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Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Agathe S. Lacaze, Fernando A.F. Ferreira and Margarida R. Santos

Strategic management plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of organizations, significantly impacting their business performance and competitive edge. In today’s…

Abstract

Purpose

Strategic management plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of organizations, significantly impacting their business performance and competitive edge. In today’s globalized markets, strategic management is gaining prominence as a means to enhance company performance and distinctiveness. Within this landscape, the evaluation of organizational effectiveness takes on heightened significance, complemented by the emergence of strategic management frameworks designed to secure enduring competitive advantages for businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

One of the best known approaches to organizational resource assessment is the value, rarity, inimitability and organizational-oriented (VRIO) framework. However, this tool comes with inherent limitations that have hindered its advancement, primarily related to the need for less subjective means of identifying and assigning weights to resources and capabilities during the evaluation process. This study, therefore, endeavored to refine the VRIO framework, making it more transparent and empirically robust. To achieve this aim, the framework was combined with the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method (i.e. a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method), and a real-life application was conducted.

Findings

The evaluation system created was tested, and the results demonstrate that the dual methodology used can increase the understanding of resource appraisal and lead to more informed and potentially better evaluations of resources and capabilities. The strengths and shortcomings of this new structured evaluation model are also analyzed.

Originality/value

The authors know of no prior work reporting the integrated use of VRIO and DEMATEL in this study context.

Details

Management Decision, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2013

Craig Langston

Making appropriate decisions concerning the ongoing management of existing built facilities is an important activity for property and facilities managers. Such decisions comprise…

1321

Abstract

Purpose

Making appropriate decisions concerning the ongoing management of existing built facilities is an important activity for property and facilities managers. Such decisions comprise multiple criteria, and the relative importance of these criteria typically reflects the implicit preferences or biases of the decision maker(s). This paper seeks to apply a new property management 3D decision model known as iconCUR to investigate the impact of criterion weights on the decision to intervene.

Design/methodology/approach

A retrospective case study of a real project in Sydney (Australia) that underwent adaptive reuse transformation in 2008 is used to test the sensitivity of implied decision‐maker preferences in practice.

Findings

It is found that significant change to individual criterion weights relating to aspects of building condition, space utilization and triple bottom line reward has minimal influence on the derived spatial coordinates that underpin the 3D decision model and hence the recommended intervention strategy in the particular case studied.

Practical implications

It is further suggested that changes in criterion weights over time as expectations and situations may dictate can be accommodated without undermining the integrity of the decision‐making process.

Originality/value

The deployment of this type of approach, at least, documents the decision‐making process involved in important property management strategies and exposes the frequently implicit preferences of decision makers. These preferences are shown not to be as critical as might have been suspected. This may add further confidence to the use of MCDA in facilities management decisions.

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2009

H. Frank Cervone

The purpose of this paper is to define and describe Pugh matrix analysis as a method for decision making when there are multiple criteria that must be factored into a decision.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define and describe Pugh matrix analysis as a method for decision making when there are multiple criteria that must be factored into a decision.

Design/methodology/approach

Using theory and example, the author relates the use of Pugh matrix analysis to the successful selection of prioritized criteria in digital library projects.

Findings

Pugh matrix analysis (PMA) is useful as a method for determining a course of action as well as gaining consensus with a project team. Because it is based on multiple criteria decision analysis techniques, PMA can help a team understand the relationship of multiple issues within a project as well as the individual perspectives project team members and the user community bring to the issues at hand.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of a useful tool to prioritize the issues, factors, and courses of action within a project that has multiple criteria decision points.

Details

OCLC Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-075X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 February 2019

Marcio Pereira Basilio, Valdecy Pereira and Helder Gomes Costa

This study aims to focus on the application of a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method to compare results presented by the Integrated Goals System based on the 12th…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the application of a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method to compare results presented by the Integrated Goals System based on the 12th edition of the Integrated Public Safety Areas (IPSAs) Award, which achieved goals established for Strategic Crime Indicators for the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The main objective of this research was to limit the compensatory effects of classification criteria on IPSAs that have achieved goals established for crime indicators by applying the MCDA method.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology was based on the application of MCDA. The MCDA method selected and used was ELECTRE III, being implemented by J-Electre software.

Findings

Compared to results of the current method, the results of the ELECTRE III method showed a 94.87 per cent change in ranking positions revealed via the SIM method. This finding denotes the elimination of compensatory effects of the criteria. As a consequence, it can be affirmed that the application of resources by IPSA managers to reduce the prevalence of a single strategic crime indicator is no longer a success factor for awarding in the established goal system.

Research limitations/implications

As limitations, it is possible to indicate the time cut used to carry out the research. The research may be extended to other issues of the productivity award.

Practical implications

The methodology applied with the use of ELECTRE III revealed that the government could reduce the cost with the incentive program to reduce criminal indices.

Social implications

As the MCDA method is based on a binary pairwise comparison system, the methodology imposes a change of attitude on local managers fighting crime to reduce crime indicators and to consequently build a local sense of safety in IPSAs.

Originality/value

This research fills a gap in the literature because there are few studies using the MCDA method in the field of public security. The value of the work lies in the creation of a method that gives the decision-maker, of the law enforcement agency, an alternative to improve the process of rewarding by productividad of the integrated areas of public security.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 February 2018

Catarina Grillo, Fernando A.F. Ferreira, Carla S.E. Marques and João J. Ferreira

The 2008 global financial crisis showed that the ability to innovate is a key management skill and that approaches to assessing the innovation capability of small- and…

Abstract

Purpose

The 2008 global financial crisis showed that the ability to innovate is a key management skill and that approaches to assessing the innovation capability of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to be as realistic as possible. This study aims to address the latter practical need through a sociotechnical approach.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a combined use of cognitive mapping and the Decision EXpert (DEX) technique, and grounded on the insights generated by a panel of SME managers and entrepreneurs in two intensive group meetings, a knowledge-based assessment system for evaluating SMEs’ innovation capability was created, tested and validated.

Findings

The knowledge-based assessment system identified the most innovative SMEs in a sample of companies. The “plus-minus-1” and dominance analyses carried out provided further support for the results.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed system is extremely versatile but process-oriented and idiosyncratic in nature, meaning that extrapolations to other contexts need to be done with due caution.

Practical implications

The panel of SME decision makers agreed that the system improves the current methods used to evaluate SMEs’ innovation capability, contributing to a more informed perspective on management issues. The panel members also noted that the proposed system functions as a learning mechanism, facilitating the development of well-focused suggestions for improvements SMEs can make.

Originality/value

The integrated use of cognitive maps and rule-base decisions contributes to a better understanding of how to assess SMEs’ innovation capability. No prior work reporting the integrated use of these two techniques in this study context has been found.

Article
Publication date: 21 February 2018

Bernardo M.S. Castela, Fernando A.F. Ferreira, João J.M. Ferreira and Carla S.E. Marques

The aftermath of the recent financial crisis has shown that the ability to innovate is a vital management skill and that the methodologies used to evaluate innovation capability…

1138

Abstract

Purpose

The aftermath of the recent financial crisis has shown that the ability to innovate is a vital management skill and that the methodologies used to evaluate innovation capability within small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should be as holistic and integrative as possible. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue through the combined use of cognitive mapping and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP).

Design/methodology/approach

Cognitive mapping and multiple criteria decision analysis have proved over the years to be effective in handling a wide range of complex decision problems. Following a socio-technical approach, a non-parametric method of evaluating SME innovation capability – based on the results of group meetings with a panel of information technology entrepreneurs and SME chief executive officers – was created, tested and validated.

Findings

The methodological processes adopted in this study provide promising results for decision makers seeking to identify the most innovative SMEs. Furthermore, the sensitivity analyses carried out also supported the findings.

Research limitations/implications

This study confirms the usefulness of integrating cognitive mapping and the AHP to facilitate evaluations of SME innovation capability. However, due to the process-oriented nature of the research, extrapolations without proper adjustments are not recommended.

Practical implications

The panel members who participated in this study consider the proposal extremely versatile and see great potential for further applications in the measurement of SME innovation capability.

Originality/value

The combined use of cognitive mapping and the AHP offers a holistic and well-informed perspective on the issue in question. The authors know of no prior work reporting this approach in the same research context.

Article
Publication date: 12 May 2020

Marcio Pereira Basilio and Valdecy Pereira

Because that the crime in a wide way impacts the life of the people in the big metropolis, researchers have treated the question from several angles. The purpose of the paper…

271

Abstract

Purpose

Because that the crime in a wide way impacts the life of the people in the big metropolis, researchers have treated the question from several angles. The purpose of the paper, under the umbrella of operational research, is to develop a model of the ordering of police strategies, in the fight against crime in general, according to a certain criminal demand.

Design/methodology/approach

For the construction of the impact matrix of the strategies under the reduction of crime rates, considering a portfolio of crimes, a questionnaire applied to specialists was used. In a second moment, defined the criteria and strategies to be ordered, the multicriteria ELECTRE IV method was used, which with the help of the J-Electre software emulated the systematized data in the impact matrix and produced the final ordering of the most efficient strategies, in the fight against crime, in the perception of decision-makers.

Findings

As a result, the research revealed that policing strategies directed at solving specific crimes are the most effective in the perception of decision-makers after the emulation of data with the ELECTRE IV method.

Research limitations/implications

As research implications, it can be inferred that the use of multicriteria methods in the modeling of problems in the area of public security can contribute to rationalization of the use of the means available in the fight against crime in large cities. The research showed that it is possible to use customized policing strategies to a certain reality.

Practical implications

The method presented in this research is directly related to the major strategies: problem-oriented policing and hot spot policing. This method allows public safety managers to consider the possibility of combining different law enforcement strategies in each context. In this sense, the use of the multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) (ELECTRE IV) method allows the evaluation of a large set of alternatives according to a set of established criteria, speeding up the process and reducing subjectivity, allowing the manager to analyze several scenarios with greater clarity and impartiality and choosing an alternative that best solves the proposed problem. The expected result is the rationalization of the available means applied in the search for the reduction of crime rates.

Social implications

The customization of policing strategies, according to criminal demands, implies the efficient way to reduce criminal charges. Reducing criminal rates enables the development of the local economy, tourism and the quality of life of people by exercising their freedom to the full.

Originality/value

The originality lies in filling a gap in the literature with the elaboration of the impact matrix of policing strategies in reducing criminal indices, and in their associated use in ordering strategies through a multicriteria method.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Joana M. Gonçalves, Fernando A.F. Ferreira, João J.M. Ferreira and Luís M.C. Farinha

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become increasingly important in national and international markets because they contribute to the development of local and…

1033

Abstract

Purpose

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become increasingly important in national and international markets because they contribute to the development of local and national economies. SMEs often face serious challenges when competing with multinational companies. The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for assessing SMEs’ competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a constructivist epistemology, this study makes an integrated use of cognitive mapping and the measuring attractiveness by a categorical-based evaluation technique (MACBETH). To this end, face-to-face sessions were conducted with a panel of entrepreneurs and senior managers who deal with the challenges of maintaining SME competitiveness every day. The proposed assessment system was tested and validated by the panel members.

Findings

The methodological processes adopted in this study provide promising results for decision makers seeking to identify the most competitive SMEs. Specifically, the results emphasize, among other points, the importance of innovation and the human dimension to gaining competitive advantages.

Research limitations/implications

The evaluation system developed in this study is extremely versatile and confirms the usefulness of integrating cognitive mapping and MACBETH to facilitate evaluations of SME competitiveness. However, due to its idiosyncratic and process-oriented nature, generalizations need to be done with caution.

Practical implications

The proposed method can be valuable to researchers seeking to develop mechanisms for evaluating SMEs’ entrepreneurial performance and include specialized know-how and sensemaking in organizational decision-making processes.

Originality/value

The integrated use of cognitive maps and MACBETH contributes to a better understanding of how to assess SMEs’ competitiveness. No prior work reporting the use of this dual methodology in this study context has been found.

Article
Publication date: 27 July 2018

Evangelia Triperina, Georgios Bardis, Cleo Sgouropoulou, Ioannis Xydas, Olivier Terraz and Georgios Miaoulis

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel framework for visual-aided ontology-based multidimensional ranking and to demonstrate a case study in the academic domain.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel framework for visual-aided ontology-based multidimensional ranking and to demonstrate a case study in the academic domain.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a method for adapting semantic web technologies on multiple criteria decision-making algorithms to endow to them dynamic characteristics. It also showcases the enhancement of the decision-making process by visual analytics.

Findings

The semantic enhanced ranking method enables the reproducibility and transparency of ranking results, while the visual representation of this information further benefits decision makers into making well-informed and insightful deductions about the problem.

Research limitations/implications

This approach is suitable for application domains that are ranked on the basis of multiple criteria.

Originality/value

The discussed approach provides a dynamic ranking methodology, instead of focusing only on one application field, or one multiple criteria decision-making method. It proposes a framework that allows integration of multidimensional, domain-specific information and produces complex ranking results in both textual and visual form.

Details

Data Technologies and Applications, vol. 52 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 February 2012

Craig Langston

This paper aims to focus on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings that have become obsolete, an important strategy for sustainable development and a pertinent response to…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings that have become obsolete, an important strategy for sustainable development and a pertinent response to excessive resource usage resulting from typical destruction and redevelopment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper looks at the validity of earlier work to model adaptive reuse potential (ARP) using a new multiple criteria decision analysis tool called iconCUR. Based on a review of 12 case studies, the paper determines the extent of agreement between ARP and iconCUR evaluations that both claim to be useful in making decisions about reuse.

Findings

The results show a high correlation between these approaches, whether based on raw scores or on relative ranking, and match expert opinion concerning appropriate actions. This work represents the culmination of a three‐year study into the strategic assessment of building adaptive reuse opportunities.

Originality/value

The paper provides confidence in the modelling of future interventions to revitalise existing built assets using a triple bottom line perspective.

1 – 10 of 254