Forest use suitability:Towards decision-making-oriented sustainable management of forest ecosystem services

Management of forest lands considering multi-functional approaches is the basis to sustain or enhance the provi-sion of specific benefits,while minimizing negative impacts to the environment.Defining a desired management itinerary to a forest depends on a variety of factors,including the forest type,its ecological characteristics,and the social and economic needs of local communities.A strategic assessment of the forest use suitability(FUS)(namely productive,protective,conservation-oriented,social and multi-functional)at regional level,based on the provision of forest ecosystem services and trade-offs between FUS alternatives,can be used to develop management strategies that are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the forest.The present study assesses the provision of multiple forest ecosystem services and employs a decision model to identify the FUS that sup-ports the most present and productive ecosystem services in each stand in Catalonia.For this purpose,we apply the latest version of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support(EMDS)system,a spatially oriented decision support system that provides accurate results for multi-criteria management.We evaluate 32 metrics and 12 as-sociated ecosystem services indicators to represent the spatial reality of the region.According to the results,the dominant primary use suitability is social,followed by protective and productive.Nevertheless,final assignment of uses is not straightforward and requires an exhaustive analysis of trade-offs between all alternative options,in many cases identifying flexible outcomes,and increasing the representativeness of multi-functional use.The assignment of forest use suitability aims to significantly improve the definition of the most adequate management strategy to be applied.

Participatory Technique Supporting Environmental Management: A Systematic and Bibliometric Review

The increasing need to manage natural resources sustainably, driven by population growth, requires the simultaneous use of Participatory Techniques (PT) and landscape planning for structured decision-making. We conducted a bibliometric and systematic review to provide an overview of PT usage, identifying evolution in scientific production. We considered the number of publications and citations, prominent journals, and highly cited articles on scientific papers published in the Web of Science database between 1993 and 2023. A total of 415 articles related to PT were identified. After content evaluation, 19 critical articles were selected that underpin the growing combined use of models and indices with PT, enhancing the robustness and credibility of decision-making processes.

Landslide susceptibility zonation method based on C5.0 decision tree and K-means cluster algorithms to improve the efficiency of risk management

Machine learning algorithms are an important measure with which to perform landslide susceptibility assessments, but most studies use GIS-based classification methods to conduct susceptibility zonation.This study presents a machine learning approach based on the C5.0 decision tree(DT) model and the K-means cluster algorithm to produce a regional landslide susceptibility map. Yanchang County, a typical landslide-prone area located in northwestern China, was taken as the area of interest to introduce the proposed application procedure. A landslide inventory containing 82 landslides was prepared and subsequently randomly partitioned into two subsets: training data(70% landslide pixels) and validation data(30% landslide pixels). Fourteen landslide influencing factors were considered in the input dataset and were used to calculate the landslide occurrence probability based on the C5.0 decision tree model.Susceptibility zonation was implemented according to the cut-off values calculated by the K-means cluster algorithm. The validation results of the model performance analysis showed that the AUC(area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve) of the proposed model was the highest, reaching 0.88,compared with traditional models(support vector machine(SVM) = 0.85, Bayesian network(BN) = 0.81,frequency ratio(FR) = 0.75, weight of evidence(WOE) = 0.76). The landslide frequency ratio and frequency density of the high susceptibility zones were 6.76/km^(2) and 0.88/km^(2), respectively, which were much higher than those of the low susceptibility zones. The top 20% interval of landslide occurrence probability contained 89% of the historical landslides but only accounted for 10.3% of the total area.Our results indicate that the distribution of high susceptibility zones was more focused without containing more " stable" pixels. Therefore, the obtained susceptibility map is suitable for application to landslide risk management practices.

A Knowledge Model-and Growth Model-Based Decision Support System for Wheat Management

By applying the system analysis principle and mathematical modeling technique to knowledge expression system for crop cultural management, the fundamental relationships and quantitative algorithms of wheat growth and management indices to variety types, ecological environments and production levels were analysed and extracted, and a dynamic knowledge model with temporal and spatial characters for wheat management(WheatKnow)was developed. By adopting the soft component characteristics as non language relevance , re-utilization and portable system maintenance. and by further integrating the wheat growth simulation model(WheatGrow)and intelligent system for wheat management, a comprehensive and digital knowledge model, growth model and component-based decision support system for wheat management(MBDSSWM)was established on the platforms of Visual C++ and Visual Basic. The MBDSSWM realized the effective integration and coupling of the prediction and decision-making functions for digital crop management.

An Interactive Expert System Based Decision Making Model for the Management of Transit System Alternate Fuel Vehicle Assets

Traditionally, the process used by public transportation entities to determine the acquisition strategy for new vehicle asset is based upon a broad range of criteria. Vehicle cost has been cited as one of the more critical factors which decision makers consider. It is currently a common practice to consider other factors (life-cycle cost, fuel efficiency, vehicle reliability, environmental effects, etc.) that contribute to a more comprehensive approach. This study investigates the next generation of advancements in decision making tools in the area of the application of methods to quantify and manage uncertainty. In particular, the uncertainty comes from the public policy arena where future policy and regulations are not always based upon logical and predictable processes. The fleet decision making process in most governmental agencies is a very complex and interdependent activity. There are always competing forces and agendas within the view of the decision maker. Rarely is the decision maker a single person although, within the transit environment, there is often one person charged with the responsibility of fleet management. The focus of this research examines the decision making of the general transit agency community via the development of an expert systems prototype tool. A computer-based prototype system is developed which provide an expert knowledge-based recommendation, based upon variable user inputs. The results shown in this study show that a decision making tool for the management of transit system alternate fuel vehicle assets can be modeled and tested. The direct users of this research are the transit agency administrations. The results can be used by the management teams as a reliable input to inform their urban transit buses expansion decision making process.

The Neural Mechanisms of Utility and Ethic in the Management Moral Decision Making

The study aimed at investigating the neural mechanism of business moral decision-making. 15 participants were presented with a set of 96 dilemmas in business situation. Participants were required to decide between option 1 (more utilitarian decision for self benefit) and 2 (ethical decision for fairness or institution). ERPs were recorded to a slide displaying the letter 1 and 2 when subjects were deciding between options. The selection rate was calculated after the experiment as the behavior data. The business moral dilemmas prompted more ethical option. A larger P260 component was elicited in the left frontal lobe area when participants were deciding to act ethically. On the other hand, decisions on utilitarian aroused weaker emotional experience, as supported by the shorter LPC and smaller P260 amplitude.

Testing of Decision Making Tools for Village Land Use Planning and Natural Resources Management in Kilimanjaro Region

This paper focuses on participatory testing of decision making tools (DMTs) at village level to assist in development of land use plans (LUPs) for sustainable land management (SLM) in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Data were collected using conditional surveys through key informant interviews with the project’s district stakeholders in each district, focused group discussions with selected villagers and participatory mapping of natural resources. Soil health, land degradation, carbon stock, and hydrological conditions were assessed in the seven pilot villages in all seven districts using DMTs as part of testing and validation. Results indicated soils of poor to medium health, and land degradation as portrayed by gullies and wind erosion in lowlands and better in uplands. Carbon and forest disturbance status could not be assessed using one-year data but hydrological analysis revealed that water resources were relatively good in uplands and poor in the lowlands. Challenges with regard to land use include increased gully erosion, decreased stream flow, reduced vegetation cover due to shifting from coffee with tree sheds to annual crops farming, cultivation near water sources, and overgrazing. Empowering the community with decision making tools at village level is essential to ensure that village land uses are planned in a participatory manner for sustainable land and natural resources management in Kilimanjaro and other regions in Tanzania.

A Framework for Intelligent Decision Support System for Traffic Congestion Management System

Traffic congestion problem is one of the major problems that face many transportation decision makers for urban areas. The problem has many impacts on social, economical and development aspects of urban areas. Hence the solution to this problem is not straight forward. It requires a lot of effort, expertise, time and cost that sometime are not available. Most of the existing transportation planning software, specially the most advanced ones, requires personnel with lots practical transportation planning experience and with high level of education and training. In this paper we propose a comprehensive framework for an Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) for Traffic Congestion Management System that utilizes a state of the art transportation network equilibrium modeling and providing an easy to use GIS-based interaction environment. The developed IDSS reduces the dependability on the expertise and level of education of the transportation planners, transportation engineers, or any transportation decision makers.

Application of an Optimized Entropy-TOPSIS Multicriteria Decision Making Model to Facilities Management

Performance evaluation of facilities management plays a key role in the facilities management process. This paper proposes an optimized multicriteria decision making model to evaluate the performance of facilities management in schools in Hong Kong. In this model, entropy weights acted as weight coefficients for evaluated criteria in order to avoid uncertainty and randomicity of subjective judgments. Besides, the TOPSIS method was incorporated in this model. Then this model was em- ployed to evaluate the performance of facilities management in classrooms, offices and laboratories and satisfying results were obtained. Moreover, findings indicated that one of the schools could be rehabilitated rather than removed.

Multi-factors decision-making entropy method and its application in engineering management

以便在设计管理为信息满足严格的要求，积极间隔(0， 1 ] 在香农信息，熵被扩大到实数间隔[-1, 1 ] 。信息理论和决定理论有效地被联合，并且传统的 Bayes 决策方法仅仅考虑一个单个因素的缺乏被补救。多因素工程决策方法被建议，并且一些批评问题在实际工程管理决策过程被解决。

Toward a Decision Support System for Integrated Pest Management of Pine Caterpillar

A decision support system for IPM of the pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus spectabilis Buter, DS-IPM-DSS, has recently been developed using a GW-0520 CH microcomputer. The software system consists of , a Model Base and its Management System, a Database and its Management System, a Control Program, a Problem Analysis Program, and a User’s Interface System. Also further development aimed at expanding the DS-IPM-DSS into a more generalized and flexible package, i. e., making it helpful in creating computer-based system for other forest insect pests, are discussed.

Multiple Hierarchy Decision Analysis of Science Funds Management System

This article discusses a multiple hierarchy decision analysis in which the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Delphi method were combined with practice of funds management so as to obtain a scientific management system. The design procedures and a practical example have been given to verify the feasibility. The work was supported by China National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF), and the introduced procedures have been used in some departments of the NNSF.

Research of Agile Supply Chain Management Decision Support System

Agile Supply Chain Management (ASCM) is an important topic and has received much attention recently. ASCM is a new management technology. Agile Supply Chain Management Decision Support System (ASCM DSS) is presented. Firstly, agile supply chain management technology is introduced. Secondly a decision support system for agile supply chain management is proposed. Then, the implementation of ASCM DSS in enterprise is discussed. Finally, a fuzzy intelligence decision making process in Shanghai Turbine Generator Company (STGC) is described in detail.

Participatory Environmental Management and its Framework of Group Decision Support System

Considering some drawbacks of the mainstream approach to environmental management (EM),the conception and basic idea of Participatory EM(PEM) are put forward.PEM possesses some main features and benefits that are superior to the mainstream approach,but also faces the crucial constraint in decision-making.The dilemma can be effectively settled by applying an advanced decision-making support tool-group decision support system(GDSS).On the basis of recognizing the complex decision-making environment of PEM,this paper describes the components of GDSS for PEM(PEM-GDSS) and further discusses the basic requirement of PEM-GDSS.

Effect of Intention on Outcome Bias in Decision Making—Implications for Safety Management

The evidence of outcome bias was explored in a two-player (Player 1: allocator and Player 2: evaluator) economic game experiment where the reward allocation was made between two players. The experimental factors were the intention of an allocator (Player 1), the type of chosen dice (selfish, fair, and generous), and the outcome (selfish, fair, and generous). The outcome bias occurred when the type of dice chosen by the allocator (Player 1) was not only a selfish one but also a generous one. The comparison between the two conditions (intentional and no-intentional conditions) definitely showed that Player 2 punished Player 1 to a larger extent when the outcome was disadvantageous for Player 2 (selfish outcome) and Player 2 rewarded Player 1 when the outcome was advantageous (generous outcome) irrespective of whether the die was chosen out of the three types intentionally or not. Moreover, the outcome bias was not observed when the outcome was fair. Thus, we could verify the hypothesis that we are readily got trapped in the outcome bias. Some implications were given for safety management that put more emphasis on the process than on the outcome.

Research on Decision Support System (DSS) of Atmospheric Environment Management in Anhui Province Based on Air Quality Forecasting

With the atmospheric stereoscopic monitoring, air quality forecasting and decision of environment management as the main line, and comprehensive management system as the guidance, five platforms including infrastructure, technological support, monitoring and early monitoring, decision support and information services were established. These platforms have 15 subsystems, including stereoscopic monitoring network, visual business consultation, high-performance computing environment, comprehensive management of atmospheric data, emission inventories of pollu-tion sources, evaluation tools of atmospheric models, monitoring and management of air pollution, forecasting and early warning of air quality, diag-nostic analysis of atmospheric environment, tracking of air pollution sources, emergency management of air pollution, conformity management of air quality, comprehensive display of information, releasing of information to external networks, and releasing of information by mobile networks. The decision support system （DSS） of atmospheric environment management could realize an integration business system of 11 air quality forecast - heavy pollution weather warning - diagnosis of pollution causes （dynamic analysis of pollution sources） -air quality conformity planning （air pollu-tion emergency management） -evaluation of forecasting and warning results （evaluation pf management measures） -air quality forecasting＂ and provide the technical support for the prevention and control of atmosphere pollution in Anhui province.

A Study on Development of Balanced Scorecard for Management Evaluation Using Multiple Attribute Decision Making

Recently, most businesses have introduced a system for improving their responsibility to the customers in terms of job improvement. For example, small-quantity batch production increases cost but improve efficiency of management. Companies have been introduced the balanced scorecard to evaluate their management as part of improvement, while they suffer from many trials and errors. Many businesses still have difficulty in introducing balance scorecard concept in their process, but we suggest a method to successfully introduce the balance scorecard. This study aims to suggest a new performance measurement model reflecting relative importance of the key performance indicators for each factor. Our model is applied to several companies in real-world to validate the new model. Also, our study proposes a methodology for an adequate performance measurement using multiple attribute decision making.

AQUAM——A Decision Support Software for Fish Farm Management

farm is presented.The software called AQUAM is dedicated to fresh water fish farms.Its aim is to make an efficient management of resources through planning,monitoring,analysis and decision support.Successful planning and management requires the integration of data related to ponds,fish species,fish growth,water and energy and economic analysis.AQUAM computes farm budgets relating various costs and returns in order to determine short and long term profitability.A simulation of the profit,as a function of the fish holding density,is performed with AQUAM.The data used in the simulation are from a fish farm of semi-intensive type,located in the region Danube Delta,at village Jurilovca,Tulcea county,Romania.The fish species that were taken into account were carp and sanger.

The Role of Blockchain in E-Governance and Decision-Making in Project and Program Management

This paper discusses the impact of e-governance powered by blockchain in the project and program management industry. With the rise in technological innovations, many countries have turned to e-governance for efficiency in service delivery, transparency, and decision-making. E-governance backed by blockchain technology entails improving the public services provision by implementing structures of information and communication technologies. There are many challenges with the traditional project management approach that causes organizations and its stakeholders’ cost and time. Thus, the introduction of blockchain has given many organizations a new approach to adopt in order to eliminate the challenges associated with the typical project management approach. In spite of the cutting-edge technology of blockchain and its broad applications in program management and e-governance, there are still many challenges that restrain its adoption on a broader scale. The research discusses the challenges of the blockchain deployment in the program management field and e-governance in private and government sectors and it highlights the efforts put by both sectors to make use of the technology. Also, the research covers the opportunities and the advantages of a blockchain adoption in various segments. The paper uses various case studies in the UAE, in both private and government sectors, and a qualitative research approach was implemented. The case studies were on government entities such as Smart Dubai and the Ministry of Health Prevention and also private entities like DP World and Emirates NBD. The paper concludes with recommendations and solutions on how to maximize the benefit of blockchain in the program management industry and how it is improving the decision-making process.