design of a telecommunication network that is formed for several stations or nodes interconnected by telecommunication links or paths. The problem presented in this work involves finding which links to activate in order to obtain connectivity in the nodes. The number of nodes that need to be connected depends of the case that is being evaluated. The three network reliability problems considered are: all-terminal, k-terminal, and two-terminal. …

Ruberic For Project Team Member Evaluation, Paul Savory

Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Instructional Materials

I have developed this rubric to allow team members for course projects to offer an evaluation or assessment of the fellow members of their team. It is my attempt to develop a standardized evaluation linked to specified criteria, making the grading process simpler and more transparent.

Business Risks: When Is Fails To Detect Circumvention Activities, Stanley X. Lewis Jr., J. Scott Magruder, Eddy J. Burks, Carl Smolinski

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A business must recognize and address various risk factors when establishing and maintaining its information system. The overall risk to management is that the control environment does not protect proprietary business data and the financial reporting system that produces financial statements and other information used by investors, creditors and regulatory agencies. These risks require that management implement efforts to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of control procedures over business activities while being aware of additional system issues such as failing to adequately consider other risks which are more business-oriented including the risk of failing to prevent or detect fraudulent or …