Users often struggle to select choosing among similar online services. To help them make informed decisions, it is important to establish a service reputation measurement…
Abstract
Purpose
Users often struggle to select choosing among similar online services. To help them make informed decisions, it is important to establish a service reputation measurement mechanism. User-provided feedback ratings serve as a primary source of information for this mechanism, and ensuring the credibility of user feedback is crucial for a reliable reputation measurement. Most of the previous studies use passive detection to identify false feedback without creating incentives for honest reporting. Therefore, this study aims to develop a reputation measure for online services that can provide incentives for users to report honestly.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors present a method that uses a peer prediction mechanism to evaluate user credibility, which evaluates users’ credibility with their reports by applying the strictly proper scoring rule. Considering the heterogeneity among users, the authors measure user similarity, identify similar users as peers to assess credibility and calculate service reputation using an improved expectation-maximization algorithm based on user credibility.
Findings
Theoretical analysis and experimental results verify that the proposed method motivates truthful reporting, effectively identifies malicious users and achieves high service rating accuracy.
Originality/value
The proposed method has significant practical value in evaluating the authenticity of user feedback and promoting honest reporting.
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Sogand Soghrati Ghasbeh, Nadia Pourmohammadzia and Masoud Rabbani
This paper aims to address a location-distribution-routing problem for distributing relief commodities during a disaster under uncertainty by creating a multi-stage model that can…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to address a location-distribution-routing problem for distributing relief commodities during a disaster under uncertainty by creating a multi-stage model that can consider information updates during the disaster. This model aims to create a relief network that chooses distribution centers with the highest value while maximizing equity and minimizing response time.
Design/methodology/approach
A hybrid algorithm of adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) and multi-dimensional local search (MDLS) is introduced to solve the problem. Its results are compared to ALNS and an augmented epsilon constraint (AUGMECON) method.
Findings
The results show that the hybrid algorithm can obtain high-quality solutions within reasonable computation time compared to the exact solution. However, while it yields better solutions compared to ALNS, the solution is obtained in a little longer amount of time.
Research limitations/implications
In this paper, the uncertain nature of some key features of the relief operations problem is not discussed. Moreover, some assumptions assumed to simplify the proposed model should be verified in future studies.
Practical implications
In order to verify the effectiveness of the designed model, a case study of the Sarpol Zahab earthquake in 2017 is illustrated and based on the results and the sensitivity analyses, some managerial insights are listed to help disaster managers make better decisions during disasters.
Originality/value
A novel robust multi-stage linear programming model is designed to address the location-distribution-routing problem during a disaster and to solve this model an efficient hybrid meta-heuristic model is developed.
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Ali Cheaitou, Sadeque Hamdan and Rim Larbi
This paper aims to examine containership routing and speed optimization for maritime liner services. It focuses on a realistic case in which the transport demand, and consequently…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine containership routing and speed optimization for maritime liner services. It focuses on a realistic case in which the transport demand, and consequently the collected revenue from the visited ports depend on the sailing speed.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors present an integer non-linear programming model for the containership routing and fleet sizing problem, in which the sailing speed of every leg, the ports to be included in the service and their sequence are optimized based on the net line's profit. The authors present a heuristic approach that is based on speed discretization and a genetic algorithm to solve the problem for large size instances. They present an application on a line provided by COSCO in 2017 between Asia and Europe.
Findings
The numerical results show that the proposed heuristic approach provides good quality solutions after a reasonable computation time. In addition, the demand sensitivity has a great impact on the selected route and therefore the profit function. Moreover, the more the demand is sensitive to the sailing speed, the higher the sailing speed value.
Research limitations/implications
The vessel carrying capacity is not considered in an explicit way.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on an important aspect in liner shipping, i.e. demand sensitivity to sailing speed. It brings a novel approach that is important in a context in which sailing speed strategies and market volatility are to be considered together in network design. This perspective has not been addressed previously.
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The objective of this study is to present a successful strategy to promote Korea as the logistics hub of Northeast Asia. Firstly, we introduce the necessity of a logistic hub…
Abstract
The objective of this study is to present a successful strategy to promote Korea as the logistics hub of Northeast Asia. Firstly, we introduce the necessity of a logistic hub strategy for Korea. In order to develop a successful strategy, we consider the 'free trade zone' model of the Netherlands and China. We develop a realistic and suitable model for Korea based on this Jree trade zone' model. Our proposal for a successful logistic hub strategy for Korea is the fulfillment of the following six objectives: 1) security of market accessibility, 2) improvement of the logistic system, 3) improvement of the education system, 4) improvement of the tax system, 5) assurance of labor market flexibility, and 6) development of an appealing living environment for foreigners.
Xiao Yun Lu, Hecheng Li and Qiong Hao
Consistency and consensus are two important research issues in group decision-making (GDM). Considering some drawbacks associated with these two issues in existing GDM methods…
Abstract
Purpose
Consistency and consensus are two important research issues in group decision-making (GDM). Considering some drawbacks associated with these two issues in existing GDM methods with intuitionistic multiplicative preference relations (IMPRs), a new GDM method with complete IMPRs (CIMPRs) and incomplete IMPRs (ICIMPRs) is proposed in this paper.
Design/methodology/approach
A mathematically programming model is constructed to judge the consistency of CIMPRs. For the unacceptably consistent CIMPRs, a consistency-driven optimization model is constructed to improve the consistency level. Meanwhile, a consistency-driven optimization model is constructed to supplement the missing values and improve the consistency level of the ICIMPRs. As to GDM with CIMPRs, first, a mathematically programming model is built to obtain the experts' weights, after that a consensus-driven optimization model is constructed to improve the consensus level of CIMPRs, and finally, the group priority weights of alternatives are obtained by an intuitionistic fuzzy programming model.
Findings
The case analysis of the international exchange doctoral student selection problem shows the effectiveness and applicability of this GDM method with CIMPRs and ICIMPRs.
Originality/value
First, a novel consistency definition of CIMPRs is presented. Then, a consistency-driven optimization model is constructed, which supplements the missing values and improves the consistency level of ICIMPRs simultaneously. Therefore, this model greatly improves the efficiency of consistency improving. Experts' weights determination method considering the subjective and objective information is proposed. The priority weights of alternatives are determined by an intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) programming model considering the risk preference of experts, so the method determining priority weights is more flexible and agile. Based on the above theoretical basis, a new GDM method with CIMPRs and ICIMPRs is proposed in this paper.
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Jaber Valizadeh, Ehsan Sadeh, Zainolabedin Amini Sabegh and Ashkan Hafezalkotob
In this study, the authors consider the key decisions in the design of the green closed-loop supply chain (CSLC) network. These decisions include considering the optimal location…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, the authors consider the key decisions in the design of the green closed-loop supply chain (CSLC) network. These decisions include considering the optimal location of suppliers, production facilities, distribution, customers, recycling centers and disposal of non-recyclable goods. In the proposed model, the level of technology used in recycling and production centers is taken into account. Moreover, in this paper is the environmental impacts of production and distribution of products based on the eco-indicator 99 are considered.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the author consider the key decisions in the design of the green CLSC network. These decisions include considering the optimal location of suppliers, production facilities, distribution, customers, recycling centers and disposal of non-recyclable goods. In the proposed model, the level of technology used in recycling and production centers is taken into account. Moreover, the environmental impacts of production and distribution of products based on the eco-indicator 99 are considered.
Findings
The results indicate that the results obtained from the colonial competition algorithm have higher quality than the genetic algorithm. This quality of results includes relative percentage deviation and computational time of the algorithm and it is shown that the computational time of the colonial competition algorithm is significantly lower than the computational time of the genetic algorithm. Furthermore, the limit test and sensitivity analysis results show that the proposed model has sufficient accuracy.
Originality/value
Solid modeling of the green supply chain of the closed loop using the solid optimized method by Bertsimas and Sim. Development of models that considered environmental impacts to the closed loop supply chain. Considering the impact of the technology type in the manufacture of products and the recycling of waste that will reduce emissions of environmental pollutants. Another innovation of the model is the multi-cycle modeling of the closed loop of supply chain by considering the uncertainty and the fixed and variable cost of transport.
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Feng Kong and Kaixin Chen
In the realistic multi-project scheduling, resources are not always shared among multiple projects, nor are they available to perform activities throughout the planning horizon…
Abstract
Purpose
In the realistic multi-project scheduling, resources are not always shared among multiple projects, nor are they available to perform activities throughout the planning horizon. Besides, according to construction technology, some architectural jobs cannot be interrupted for any reason. However, these characteristics of resources and activities have not been fully studied, which may lead to the reduction of engineering quality and the failure of scheduling work. Therefore, this paper aims to model a multi-project scheduling problem with the above characteristics and provide an effective method to meet the actual needs of the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-phase CPLEX with quota auction mechanism (TPCP–QAM) is developed to solve this problem, which significantly improves the solving performance of CPLEX by adjusting the search strategy and implementing a distributed procedure. In this approach, resources are dedicated to individual projects through a global coordination mechanism, while each project is independently scheduled by a local scheduling algorithm.
Findings
(1) For the proposed problem, CPLEX 2019's default search strategy. (Auto) is far inferior to another search strategy (Multi-point) in optimizing the project total cost and average resource capacity. (2) Compared with other two algorithms, TPCP–QAM has obvious advantages in the multi-project total cost (MPTC) and CPU time, especially for large-size instances. (3) Even though the number of non-working days may not be changed for the protection of labor resources, managers can reduce MPTC or shorten the multi-project total makespan (TMS) by appropriately adjusting the distribution of non-working days.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need to investigate how to complete a multi-project portfolio with the minimum cost while ensuring engineering quality under a practical multi-project scheduling environment.
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We develop and estimate an empirical collective model with endogenous marriage formation, participation, and family labor supply. Intra-household transfers arise endogenously as…
Abstract
We develop and estimate an empirical collective model with endogenous marriage formation, participation, and family labor supply. Intra-household transfers arise endogenously as the transfers that clear the marriage market. The intra-household allocation can be recovered from observations on marriage decisions. Introducing the marriage market in the collective model allows us to independently estimate transfers from labor supplies and from marriage decisions. We estimate a semiparametric version of our model using 1980, 1990, and 2000 US Census data. Estimates of the model using marriage data are much more consistent with the theoretical predictions than estimates derived from labor supply.
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The purpose of this paper is to characterize a commutative ring R with identity which is not an integral domain such that ZT(R), the total zero-divisor graph of R is connected and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to characterize a commutative ring R with identity which is not an integral domain such that ZT(R), the total zero-divisor graph of R is connected and to determine the diameter and radius of ZT(R) whenever ZT(R) is connected. Also, the purpose is to generalize some of the known results proved by Duric et al. on the total zero-divisor graph of R.
Design/methodology/approach
We use the methods from commutative ring theory on primary decomposition and strong primary decomposition of ideals in commutative rings. The structure of ideals, the primary ideals, the prime ideals, the set of zero-divisors of the finite direct product of commutative rings is used in this paper. The notion of maximal Nagata prime of the zero-ideal of a commutative ring is also used in our discussion.
Findings
For a commutative ring R with identity, ZT(R) is the intersection of the zero-divisor graph of R and the total graph of R induced by the set of all non-zero zero-divisors of R. The zero-divisor graph of R and the total graph of R induced by the set of all non-zero zero-divisors of R are well studied. Hence, we determine necessary and sufficient condition so that ZT(R) agrees with the zero-divisor graph of R (respectively, agrees with the total graph induced by the set of non-zero zero-divisors of R). If Z(R) is an ideal of R, then it is noted that ZT(R) agrees with the zero-divisor graph of R. Hence, we focus on rings R such that Z(R) is not an ideal of R. We are able to characterize R such that ZT(R) is connected under the assumptions that the zero ideal of R admits a strong primary decomposition and Z(R) is not an ideal of R. With the above assumptions, we are able to determine the domination number of ZT(R).
Research limitations/implications
Duric et al. characterized Artinian rings R such that ZT(R) is connected. In this paper, we extend their result to rings R such that the zero ideal of R admits a strong primary decomposition and Z(R) is not an ideal of R. As an Artinian ring is isomorphic to the direct product of a finite number of Artinian local rings, we try to characterize R such that ZT(R) is connected under the assumption that R is ta finite direct product of rings R1, R2, … Rn with Z(Ri) is an ideal of Ri for each i between 1 to n. Their result on domination number of ZT(R) is also generalized in this paper. We provide several examples to illustrate our results proved.
Practical implications
The implication of this paper is that the existing result of Duric et al. is applicable to large class of commutative rings thereby yielding more examples. Moreover, the results proved in this paper make us to understand the structure of commutative rings better. It also helps us to learn the interplay between the ring-theoretic properties and the graph-theoretic properties of the graph associated with it.
Originality/value
The results proved in this paper are original and they provide more insight into the structure of total zero-divisor graph of a commutative ring. This paper provides several examples. Not much work done in the area of total zero-divisor graph of a commutative ring. This paper is a contribution to the area of graphs and rings and may inspire other researchers to study the total zero-divisor graph in further detail.
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The purpose of this paper is to study the existence and exponential stability of anti-periodic solutions of a class of shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks (SICNNs) with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the existence and exponential stability of anti-periodic solutions of a class of shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks (SICNNs) with time-varying delays and continuously distributed delays.
Design/methodology/approach
The inequality technique and Lyapunov functional method are applied.
Findings
Sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure that all solutions of the networks converge exponentially to the anti-periodic solution, which are new and complement previously known results.
Originality/value
There are few papers that deal with the anti-periodic solutions of delayed SICNNs with the form negative feedback – aij(t)αij(xij(t)).