Spatial planning is about dealing with our 'everyday' environment. In A Planner's Encounter with Complexity we present various understandings of complexity and how the environment is considered accordingly. One of these considerations is the environment as subject to processes of continuous change, being either progressive or destructive, evolving non-linearly and alternating between stable and dynamic periods. If the environment that is subject to change is adaptive, self-organizing, robust and flexible in relation to this change, a process of evolution and co-evolution can be expected. This understanding of an evolving environment is not mainstream to every planner. However, in A Planner's Encounter with Complexity, we argue that environments confronted with discontinuous, non-linear evolving processes might be more real than the idea that an environment is simply a planner's creation. Above all, we argue that recognizing the 'complexity' of our environment offers an entirely new perspective on our world and our environment, on planning theory and practice, and on the raison d'Atre of the planners that we are. A Planner's Encounter with Complexity is organized into 17 chapters. It begins with the interplay of planning and complexity from the perspective of contemporary planning theory. It continues by critically assessing planning theory and practice in the light of the interdisciplinary debate regarding complexity thinking. As the book progresses, it positions itself ever closer to the perspective of complexity thinking, looking at the planning discipline 'from the outside in', clarifying the facets of complexity and its importance in planning. Finally, conceptual and theoretical developments towards more applied examples are identified in order to see the interplay of planning and complexity in practice. This book emphasizes the importance of complexity in planning, clarifies many of the concepts and theories, presents examples on planning and complexity, and proposes new ideas and methods for planning.

This book recapitulates the major developments in Decision Support Systems (DSS) over the last 30 years in order to evaluate the research areas of decision making and in which direction the field should proceed. As it attempts to find a consensus about the next steps for the future of DSS research, the book also enforces the trends and new technologies currently in use. The book examines topics such as decision analysis for enterprise systems and non-hierarchical networks, integrated solutions for decision support and knowledge management in distributed environments, decision support system evaluation and analysis through social networks, and e-learning and its application to real environments. It clearly presents the evidence to support their cases and attempts to promote an extensive and objective discussion. In addition, the book also reflects on approaches to dead-end ideas and failures in DSS to better understand the lessons learned. The contributions for this book have been written by thought leaders and influential researchers from the EURO Working Group of Decision Support Systems (EWG-DSS).

No matter how many resources we consume we never seem to have enough. The Economics of Abundance is a balanced book in which Wolfgang Hoeschele challenges why this is so. He claims that our current capitalist economy can exist only on the basis of manufactured scarcity created by 'scarcity-generating institutions', and these institutions manipulate both demand and supply of commodities. Therefore demand consistently exceeds supply, and profits and economic growth can continue - at the cost of individual freedom, social equity, and ecological sustainability. The fact that continual increases in demand are so vital to our economy leads to an impasse: many people see no alternative to the generation of ever more demand, but at the same time recognize that it is clearly unsustainable ecologically and socially. So, can demand only be reduced by curtailing freedom and is this acceptable? This book argues that, by analyzing how scarcity-generating institutions work and then reforming or dismantling them, we can enhance individual freedom and support entrepreneurial initiative, and at the same time make progress toward social justice and environmental sustainability by reducing demands on vital resources. This vision would enable activists in many fields (social justice, civil liberties, and environmental protection), as well as many entrepreneurs and other members of civil society to work together much more effectively, make it more difficult to portray all these groups as contradictory special interests, and thereby help generate momentum for positive change. Meanwhile, for academics in many fields of study, the concept of the creation of scarcity or abundance may be a highly useful analytical tool.

This book takes a unique approach to linear optimization by focusing on the underlying principles and business applications of a topic more often taught from a mathematical and computational perspective. By shifting the perspective away from heavy math, students learn how optimization can be used to drive decision making in real world business settings. The book does not shy away from the theory underlying linear optimization but rather focuses on ensuring students understand the logic without getting caught up in proving theorems. Plenty of examples, applications and case studies are included to help bridge the gap between the theory and the way it plays out in practice. The author has also included several Excel spreadsheets, showing worked-out models of linear optimization that have been used to drive decisions ranging from configuring a police force to purchasing crude oil and media planning. How can the routes and pricing structures of airlines be optimized? How much should be invested in the prevention and punishment of crimes? These are everyday problems that can be solved using linear optimization, and this book shows students just how to do that. It will prove a useful, math-free resource for all students of management science and operations research.

This book discusses corporate citizenship, corporate responsibility and business ethics across Africa generally, and Botswana specifically. It begins by contextualizing Botswana within the broader context of Africa, using nine other countries - Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe - to provide a comparative perspective, examining the common factor: that weak legalization makes it challenging for corporate social responsibility to be actualized.From this background, the book then discusses Botswana as a key study. Botswana has been described as 'Africa's economic miracle' due to its growing economy since independence This puts it in a unique position for the implementation and study of corporate social responsibility. The interdisciplinary team of authors employ various research methods to examine the complex relationship between business, society, corporations and social justice issues.This book will be valuable reading for any academic working on corporate social responsibility in Africa, and will present an interesting insight to an often neglected area of study. France Maphosa is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Botswana. His research interests include migration and transnationalism, the sociology of entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, urban and rural livelihoods, labour studies and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Langtone Maunganidze is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. His research interests include industrial sociology, business and society, rural livelihoods and sustainable development, and entrepreneurship.

This book analyzes a range of new developments in various fields concerning the concepts of chaos and complexity theory. The proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Chaos, Complexity and Leadership feature newly developed concepts involving various research methodologies for identifying chaos and complexity in different fields of the sciences and leadership. In addition, it explores chaotic and complex systems from all fields of knowledge in order to stake a claim of prevalence of compatibility between knowledge fields. Particular emphasis is placed on exploring non-linearity in order to open a discussion on new approaches to and perspectives on chaos, complexity and leadership. Readers will find coverage of important events that have recently taken place in our world, regardless of whether they were social, political, economic or scientific in nature. The book explores diverse aspects of and issues related to the effects of chaos and complexity in the world; discusses the application of nonlinear dynamics in order to arrive at transformational policies; and offers projections of tomorrow's world using an interdisciplinary approach. Though primarily intended for readers with an interest in nonlinear science, thanks to its focus on the application of chaos and complexity to other disciplines, the book appeals to a broad readership.

This book tackles the perplexing problem of how to capture the qualitative differences that exist in entrepreneurship at any given point in time or across time, by presenting a novel qualitative index: Entrepreneurship Quality Index (EQI). This comprehensive composite index is based on recognized interactions among different factors affecting intensity and types of entrepreneurial activity, which in turn is impacting the well-being. It brings qualitative differences in entrepreneurship depending on time and space into calculation of the composite index. Besides, EQI is the missing piece of the entrepreneurship puzzle, and the quality of entrepreneurship is a significant factor that shows why less developed countries do not achieve higher levels of economic growth, despite their high rate of entrepreneurial activities. This book does a masterful job in explaining the diversity of existing perspectives, their contributions, and their shortfalls. It applies rigorous tools of mathematical statistics and quality engineering, such as Bayes' rule, maximum likelihood estimation, six sigma algorithm, and standardization equation, to derive and introduce EQI, as a novel operations research model. It offers a number of important ideas and insights as to how the quality of entrepreneurship can be measured more accurately. It also illustrates the proposed approaches showing their efficacy across time. The proposed solutions are logical and empirically sound; they represent an important leap in thinking about the quality of entrepreneurship. Its contribution is crucial and timely - one that will be well recognized by researchers worldwide. They give a much-needed framework along with the necessary tools to evaluate and measure entrepreneurial activities.

This book provides relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings of Operations Research/Management Science applied to Internet of Things. This book identifies and describes ways in which OR and MS have been applied and influenced the development of IoT. Examples are from smart industry; city; transportation; home and smart devices. It discusses future applications, trends, and potential benefits of this new discipline. It is written for professionals who want to improve their understanding of the strategic role of IoT at various levels of the organization, that is, IoT at the global economy level, at networks and organizations level, at teams and work groups, at information systems and, finally, IoT at the level of individuals, as players in the networked environments.

This book presents a collection of mathematical models that deals with the real scenario in the industries. The primary objective of this book is to explore various effective methods for inventory control and management using soft computing techniques. Inventory control and management is a very tedious task faced by all the organizations in any sector of the economy. It makes decisions for policies, activities, and procedures in order to make sure that the right amount of each item is held in stock at any time. Many industries suffer from indiscipline while ordering and production mismatch. It is essential to provide best ordering policy to control such kind of mismatch in the industries. All the mathematical model solutions are provided with the help of various soft computing optimization techniques to determine optimal ordering policy. This book is beneficial for practitioners, educators, and researchers. It is also helpful for retailers/managers for improving business functions and making more accurate and realistic decisions.

This book is devoted to a detailed study of the subgradient projection method and its variants for convex optimization problems over the solution sets of common fixed point problems and convex feasibility problems. These optimization problems are investigated to determine good solutions obtained by different versions of the subgradient projection algorithm in the presence of sufficiently small computational errors. The use of selected algorithms is highlighted including the Cimmino type subgradient, the iterative subgradient, and the dynamic string-averaging subgradient. All results presented are new. Optimization problems where the underlying constraints are the solution sets of other problems, frequently occur in applied mathematics. The reader should not miss the section in Chapter 1 which considers some examples arising in the real world applications. The problems discussed have an important impact in optimization theory as well. The book will be useful for researches interested in the optimization theory and its applications.

Making important business decisions is usually a difficult and complicated task. In the modern economy where businesses have to solve increasingly complex decision-making problems, it is important to learn and use methods and techniques including the analysis of behavioral data to support decision-making in practice. This book presents various methods and solutions to problems in modern data acquisition techniques and practical aspects of decision making. In particular, it addresses such important issues as: business decision making, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), multidimensional comparative analysis (MCA), decision games and data acquisition techniques for decision making (declarative techniques and cognitive neuroscience techniques). Important topics such as consumers' rational behavior, environmental management accounting, operational research methods, neuroscience including epigenetics, DEA analysis etc., as well as case studies related to decision making in management are also included.

This book presents the human, cultural, and scientific contributions of professor Eliano Pessa, who recently passed away. His research interests and activities were varied, some of which included quantum physics, cognitive science and psychology, systems science, artificial intelligence, and alpinism. They were never disciplinary-separated issues, but rather some coherent dimensions of his interests in life. He lived and not only practiced interdisciplinarity and multiple dimensions; he considered it unacceptable to do only one thing in life. The contributors in this volume consider, discuss, interpret, and represent the multiplicity and interdisciplinarity experienced, lived and applied by Pessa. The chapters are inspired by, rebuild, and retrace such networked interests lived by him from the personal, cultural, and scientific points of view of the authors. This is true interdisciplinarity and usage of non-equivalences, honoring the richness of Pessa's contributions.

This book includes selected papers presented at the Indo-French Seminar on Optimization, Variational Analysis and Applications (IFSOVAA-2020), held at the Department of Mathematics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, from 2-4 February 2020. The book discusses current optimization problems and their solutions by using the powerful tool of variational analysis. Topics covered in this volume include set optimization, multiobjective optimization, mathematical programs with complementary, equilibrium, vanishing and switching constraints, copositive optimization, interval-valued optimization, sequential quadratic programming, bound-constrained optimization, variational inequalities, and more. Several applications in different branches of applied mathematics, engineering, economics, finance, and medical sciences have been included. Each chapter not only provides a detailed survey of the topic but also builds systematic theories and suitable algorithms to deduce the most recent findings in literature. This volume appeals to graduate students as well as researchers and practitioners in pure and applied mathematics and related fields that make use of variational analysis in solving optimization problems.

Industry consolidation, mergers, changes to business models, the emergence of new threats all require managers to understand highly complex situations, assess risk and opportunity and make informed decisions. How can senior managers do this effectively when so often they are wrestling with brand new scenarios? One of the emerging solutions is business wargaming. Daniel F. Oriesek and Jan Oliver Schwarz provide the first comprehensive look at wargaming as a business tool in a book that explores the anatomy and success factors of a typical wargame. The authors explain how and when wargaming can be used to test strategies, plan and prepare for crises, manage change or increase your organization's ability to anticipate and adapt for the future. Creating imaginative and credible scenarios, and testing them against smart opponents who are eager to find holes and counter your strategy, allows you to learn about a plan or a new venture in the security of the conference room rather than learning the hard way when you go live. Business wargames are sophisticated but they are also very demanding in terms of time and resources. Business Wargaming: Securing Corporate Value will enable you to assess the potential value of the technique for your own organization, to understand what you will be committing to and develop an informed business case and brief for working with the organization that will facilitate the game.

This book explores the methodological and application developments of network design in transportation and logistics. It identifies trends, challenges and research perspectives in network design for these areas. Network design is a major class of problems in operations research where network flow, combinatorial and mixed integer optimization meet. The analysis and planning of transportation and logistics systems continues to be one of the most important application areas of operations research. Networks provide the natural way of depicting such systems, so the optimal design and operation of networks is the main methodological area of operations research that is used for the analysis and planning of these systems. This book defines the current state of the art in the general area of network design, and then turns to its applications to transportation and logistics. New research challenges are addressed. Network Design with Applications to Transportation and Logistics is divided into three parts. Part I examines basic design problems including fixed-cost network design and parallel algorithms. After addressing the basics, Part II focuses on more advanced models. Chapters cover topics such as multi-facility network design, flow-constrained network design, and robust network design. Finally Part III is dedicated entirely to the potential application areas for network design. These areas range from rail networks, to city logistics, to energy transport. All of the chapters are written by leading researchers in the field, which should appeal to analysts and planners.

The book introduces readers to some of the latest advances in and approaches to decision-making methods based on thermodynamic characters and hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference relations. By investigating the decision-making methods with thermodynamic parameters based on different information representatives, the book offers readers a novel perspective for solving problems under uncertainty. By exploring the consistency and consensus of hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference relations, the book gives readers efficient ways for preference analysis under uncertainty, chiefly intended for researchers and practitioners working in operations research, multi-attribute decision making, preference analysis, etc. The book can also be used as supplementary material for postgraduate and senior-year undergraduate students of the relevant professional institutions.

This book introduces readers to essential strategies, practices, and benchmarking for asset maintenance in operations intensive industries. Drawing on a case study from the oil and gas sector, it offers a methodology and practical solutions to help maintenance practitioners select and formulate an asset maintenance strategy, and to establish best maintenance practices at an organizational level using the frameworks developed here. It is intended for industry practitioners, young maintenance professionals, and students of engineering management who aspire to a career in operations intensive industries.

The book includes the latest research advances and cutting-edge analyses of real case studies in the disciplines of Industrial Engineering and Operations Management from diverse international contexts. This work presents a revised version of the best papers presented at the XIII International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Industrial Management promoted by ADINGOR (Asociacion para el Desarrollo de la Ingenieria de Organizacion), which took place at the Polytechnic School of Engineering of Gijon (University of Oviedo), Asturias, Spain, from July 11th to 12th, 2019.

This book presents advanced case studies that address a range of important issues arising in space engineering. An overview of challenging operational scenarios is presented, with an in-depth exposition of related mathematical modeling, algorithmic and numerical solution aspects. The model development and optimization approaches discussed in the book can be extended also towards other application areas. The topics discussed illustrate current research trends and challenges in space engineering as summarized by the following list: * Next Generation Gravity Missions * Continuous-Thrust Trajectories by Evolutionary Neurocontrol * Nonparametric Importance Sampling for Launcher Stage Fallout * Dynamic System Control Dispatch * Optimal Launch Date of Interplanetary Missions * Optimal Topological Design * Evidence-Based Robust Optimization * Interplanetary Trajectory Design by Machine Learning * Real-Time Optimal Control * Optimal Finite Thrust Orbital Transfers * Planning and Scheduling of Multiple Satellite Missions * Trajectory Performance Analysis * Ascent Trajectory and Guidance Optimization * Small Satellite Attitude Determination and Control * Optimized Packings in Space Engineering * Time-Optimal Transfers of All-Electric GEO Satellites Researchers working on space engineering applications will find this work a valuable, practical source of information. Academics, graduate and post-graduate students working in aerospace, engineering, applied mathematics, operations research, and optimal control will find useful information regarding model development and solution techniques, in conjunction with real-world applications.

Applications of Management Science presents current studies in the application of management science to the solution of significant managerial decision-making problems. It significantly aids in the dissemination of the solution of managerial decision-making problems with management science methodologies. With a focus on the application of management science methodologies data envelopment analysis and multi-criteria decision making, this volume is split into three sections: 1. Applications of optimization; 2. Data envelopment analysis and applications; 3. Data envelopment analysis. To those involved in the applications of multi-criteria decision making, data envelopment analysis and decision making, in a realistic managerial problem solving environment through the use of state of the art management science modelling, this is a must-read.

Customer-Oriented Optimization in Public Transportation develops models, results and algorithms for optimizing public transportation from a customer-oriented point of view. The methods used are based on graph-theoretic approaches and integer programming. The specific topics are all motivated by real-world examples which occurred in practical projects. An appendix summarizes some of the basics of optimization needed to interpret the material in the book. In detail, the topics the book covers in its three parts are as follows: Stop location - Does it make sense to open new stations along existing bus or railway lines? If yes, in which locations? The problem is modeled as a continuous covering problem. To solve it, the author develops a finite dominating set and shows that efficient methods are possible if the special structure of the covering matrix is used; Delay management - Should a train wait for delayed feeder trains or should it depart in time?

Der Autor untersucht unter Berucksichtigung der Neuerungen durch das SanInsFoG, ob die mit der drohenden Zahlungsunfahigkeit i. S. d. 18 InsO verbundenen rechtspolitischen Ziele des Gesetzgebers erreicht wurden. Dabei nimmt er zu bisher wenig beachteten Rechtsfragen im Zusammenhang mit den Eroeffnungsgrunden nach 17 ff. InsO Stellung, entwickelt eine eigene Prufungssystematik fur den Tatbestand des 18 InsO und unterbreitet einen Reformvorschlag zur Abloesung des 19 InsO. Er beleuchtet die bestehenden Anreize fur eine fruhzeitige Verfahrenseinleitung mit Fokus auf die gesetzlichen Sanierungsinstrumente sowie die Konkurrenzsituation zum StaRUG und unterbreitet fur klarungsbedurftige Einzelfragen Loesungsvorschlage. Der Autor stellt fest, dass de lege lata kaum geeignete Anreize zur Foerderung einer Verfahrenseinleitung bereits bei drohender Zahlungsunfahigkeit vorhanden sind und der Gesetzgeber daher das mit 18 InsO verfolgte Ziel nach wie vor verfehlt. Anschliessend prasentiert er konkrete Vorschlage zur Weiterentwicklung des geltenden Rechts de lege ferenda.

This book assesses potential developments of terrorism and ways to prevent it-the growing threats as new technologies become available - and how the same new technologies may help trap those with potential mal-intent. The drumbeat of terror resonates from everywhere; how can we stop it? What are the tripping points along the road and how can we avoid them? Increasingly more people have access to increasingly more information and increasingly more destructive technologies. In the meantime, increasingly advanced technologies help us create an increasingly safer and more harmonious world. Advantages and disadvantages are accelerating each other. While hybrid threats are intensifying, so are the opportunities to address them. But what are the compromises and how can we mitigate them? This book also looks at the unexpected and often random success and failure of policies to counter the evolving terror threat. The various aspects of the terrorism phenomena are presented in a unique way using scenario vignettes, which give the reader a realistic perception of the threat. The combination of positive and negative implications of emerging technologies is describing what might well be one of the most important dimensions of our common future.

This book presents various methods for sustainability assessment of energy systems, under various different conditions and scenarios. It answers the questions of how to measure the sustainability of energy systems by adopting appropriate metrics and methods. This book provides readers with a comprehensive view of the frontiers of sustainability assessment methods for energy system analysis. It presents various methodologies, allowing readers to understand: the complete metrics for sustainability assessment; life cycle thinking for sustainability assessment of energy systems; and the advanced sustainability assessment methods for energy systems. This book is of interest to researchers, engineers, decision makers, and postgraduate students within the field of energy systems, sustainability, and decision analysis.

Intellectual property has rapidly become one of the most important, as well as most controversial, subjects in recent years amongst productive thinkers of many kinds all over the world. Scientific work and technological progress now depend largely on questions of who owns what, as do the success and profits of countless authors, artists, inventors, researchers and industrialists. Economic, legal and ethical issues play a central role in the increasingly complex balance between unilateral gains and universal benefits from the "knowledge society." Economics, Law and Intellectual Property explores the field in both depth and breadth through the latest views of leading experts in Europe and the United States. It provides a fundamental understanding of the problems and potential solutions, not only in doing practical business with ideas and innovations, but also on the level of institutions that influence such business. Addressing a range of readers from individual scholars to company managers and policy makers, it gives a unique perspective on current developments.