Modelling and Simulation in Enterprises – MS’10 Barcelona

Citation

Gil-Lafuente, A.M. and Merigo, J.M. (2013), "Modelling and Simulation in Enterprises – MS’10 Barcelona", Kybernetes, Vol. 42 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2013.06742eaa.003

Modelling and Simulation in Enterprises – MS’10 Barcelona

Article Type: Guest editorial From: Kybernetes, Volume 42, Issue 5

This special issue of Kybernetes entitled “Modelling and Simulation in Enterprises” presents extended versions of papers presented at the International Conference on Modelling and Simulation in Engineering, Economics and Management (MS’10 Barcelona). This edition of the conference was hosted by the University of Barcelona, Spain. More than 100 participants from more than 30 countries attended the conference with presentations concerning different topics of modelling and simulation in a wide range of areas including, engineering, economics, management, tourism, finance and mathematics.

The aim of the special issue is to present high quality papers in the area of modelling and simulation with a focus on business administration. The main reason is that enterprises usually need to deal with complex and uncertain environments. In order to maximize as much as possible their management, they need modern tools that represents real world problems in a more efficient way. Among others, it is becoming very popular the use of modern techniques based on fuzzy sets and systems and more generally, on computational intelligence systems. After a careful reviewing process, 12 papers have been selected for publication in this special issue.

The first paper, by A.M. Gil-Lafuente and L. Barcellos-Paula, introduces a new algorithm based on the theory of clans. They extend this approach by using fuzzy systems allowing the model to be more flexible so it can represent the information in a more complete way. This approach is implemented in a financial problem regarding the identification of stakeholders.

The next paper, written by J.M. Merigó, presents new aggregation systems that combine objective and subjective information in the same formulation. Moreover, it also uses distance measures such as the Hamming distance forming the probabilistic weighted averaging distance operator. This approach is applied in a group decision making problem regarding the selection of optimal investments.

In the third paper, J. Jovanovic, Z. Krivokapic and A. Vujovic evaluate environmental impacts. They use artificial neural networks in order to make the analysis and compare their results with the analytic hierarchy process as a representative tool in multi-criteria decision making.

The fourth paper, by A. Keropyan and A.M. Gil-Lafuente, studies human resource management processes by using Galois group theory. The focus is on the development of more efficient methodologies for dealing with human resource selection problems. The authors implement this approach by using fuzzy systems that provide a deeper framework of the theory.

In the fifth paper, S. Linares-Mustarós, J.C. Ferrer-Comalat and E. Cassú-Serra analyses cash flow forecasting by using fuzzy numbers. Fuzzy numbers are a very useful tool for representing imprecise information because they consider the most pessimistic and optimistic scenarios and the possibility that the internal values will occur. This approach permits to represent cash flow processes more efficiently because there is no loss of information in the analysis.

The sixth paper, by E. Vizuete, A.M. Gil-Lafuente, A. García-González and S. Boria-Reverter, develops a case study in the Catalonian economy based on the use of fuzzy sets and systems. The focus is in the forgotten effects theory that focuses on the analysis of fuzzy relations. They apply this framework in a business environment with the objective of connecting the influences generated in an economy towards corporate social and environmental responsibility.

In the next paper, D. Palacios-Marques, A. Zegarra-Saldaña and J.E. Vila search for the connection between Web 2.0, market orientation and innovativeness. For doing so, they use structural equation modelling and test the approach in a hospitality management problem. They find positive relationship between market orientation and innovation with Web 2.0.

The following paper, written by R. Huertas-Garcia, A. Casas-Romeo and E. Subirà, analyses cross-cultural differences in the content and presentation of web sites. They use a technique based on statistical design of experiments in wine management through the web site. Key extrinsic factors of consumers perceived utility are found in the selection of a bottle of wine with a web site.

In the ninth paper, S.Z. Zeng develops new aggregation operators for group decision making based on the induced ordered weighted average and the Minkowski distance. He studies environments where the information is uncertain but can be assessed with interval numbers. He finds a wide range of aggregation operators and provides a new framework for distance aggregation operators under uncertain information from the minimum to the maximum distance.

The tenth paper, by O. Martorell, C. Mulet and A.M. Gil-Lafuente suggests a new approach for dealing with growth strategies in tourism management. A case study is presented that considers the hotel chains of the Balearic Islands and how they perform in the Caribbean region and in the Gulf of Mexico. They find that the foreign market entry mode cannot rely only on host-specific factors.

The next paper, written by L.M. Luo, introduces a new valuation model for money-back guarantee using a real-option approach and test the validity of this method with an experimental design. The aim is to find how retailers appropriately price money-back guarantee from a consumer value-based viewpoint.

Finally, the 12th paper, by Y.P. Kondratenko, L.P. Klymenko and E.Y.M. Al Zu’bi, presents a theoretical model that studies modelling and simulation techniques for structural optimization of fuzzy rules by using Sugeno-type fuzzy controllers and aggregation systems.

As guest editors, we would like to thank all the authors of accepted and rejected papers of the special issue for their contributions and to the reviewers for taking the time to review these papers and make suggestions in order to improve their quality. We would also like to express our gratitude to the organizing committee of the conference for their hard work in the preparation of a very nice conference that will end with this publication. Finally, we would also like to thank Professor Brian Rudall and the editors of Kybernetes for their support in the preparation of this special issue.

List of reviewers

We would like to thank the following reviewers for their support in the evaluation of the papers submitted to Kybernetes in the special issue “Modelling and Simulation in Enterprises”:

• •

  Luciano Barcellos, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Christian Berger-Vachon, France

• •

  Agustí Casas, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Elvira Cassú, University of Girona, Spain

• •

  Huayou Chen, Anhui University, China

• •

  Jorge de Andrés, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain

• •

  Kurt J. Engemann, Iona College, USA

• •

  Aurelio Fernández, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain

• •

  Joan Carles Ferrer, University of Girona, Spain

• •

  Vasile Georgescu, University of Craiova, Romania

• •

  Anna M. Gil-Lafuente, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Jaime Gil-Lafuente, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Ruben Huertas, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Jelena Jovanovic, University of Montenegro, Montenegro

• •

  Aras Keropyan, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Anna Klimova, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Zdravko Krivokapic, University of Montenegro, Montenegro

• •

  Rob Law, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

• •

  Salvador Linares, University of Girona, Spain

• •

  Carolina Luis, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Lieh-Ming Luo, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

• •

  Onofre Martorell, University of Balearic Islands, Spain

• •

  Jose M. Merigó, University of Barcelona, Spain

• •

  Carlet Mulet, University of Balearic Islands, Spain

• •

  Daniel Palacios-Marqués, Polytechnical University of Valencia, Spain

• •

  Sabina Rusu, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania

• •

  Alexandar Vujovic, University of Montenegro, Montenegro

• •

  Guiwu Wei, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, China

• •

  Meimei Xia, Southeast University, China

• •

  Yejun Xu, Hohai University, China

• •

  Shouzhen Zeng, Zhejiang Wanli University, China

• •

  Ligang Zhou, Anhui University, China

Anna M. Gil-Lafuente, José M. MerigóGuest Editors