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Evaluating the efficiency of banks is crucial to orient their future decisions. In this regard, this paper proposes a new model based on dynamic stochastic data envelopment analysis in a fuzzy environment by considering the modern banking indicators to predict the efficiency of banks, which belongs to the category of NP-hard problems. To deal with the uncertainty in efficiency forecasting, the mean chance theory was used to express the constraints of the model and the expected value in its objective function to forecast the expected efficiency of banks. To solve the proposed model, two hybrid algorithms were designed by combining Monte Carlo (MC) simulation technique with Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). In order to improve the performances of MC-GA and MCICA parameters, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to set their proper values. In addition, a case study in the modern banking industry was presented to evaluate the performance of the proposed model and the effectiveness of the hybrid algorithms. The results showed that the proposed model had high accuracy in predicting efficiency. Finally, to validate the designed hybrid algorithms, their results were compared with each other in terms of accuracy and convergence speed to the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the only thing that makes difference between similar products is theirs brand. In the international aspect, people prefer to buy industrialized countries products. Although extensive research has been carried out on different countries name branding, these studies were in international scopes and less on internal. In this study, for the first time, by considering the Country of Origin (COO) a brand, how to marketing the "Made in X" brand for creating value for consumers was examined. To find the most effective factors in "Made in X" branding, experts' opinions on possible basic strategies and effective criteria were collected and evaluated by hybrid model combining the DEMATEL and ANP methods. The research studied basic strategies and effective criteria were: 1- Product Strategy: Perceived Quality, Perceived Value, Experience Improvement of Product Using; 2- Price Strategy: Consumer Price Perception, Value Pricing; 3- Distribution Channels Strategy: Push & Pull, Multiple Distribution Channels; 4- Communication Channels Strategy: Advertising, Sales Promotion, Salespersons, Support & Sponsorship; 5- Governance Strategy: Policy-Making, Resource Allocation and Monitoring, Creating Security for Workers & Investors, Production Structure & Cycle, Culture Building, Encountering Economic Disruption; 6- End User Strategy: Pride for Brand. Given to the necessity of designing a production based economy in Iran, as a case study the development of the "Made in Iran" brand was studied. Based on the findings, among the evaluated basic strategies and criteria, false pride of consumers to foreign brands was found as the most effective factor in "Made in Iran" branding, besides to price perception, value pricing and security of workers and investors in the second rank along with experience improvement, advertising, support and sponsorship in the third place. To achieve prosperous in Iranian products marketing competition with foreign products, these priorities should be of interest to the policymakers and economic actors as starting points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present competitive age, the organization tries to gain competitive edge. In order to gain competitive edge, the managers need to consider and analyze performance of their organizations and to decide to improve them. There are various approaches to evaluate the performance in which the criterion of efficiency of understudy units is being placed in efficiency frontier: Data envelopment analysis is one of these approaches and designed in two radial and non-radial categories. Both of these models have advantages and shortcomings. So applications of these models in performance measurement are difficult. In this article, the Hybrid model is presented as the more accurate and more comprehensive measure of evaluation, and effort have been made to present more realistic results for decision making. Then the method is applied to measure the efficiency of 24 Concrete parts producer industries and shows their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]