Introduction to Theory of Control in Organizations explains how methodologies from systems analysis and control theory, including game and graph theory, can be applied to improve organizational management. The theory presented extends the traditional approach to management science by introducing the optimization and game-theoretical tools required to account for the special nature of human beings being viewed as control objects. The book introduces a version of mechanism design that has been customized to solve the problems that today's managers must contend with. All mathematical models and mechanisms studied are motivated by the most common problems encountered by managers in firms and non-profit organizations. Requiring no prior knowledge of game theory or mechanism design, the book includes a systematic introduction to the underlying methodology of modern theory of control in organizations. The authors use formal methods to construct robust and efficient decision-making procedures which support all aspects and stages of management activity over all decision horizons-from operational to strategic management. The mathematical and methodological backgrounds of the organizational mechanisms discussed are not limited to game theory but also include systems analysis, control theory, operations research, and discrete mathematics. The book includes a set of exercises in each chapter-from simple to advanced-that provide the reader with the understanding required to integrate advanced methods of optimization, game theory, and mechanism design into daily managerial practice.

Introduction to Theory of Control in Organizations explains how methodologies from systems analysis and control theory, including game and graph theory, can be applied to improve organizational management. The theory presented extends the traditional approach to management science by introducing the optimization and game-theoretical tools required to account for the special nature of human beings being viewed as control objects. The book introduces a version of mechanism design that has been customized to solve the problems that today's managers must contend with. All mathematical models and mechanisms studied are motivated by the most common problems encountered by managers in firms and non-profit organizations. Requiring no prior knowledge of game theory or mechanism design, the book includes a systematic introduction to the underlying methodology of modern theory of control in organizations. The authors use formal methods to construct robust and efficient decision-making procedures which support all aspects and stages of management activity over all decision horizons-from operational to strategic management. The mathematical and methodological backgrounds of the organizational mechanisms discussed are not limited to game theory but also include systems analysis, control theory, operations research, and discrete mathematics. The book includes a set of exercises in each chapter-from simple to advanced-that provide the reader with the understanding required to integrate advanced methods of optimization, game theory, and mechanism design into daily managerial practice.

This book focuses on organization and mechanisms of expert decision-making support using modern information and communication technologies, as well as information analysis and collective intelligence technologies (electronic expertise or simply e-expertise). Chapter 1 (E-Expertise) discusses the role of e-expertise in decision-making processes. The procedures of e-expertise are classified, their benefits and shortcomings are identified and the efficiency conditions are considered. Chapter 2 (Expert Technologies and Principles) provides a comprehensive overview of modern expert technologies. A special emphasis is placed on the specifics of e-expertise. Moreover, the authors study the feasibility and reasonability of employing well-known methods and approaches in e-expertise. Chapter 3 (E-Expertise: Organization and Technologies) describes some examples of up-to-date technologies to perform e-expertise. Chapter 4 (Trust Networks and Competence Networks) deals with the problems of expert finding and grouping by information and communication technologies. Chapter 5 (Active Expertise) treats the problem of expertise stability against any strategic manipulation by experts or coordinators pursuing individual goals. The book addresses a wide range of readers interested in management, decision-making and expert activity in political, economic, social and industrial spheres.

This book demonstrates how to apply modern approaches to complex system control in practical applications involving knowledge-based systems. The dimensions of knowledge-based systems are extended by incorporating new perspectives from control theory, multimodal systems and simulation methods. The book is divided into three parts: theory, production system and information system applications. One of its main focuses is on an agent-based approach to complex system analysis. Moreover, specialised forms of knowledge-based systems (like e-learning, social network, and production systems) are introduced with a new formal approach to knowledge system modelling. The book, which offers a valuable resource for researchers engaged in complex system analysis, is the result of a unique cooperation between scientists from applied computer science (mainly from Poland) and leading system control theory researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences.

This book demonstrates how to apply modern approaches to complex system control in practical applications involving knowledge-based systems. The dimensions of knowledge-based systems are extended by incorporating new perspectives from control theory, multimodal systems and simulation methods. The book is divided into three parts: theory, production system and information system applications. One of its main focuses is on an agent-based approach to complex system analysis. Moreover, specialised forms of knowledge-based systems (like e-learning, social network, and production systems) are introduced with a new formal approach to knowledge system modelling. The book, which offers a valuable resource for researchers engaged in complex system analysis, is the result of a unique cooperation between scientists from applied computer science (mainly from Poland) and leading system control theory researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences.

This book focuses on organization and mechanisms of expert decision-making support using modern information and communication technologies, as well as information analysis and collective intelligence technologies (electronic expertise or simply e-expertise).

Chapter 1 (E-Expertise) discusses the role of e-expertise in decision-making processes. The procedures of e-expertise are classified, their benefits and shortcomings are identified and the efficiency conditions are considered.

Chapter 2 (Expert Technologies and Principles) provides a comprehensive overview of modern expert technologies. A special emphasis is placed on the specifics of e-expertise. Moreover, the authors study the feasibility and reasonability of employing well-known methods and approaches in e-expertise.

Chapter 3 (E-Expertise: Organization and Technologies) describes some examples of up-to-date technologies to perform e-expertise.

Chapter 4 (Trust Networks and Competence Networks) deals with the problems of expert finding and grouping by information and communication technologies.

Chapter 5 (Active Expertise) treats the problem of expertise stability against any strategic manipulation by experts or coordinators pursuing individual goals.

The book addresses a wide range of readers interested in management, decision-making and expert activity in political, economic, social and industrial spheres.

The idea of this book is to demonstrate the tendency of modern research in mathematical ecology using the optimal control theory and game-theoretic methods. The book introduces the modelling of environmental systems through conceptual game-theoretic models, showing the importance of the equilibrium behavior under resource extraction. Using discrete and continuous models of biological and physical processes, the behavior of ecological-economic systems is represented by models with analytic or numerical solutions. A range of mathematical methods including analytic and approximate methods for equilibrium definition, cooperative and collective behavior determination are used to explore such models. The main feature of the presented investigations is characterised by time consistent, stabilised, collective and cooperative concepts in ecological-economic systems. This book is recommended for researchers and post-graduate students of management, economic and in the applied mathematics departments.

The exceptional organization of polytene chromosomes has made fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster a premier model organism for visualization of genes. A major barrier to full exploitation of polytene chromosome cytology has been the difficulty in producing good chromosome preparations. A new, economical procedure using high pressure and other modifications to overcome this barrier is presented. Light microscopy images of such slides compared to electron microscopy images for the first time show similar or superior detail. Results from typical staining applications, including immunofluorescence and fluorescence in situ hybridization are illustrated, and optimized protocols for light and electron microscopy presented. Also included are notes on the general architecture of polytene chromosomes. Improved chromosome images prompted collaborative development of computer vision applications for automated recognition and analysis of structural patterns. These methods should be helpful for researchers and students using the classical polytene chromosome model as well as to all scientists exploring wonderful possibilities that computer vision opens to modern microscopy.

This book focuses on the basics of control methodology as the theory of control activity organisation. This is done using the framework of systems analysis in the logic of modern (project-technological and knowledge-based) types of organisational culture. Consideration of the psychological, sociological, philosophical, ethical and aesthetical foundations of control methodology; characteristics, logical and temporal structures of control activity as well as the general structure of control theory and its components, give to the reader a detailed panoramic picture of modern control theory foundations. The book allows the researcher (or the manager) not only to realise "what he is doing" in his everyday activity, but to improve and optimise this activity, as well as the activity of his colleagues and subordinates.

Mechanism Design (MD) is a branch of game theory which deals with conflict situations involving a principal and a set of active agents (usually in the presence of asymmetric information). Mechanism design theory delivers a solution to many management problems in the form of a control mechanism, (i.e., a formalised routine of decision-making). Formal results of MD can change the fundamentals of managerial practice by introducing decision-making mechanisms in organisations, which are efficient and robust with respect to employees' self-serving behaviour. The proposed book seeks a more intensive application of MD methodology and its formal results in organisations. The main aim of the book is to provide readers with the basics of an MD-based view on managerial problems, so that intra-firm policies can be analysed through the looking glass of employees' behavioural response. A systematic introduction of the underlying MD methodology is combined with a collection of ready-to-use mechanisms for solving typical management problems. The use of MD by individual managers is facilitated by bringing together mathematical and business literature in a single treatise. This book is not a purely academic monograph as it contains as few formulas as possible, and no formal proofs (references to formal results are provided throughout the text). Courses on MD for managers are not common in business schools now, and our book represents the perfect material for such a course.

The theory presented in the book deals with methodological and mathematical foundations of control in organisations. It extends the traditional approach of management science by introducing the optimisation and game-theoretical tools for systematic accounting of the special nature of human beings as a control object (e.g. opportunism, selfish behaviour, information manipulation). Formal methods are used to construct robust and efficient decision-making procedures (the, so called, mechanisms), to support all aspects and stages of management activity (planning, organisation, motivation, and monitoring), over all decision horizons, from operational to strategic management. This book reflects modern state of the art theory of control in organisations and is intended for advanced graduate students specialising in management sciences and in applications of control theory and operations research in business administration.