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Summary—A synthesis process of a multiple description is defined on a lattice of fuzzy sets which differs from the usual one. Connections between these lattices are stated. Mathematical definitions are correlated with concepts of decision and system theory.

Our aim is to define a linear ordering of the set of all fuzzy sets in the universal set X, i.e. the set of the whole descriptions on X by means of suitable criteria. Thus it will be possible to compare different descriptions of the set X by means of interpretations arising from the criteria acting on the set of the predicates on X. In particular, a linear ordering can be obtained in the fuzzy sets via energy functions and entropy functions.

The purpose of this paper is to present a model to support governmental local managers in public budget optimization, based on an integration of methods. It was constructed to fill the gap related to weights definition in problematic, commonly performed subjective assessments. This model supports the decision making in budget distribution identifying the importance of sectors in local governments, captured by historical data.

The model was developed following three steps: the first step included the exploitation of the characteristics of local sectors represented by city departments and the data collection procedure using time series (TS). In the second one, the weights regarding the importance of each city department were calculated by the UTASTAR method and based on historical data from the first step. Finally, an objective function was formulated using linear programming and constraints based on law specifications, and as a result, an optimized projection for public budget distribution was performed.

The results demonstrated that the model can be more efficient to weights definition, considering the behavior of preferences by historical data and supporting local public resources optimization, also to comply with the legislation, being able to predict or project future values available on the budget.

The theoretical and practical implications are related with a novelty in recognizing the weights for criteria by a historical behavior of preferences. It can be bringing important directions for budget distribution. The main limitation detected in this study was the difficulty to formulate an assessment involving an integrated opinion from local managers and the population.

First of all, with the correct allocation of resources, the government has a greater advantage to capture investments from the negotiation with development entities and banks. Second, an efficient local government management can promote compliance with legislation and more transparent public policies.

The correct distribution of resources affects the life quality for citizens, since the government acts as a provider of essential services for the population like education, safety, health, particularly for citizens who depend exclusively on the services offered by the local government. Moreover, it can also affect the environment as resources for garbage collection, disposal services and sanitation and, finally, affect the city development such as infrastructure, taxes, etc.

It might be considered an original contribution mainly by the development of a procedure to capture values for weights by TS and meeting the manager’s requirements, based on analytical, statistical and mathematical tools integrated.

Multi-criteria methods represent an adequate tool for solving complex decision problems that provide real support to the decision maker in the choice process. This paper analyzes a decision problem that recurs over time using one of the newer methods as the Parsimonious AHP.

In this paper we integrated the P-AHP with: (1) the weighted average which takes into account the objectivity of the data; (2) ordered weighted average (OWA) aggregation operators that address the subjective nature of the data; (3) the Choquet integral and (4) the Sugeno integral which also considers the uncertain nature of the final ranking as it is defined on a fuzzy measure.

The present paper proves that variations in the final ranking, due to the different mathematical properties of the selected aggregators, are fundamental to select the best alternative without neglecting any characteristic of the input data. In fact, it is discussed and underlined how and why the best alternative is one that never excels but has very good positions with respect to all aggregation operator rankings.

The aim and innovation presented in this work is the use of the Parsimonious AHP (P-AHP) method in a dynamic way with the use of different aggregation techniques.

In this paper we present a fast method for the computation of matrix‐by‐vector products arising from the discretization of an integral formulation of the three‐dimensional eddy current problem. The approach is based on the distinction between short and long range interactions. The features of the method will be discussed with reference to some numerical examples, also in view of an extension to the nonlinear case of superconductors.

The increasing number of tourists in the Muslim world every year has encouraged digital business developers and the Sharia banking industry to integrate halal product and service apps with the Sharia mobile banking system. The fourth wave of the industrial revolution has changed the consumer paradigm, creating a young generation that uses digital service transaction systems in their daily lives. This paper aims to investigate the factors that determine intention to use halal tourism apps amongst Muslim tourists to provide insights promoting the development of halal tourism in Indonesia.

The research was conducted using an online survey approach. The sample comprised 205 Muslim Millennial and Generation Z travellers. The data collected were analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling. There were three analysis stages: evaluation of the measurement model, assessment of the structural model and hypothesis testing.

The findings indicated that trust mediated the relationship between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness on individual intentions and that halal knowledge positively and significantly impacted individual intentions. In contrast, religiosity was not a significant influence on individual intentions.

The paper expanded the technology acceptance model by incorporating the key constructs of halal knowledge, religiosity and trust into an integrated research framework; this represented a novel step, especially in the context of halal tourism. The finding that trust mediated the relationship between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness fills a gap in previous research, which has rarely included the trust construct in technology acceptance models.

With an emphasis on the moderating impact of trust, this study examines determinants influencing the purchase intentions of young consumers in augmented reality (AR) shopping platforms. This research study aims to pinpoint essential elements, including the enjoyment dimensions (i.e. entertainment, visual appeal and hedonic component) and practicality dimensions [i.e. informativeness, navigation and perceived usefulness (PU)], that are imperative in influencing young consumers’ purchase intentions in AR-based shopping platforms.

The present study used a quantitative approach grounded in the stimulus-organism-response model and the extended technology acceptance model, which analysed purchase intention among the youth using AR shopping platforms. One hundred seventy-two samples were gathered through self-administered questionnaires and underwent partial least squares structural equation modelling analysis to predict the relationships between the proposed variables.

The results of the current study suggested the independent variables (e.g. entertainment, visual appeal, informativeness and navigation) had a significant impact on hedonic components and PU. Furthermore, both hedonic components and PU had a significant and positive influence on purchase intention. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that hedonic components and PU in relation to purchase intention were not moderated by trust.

The developed research framework is significant for understanding the perceptions of shopping behaviour among young consumers in the Borneo region of Malaysia. This is one of the few studies that explored the interplay between enjoyment and practicality’s dimensions on purchase intention via AR shopping platforms in the less explored region of Malaysia. Hence, this study plays a pivotal role in contributing to the existing marketing and technology management literature. Moreover, it holds practical importance for business operators and marketers as it aids in decision-making and strategic planning for the future direction of businesses in the young consumer market.

This paper aims to explore how relative advantages, compatibility, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness affect hotel room self-directed booking (SDB) behavior, specifically focusing on the mediating role of trust.

The research utilized the responses of 432 hotel guests, applying an extended technology acceptance model (TAM)− innovation diffusion theory (IDT)−trust framework and using partial least squares structural equation modeling to conduct both direct and indirect path analyses to confirm the study hypotheses.

Results show that perceived relative advantages, compatibility, usefulness and ease of use of the online booking platform significantly impact guests’ SDB behavior, with trust significantly mediating each of the proposed relationships, highlighting its crucial role in promoting online booking behavior.

This study underscores the importance of SDB providers’ showcasing the benefits and efficiency of online booking systems in influencing consumer decisions, offering new insights into how technological advancements affect SDB behavior in the hotel industry.

By integrating TAM, IDT and trust into an integrated framework, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the diverse factors influencing hotel guest engagement with SDB, offering practical insights to enhance guest satisfaction with the SDB platform.

The world today is heavily controlled by the content available on the internet, where a one-star rating gain may work wonders for a company and a one-star rating decline can cause huge damage. Online booking platforms provide more freedom, privacy and contact with experienced travelers than physical hotel booking. The study identifies the factors shaping travelers' online hotel booking intention (OHBI).

We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to expand the horizons of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hospitality sector. The results are based on the data collected from 705 travelers who made online hotel reservations.

The findings demonstrate that online reviews, hotel website quality and hotel website convenience quotient favorably shape prospective tourists' perceived trust, magnifying their inclination to book a hotel online. Website convenience quotient and trust partially mediate the association between the constructs. In addition, the linkage between perceived trust and OHBI is strengthened by promotional offers but weakened by perceived risk.

Our findings provide several important implications for hotel managers, prospective travelers, hotel owners, website developers, policymakers, hotel employees, the local community and competitors to expedite the growth of the Indian hotel industry.

The literature reveals that website convenience quotient, perceived trust and promotional offers have not received enough attention in the hospitality industry and warrant attention. Our study strives to broaden the scope of the TAM and SOR models to better understand these constructs in the backdrop of the Indian hospitality sector. The study also examines how promotional offers and perceived risk influence the linkages between the underlying constructs.

This study aims to examine the entrepreneurship profiles of migrants and refugees relying on a neo-configurational approach that increases understanding of causal complexity, equifinality and causal asymmetry patterns to high entrepreneurial intentions in the two groups.

Using a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method, the authors analysed 52 respondents – migrants and refugees. The findings show the existence of equifinality in which different configurations can lead to high and low entrepreneurial intentions, underlying that traumatic experiences have a major role in entrepreneurial intention. It also demonstrates that core conditions are associated with refugee’s configurations and causal asymmetry. The cross-sectional character of this research impedes the searching for a better causal relationship. The lack of studies that approach the subject of refugees makes it challenging to develop a robust theory in this sense.

The paper highlights five main configurations – two related to migrants’ profile and three related to refugees’ profile – that enable expanding the current knowledge and practices to better customize practices to increase entrepreneurial intention.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research using a configurational approach to explore migrant and refugee entrepreneurship intention profiles.