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In sustainable economic development, top-level human capital, especially project management, is paramount. This article integrates the Systematic Hierarchical Attribute Ratio Delphic Rating (SHARDA) method and the Additive Ratio Rating (ARAS) method as a robust framework for identifying and training project managers. The research draws on a diverse panel of experts against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) backdrop, emphasising stakeholder engagement and transparency in the decision-making processes. This study investigates the complexity of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods and focuses on SWARA and ARAS methods. These methodologies comprehensively improve the decision-making process, considering a range of subjective criteria. The extended and modified hierarchical SWARA method helps us understand each measure's importance, while the ARAS method simplifies ranking and selection based on performance ratios. The research methodology seamlessly integrates these methods to form the SHARDA–ARAS methodology that addresses the challenging task of selecting project managers for sustainable development. This methodology guarantees a systematic and inclusive decision-making process, incorporating stakeholder perspectives seamlessly aligned with global sustainability goals. The studio's innovation is wrapped in the synthesis of SWARA and ARAS into the SHARDA–ARAS methodology, presenting a nuanced and effective tool for project manager selection. Promoting an interconnected and holistic approach that contributes to sustainable development emphasises the methodology's ability to balance economic, environmental, and social aspects. Thus, the article provides an invaluable method for organisations seeking global sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicycling and walking are essential elements of sustainable transportation. These transportation modes effectively reduce the negative environmental impacts of transport and improve the quality of life. It is not only recognized by governments but also naturally become more prevalent in modern society. Nowadays research on bicycling and interest in related topics is dramatically increasing, but while researchers focus on modern technologies and collecting data from portable devices, there are quite a few studies on the effectiveness of investments in bicycle infrastructure, and even less discussed is a question how to set the priorities for construction works of the bicycle path network. To fill this gap this paper presents the universal method of ranking the priorities for development and renewal of bicycle pathway segments. The process is realized by hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Additive Ratio ASsessment with Fuzzy (ARAS-F) model, based on Eckenrode rating. Given criteria and their weights apply only to the specifics of this case study, and it need adaptation if used for other territories. Presented case study gives insight into the task of upgrading bicycle networks - how to overcome the inequalities, fragmentation and build missing links. Developed hybrid MCDM model integrated into Geographic Information System (GIS) allows quickly find rationally balanced solutions and develop bicycle network in efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to timely and objectively evaluate the expediency of technology commercialising is a crucial step for R&D organisations. It is a game with business success, which could enable to operate technologies efficiently and prevent unproductive investments. Managers in power, involved in the technology commercialization cycle, create rules for the game and are the leading players. The research establishes specifics of different technological fields, which are essential for assessing the expediency of technology commercialization. The scientific literature of technology commercialization didn't take into account the specifics of different technological fields. The study presents the first two phases of the expediency of commercialization of the information technologies and biotechnologies evaluation models: the development of elements collections and the establishment of the importance of elements. The proposed technique could be expanded to select the most suitable technology for sustainable management of commercialization and the rational use of resources. The results of the expert's survey aimed at establishing the importance of the elements are compared, efforts are made to identify differences in the evaluation the expediency of technology commercialization for information technologies and biotechnologies. The MCDM method has applied the selection of which was established by the motive related to the goal of evaluation - to evaluate the expediency of technology commercialization for information technologies and biotechnologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cooperate or not is one of the most challenging issues of supply chain management era. If the supply chain is managed optimally, the entire profitability increases. Meanwhile, corporate Social Responsibility (hereafter CSR) is defined as the social and ethical behavior of supply chain members against stakeholders such as shareholders, final customers, employees and executives. Moreover, the observance of the social responsibility obligations is of great importance for consumers and shareholders of companies. The decisions of the supply chain's members play a direct role in determining the profits of each. These decisions are in conflict with other members in a competitive environment. In this paper, the contradictory variables encompasses the cost resulting from the performance of corporate social responsibility, inventory, shortage, advertising and pricing in a two-level supply chain, consisting a manufacturer and a retailer. After identifying the quantitative variables for measuring the social responsibility using Delphi-Fuzzy methods and Interpretive Structural Modeling, the most important and influential variable of measuring the social responsibility performance (forced labor ratio) has been selected. Subsequently, after modeling the profit function of each player, optimal results were emanated according to the bargaining power of each member and based on Nash and Stackelberg games. Afterwards, with numerical examples, the optimization and sensitivity analysis of social responsibility in each model has been discussed. The results indicate that the profit of manufacturer and retailer reduces by increasing the proportion of forced labor. Based upon Nash equilibrium, the manufacturer's profit decreases with a slight slope; nonetheless, on retailer and manufacturer leadership models, the profit decreases with a slight increase of the forced labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk analysis has always been one of the essential procedures for any areas. The majority of security incidents occur because of ignoring risks or their inaccurate assessment. It is especially dangerous for critical infrastructures. Thus, the article is devoted to the description of the developed model of risk assessment for the essential infrastructures. The goal of the model is to provide a reliable method for multifaceted risk assessment of information infrastructure. The purpose of the article is to present a developed model based on integrated MCDM approaches that allow to correctly assess the risks of the critical information infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managerial decisions should be made by taking into account the priorities and objectives of different stakeholders' groups. Their preferences are usually expressed in words and are fuzzy concepts. This article analyses the peculiarities of companies’ work and decision - making within a fuzzy market situation. It also presents a developed fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making model for practical problem solving by taking into account cost-effective management. This case study presents a selection of rational criteria set to use in the weighted cost-effectiveness analysis for facilities management strategies, in which integrated fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods are applied. The main findings are: the model is adopted to real- life; the main criteria groups are identified by a three-step Delphi technique; a rational strategy is determined and integrated in one model by the concept of Minkowski distance and fuzzy TOPSIS method, ARAS-F and fuzzy weighted product method. The proposed model is versatile and therefore can be applied for various problems were the experts’ knowledge needed for decision–making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this article we strive to create a theoretical valuation model based on multiple criteria mathematical methods by selecting a basic shape of single-family residential house’s plan. Most of the researches and analysis discuss the interfaces of architectural shapes of the buildings with sustainability only in the buildings with unique design. Meanwhile, the model comprising a selection of a basic shape of the single-family house was not implemented. Our study evaluated the individual parameters associated with selection of the house shape: compactness, safety, material input, variability of premises and spaces. The SWARA (Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) method is applied in the calculation of the relative importance of the criteria and the EDAS (The Method of Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution) method was used to prioritize the alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflict between parties is a common issue in construction projects. In the present article, the conflicts between contractor and employer in delayed Design-Bid-Build projects have been studied. Defining a case study, a dispute resolution method has been proposed. This case has been considered as a MCDM problem. This problem has been assumed as a discrete zero-sum two-person matrix game with grey numbers. Among the four alternatives available for contractor and employer in the proposed case study, termination is the last alternative that decision makers choose. Based on different risk values, authors determined the optimal solution for both parties. This article integrates some linguistic criteria together with time and cost, providing the better conditions to avoid lengthy bargaining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a novel approach to solve problem of stairs shape assessment for two-story individual dwelling houses. Selection among available shapes and construction of stairs is a multi-criteria decision-making problem in nature. It depends on a set of different conflicting criteria, that have different optimisation direction, different measurement units. There is determined the set of the main criteria to assess the alternatives is as follows: Stairwell Area, The Total Area of Climbing, “Climbing Lane” Area, The Cost of Stairs, and Ergonomics. A novel original hybrid MCDM (multi-criteria decision-making) model, which based on ten different multi-criteria decision-making methods: Game Theory, AHP, and SAW, Multiplicative Exponential Weighting, TOPSIS, and EDAS, ARAS, Full Multiplicative form, Laplace Rule, and Bayes Rule, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real conditions, decision makers usually deal with multiple objectives and should make a decision in a state of certainty or uncertainty. The selection of the best constructions for a building from a number of alternatives is of great importance for owners, contractors, and stakeholders. Dozens of multicriteria/multi-attribute decision-making (MCDM/MADM) models developed for evaluating the performance of the available alternatives can be used for selecting the most suitable alternative from a given finite set of options based on a set of attributes. A guide to systematic selection among the available alternatives of building structures is the integrated methodology, thoroughly analyzed in the article. The article presents a MCDM model for selecting the type of foundation for a single-storey dwelling house based on the WASPAS-G (Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The aggregate criteria weights are determined by using the AHP and experts' judgement methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study provides the correlation analysis of the thickness of the thermo-insulation layer (expanded polystyrene – EPS70) of the typical details of the external wall and energy performance class in a modern newly constructed residential low-energy building (one and two-room apartment). The conducted analysis focused on what impact different geographical areas of building construction and different energy performance classes of the building may had on the thickness of the thermo-insulation layer. Lithuania was chosen as the object of this study. Calculations were carried out in seven towns, including Vilnius, Klaipeda, Kaunas, Siauliai, Panevezys, Utena and Dukstas. According to requirements for legal acts passed in the Republic of Lithuania and to Directive 2010/31/EU (2010), as a result, the necessary thickness of thermo-insulation layers (EPS70) and a payback period were calculated. A multiple criteria decision support system for analyzing the correlation between the thickness of the thermo-insulation layer and its payback period of the external wall (DSS-ACTILPW) consisting of a database, a database management system, a model-base, a model-base management system and a user interface was developed. Information on the performed analysis is important to building designers, energy consumption auditors and investment experts who make the final decisions on energy efficiency of buildings in the residential building sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with selection of foundations for bearing walls of residential buildings depending on the strength of soil and taking into account the economic benefit. Based on in-situ investigation of soil conditions in different Lithuanian regions and construction technologies, it was found that the cost of foundations comprise 2.5–6% of total costs, and takes up 6–10% of construction time. Strip and pile foundations were analysed taking into account dimensions and mode of production. The proposed case study model enables to save up to 30–50% of foundation costs. It has a significant influence on entire life cycle costs of. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The study provides problem of team selection solution model. [•] Players’ selection is a multi-criteria decision making problem. [•] The model integrates objective values of players’ physical conditions. [•] Criteria weights are based on subjective experts’ opinion. [•] TOPSIS method is used as the basis for problem solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article provides the correlation analysis between the thickness of a thermo-insulation layer of the typical floor-on-soil sample and its simple payback time in a traditional new construction single-apartment residential and net-zero energy building. The calculations were carried out on the energy efficiency class of the building and the geographic area of the construction. On the basis of the results, a simple payback time was calculated. The main aim – thermal transmittance coefficients of soil touching partitions must satisfy the normative value of technical construction regulation and European standards. The research object of the study is relationships between the thickness of a thermoinsulation layer of the typical floor-on-soil sample and its simple payback time. Lithuania was chosen as the geographic area of the research. Calculations were carried out for seven towns: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Panevezys, Utena, and Dukstas. The test result – developed correlation functions. Correlation analysis results are important not only for designers making decisions during the pre-design stage, but also for energy consumption auditors and experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a new multi-criteria group decision-making model in organ transplant transportation networks under uncertain situations. A new combined weighting approach is presented to obtain expert weights with various kinds of opinions by integrating similarity measure and subjective judgments of experts. Also, the CRITIC approach is given to obtain transportation criteria weights. Finally, a novel integrated ranking approach is proposed to calculate the rank of each alternative based on ideal point solution and relative preference relation (RPR) methods. This study regards an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set to cope with the vagueness of uncertain conditions in a real case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making is primarily a process that involves different actors: people, groups of people, institutions and the state. As a discipline, multi-criteria decision-making has a relatively short history. Since 1950s and 1960s, when foundations of modern multi-criteria decision-making methods have been laid, many researches devoted their time to development of new multi-criteria decision-making models and techniques. In the past decades, researches and development in the field have accelerated and seem to continue growing exponentially. Despite the intensive development worldwide, few attempts have been made to systematically present the theoretical bases and developments of multi-criteria decision-making methods. However, the methodological choices and framework for assessment of decisions are still under discussion. The article describes the situation with reviews of MCDM/MADM methods. Furthermore, there is a need for research to study the strengths and weaknesses of different decision-making methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article raises the problem of high energy consumption stimulated by heating buildings and preparing hot water. The paper shortly revises the state of renovating public buildings in Lithuania. A number of scientists devote close attention to examining various aspects of building renovation (technical regulations on constructions, subsidies provided by the state, cost-effectiveness, factors influencing building renovation, etc.). The article presents a few studies by foreign scientists, lists factors that determine public building renovation (unsatisfactory indoor air hygiene and floor temperature, indoor relative humidity, indoor air velocity, indoor carbon dioxide concentration, physical deterioration of a large building, poor aesthetic appearance of the building, etc.) and demonstrates a few practical examples. In accordance with Lithuanian design codes, a methodology for determining heat transfer coefficients in public buildings is provided. Besides, investigations into heat transfer coefficients before and after the renovation of public buildings have been conducted. A few nursery school buildings in Lithuania have been examined applying laboratory equipment before and after renovation. It was found that the wall heat transfer coefficient of properly designed and insulated buildings falls by more than 4-5 times to reach the normal value of the heat transfer coefficient (value of the heat transfer coefficient falls from 1.12 to 0.22 W/(m².K)). A comparison of an external thermal insulation plastering composite system with an external aeration heat-insulated system has been done. The estimation has revealed that due to lower costs, better results of thermal resistance obtained using the external thermal insulation plastering composite system can produce better wall heat transfer coefficient values. The obtained results have been determined referring to better wall insulation tightness. The paper also summarizes data on heating buildings and consumption of prepared hot water before and after renovation. On the basis of the findings acquired employing the degree-day-method, public building energy consumption for heating and hot water preparation decreased from 41.30 to 43.73%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the evolution of concepts, an overview of research and applications pertaining to reliability in construction production, the use of reserves, robust itineraries, and contingency of time and cost. It describes areas of management advisory systems in relation to the cycle of risk analysis. The article also presents the main trends in different approaches to risk management in construction and construction project processes, such as reliability of production, discount methods, methods of reporting, integrated management together with trends towards standardisation of the investment process management. The discussion is embedded in the specific context: the achievements of trilateral academic colloquia, with participation of Lithuania, Germany and Poland, and a review of work by Professor Kapliński, the chair of the Polish delegation to the aforementioned colloquia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The philosophy of decision making in economics is to assess and select the most preferable solution, implement it and to gain the biggest profit. Important issues such as competitive market, changing technical, political and social environment have a key role in personnel selection. It is the crucial task which determines the company's present and future. Many decisions made cannot be accurately forecast or assessed. Understanding of the multiple criteria method and knowledge to calculate the algorithm of the method allows a decision maker to trust solutions offered by solution support systems to a greater extent. Many individual attributes considered for personnel selection such as organizing ability, creativity, personality, and leadership exhibit vagueness and imprecision. The fuzzy set theory appears as an essential tool to provide a decision framework that incorporates imprecise judgments inherent in the personnel selection process. In this paper, a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) algorithm using the principles of fusion of fuzzy information, additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method with fuzzy numbers (ARAS-F) and step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) technique are integrated. The proposed method is apt to manage information assessed using both linguistic and numerical scales in a decision making problem with a group of information sources. The aggregation process is based on the unification of information by means of fuzzy sets on a basic linguistic term set. The computational procedure of the proposed framework is illustrated through an architect's selection problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the process of the selection of a potential supplier, which have to be the most appropriate to stakeholders. The selection is based on a set of criteria: Delivery Price, Financial Position, Production Specifications, Standards and Relevant Certificates, Commercial Strength, and the Performance of supplier, etc. The criteria for evaluation and their importance are selected by taking into consideration the interests and goals of the stakeholders. The solution of problem was made by applying a new Additive Ratio ASsessment (ARAS) method with the grey criteria scores - ARAS-G method. The proposed technique could be applied to substantiate the selection of effective alternative of sustainable development, impact on environment, structures, technologies, investments, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are used in many areas of human activities. Each alternative in a multicriteria decision-making problem can be described by a set of criteria. Criteria can be qualitative and quantitative. They usually have different units of measurement and a different optimization direction. The normalization aims at obtaining comparable scales of criteria values. The paper introduces a new Additive Ratio ASsessment (ARAS) method. In order to illustrate the described ARAS method a real case study of evaluation of microclimate in office rooms is presented. The case study aims to determine the inside climate of the premises, where people work, and to define measures to be taken to improve their environment. Based on the analysis, the following criteria for inside climate evaluation are suggested: air turnover inside the premises, air humidity, air temperature, illumination intensity, air flow rate, and dew point. The criteria weights were determined by the method of pairwise comparison based on the estimates of experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents risk assessment of construction objects. The assessment is based on the multi-attribute decision-making methods. The risk evaluation attributes are selected taking into consideration the interests and goals of the stakeholders as well as factors that have influence on the construction process efficiency and real estate value. Ranking of objects and determination of their optimality are determined by applying TOPSIS grey and COPRAS-G methods with attributes values determined at intervals. A background and a description of the proposed model are provided and key findings of the analysis are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a number of criteria and associated sub-criteria influencing the match of managers to construction projects. Criteria and sub-criteria were identified based on a thorough review of the related literature and interviews of management personnel involved in the project managers selection. Project managers characteristics are considered to be less important for an effective project management. The model is based on multicriteria evaluation of project managers. The evaluation embraces the identified criteria influencing the process of construction project manager selection. This paper considers the application of grey relations methodology to defining the utility of alternatives, and offers a multiple criteria method of COmplex PRoportional ASsessment of alternatives with grey relations (COPRAS-G) for analysis. In this model, the parameters of the alternatives are determined by the grey relational grade and expressed in terms of intervals. A case study presents the selection of construction project manager. The results obtained show that this method may be used as an effective decision aid in multicriteria selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contractor evaluation is a vital part of the project management cycle and deals with risk and risk management. One of the most important phases in the construction industry is the bidding process. In order to select the most appropriate contractor for the project and prepare the most realistic and accurate bid proposal, stakeholders have to know all financial, technical and general information about these contractors. The information can be determined as qualitative, quantitative or verbal data. This paper presents the multi-attribute contractors ranking method bay applying Ordering of feasible alternatives of solutions in terms of preferability technique. This method allows dealing with qualitative and quantitative data as well as with data expressed in words (verbal data). Finally, an illustrative example of contractor selection is used to demonstrate the feasibility and practicability of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-criteria decision making is used in many areas of human activities. Each alternative in multi-criteria decision making problem can be described by a set of criteria. Criteria can be qualitative and quantitative. They usually have different units of measurement and different optimization direction. The normalization aims at obtaining comparable scales of criteria values. The normalization of criteria values is not always needed, but it may be essential. In the new program LEVI 3.1 the following normalization methods are possible: vector, linear scale, non-linear and new logarithmic techniques. Logarithmic normalization has never been used before. The present research is focused on introducing a new logarithmic method for decision making matrix normalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses modelling renewal of construction objects applying methods of the game theory. Rational construction management variants are usually selected under various conditions, using the efficiency criteria. A choice of rational alternatives can be absolutely uncertain when influences of external factors are unknown. In the current paper, selecting of rational renewal variants of derelict buildings from the viewpoint of sustainable development is presented. Sustainable development always involves great uncertainty; accordingly, the methods of the Game Theory are used for a particular problem. Bayes's and Laplace's rules are applied for searching rational renewal variants of derelict buildings in Lithuanian rural areas. The case study proved that the methods of the Game Theory are effective in a real life situation and can be successfully applied to solving similar problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable and efficient development is one of the most critical challenges facing modern society if it wants to save the world for future generations. Airports are an integral part of human activity. They need to be adapted to meet current and future sustainable needs and provide useful services to the public, taking into account prospects and requirements. Many performance criteria need to be assessed to address issues that often conflict with each other and have different units of measurement. The importance of the criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of alternatives varies. Besides, the implementation of such decisions has different—not precisely described in advance—effects on the interests of different groups in society. Some criteria are defined using different scales. Stakeholders could only evaluate the implemented project alternatives for efficiency throughout the project life cycle. It is essential to find alternative assessment models and adapt them to the challenges. The use of hybrid group multi-criteria decision-making models is one of the most appropriate ways to model such problems. This article presents a real application of the original model to choose the best second runway alternative of the airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue covers symmetry and asymmetry phenomena occurring in real-life problems. We invited authors to submit their theoretical or experimental research presenting engineering and economic problem solution models dealing with the symmetry or asymmetry of different types of information. The issue gained interest in the research community and received many submissions. After rigorous scientific evaluation by editors and reviewers, nine papers were accepted and published. The authors proposed different solution models as integrated tools to find a balance between the components of sustainable global development, i.e., to find a symmetry axis concerning goals, risks, and constraints to cope with the complicated problems. We hope that a summary of the Special Issue as provided in this editorial will encourage a detailed analysis of the papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural designers that design buildings use different criteria to select the frames' materiality and structural solutions. Very often, the primary test is the cost of construction. Sometimes, solutions are determined by the terms of structure, architectural preferences, technological needs, fire safety requirements, environmental conditions, exploitation costs over the life of the building, ecological aspects, and experience, etc. This paper proposes an approach for analyzing the structural elements of buildings taking into account the impact on the environment using jointly incorporating subjective and objective aspects. The objective to combine the most important criteria into a single unit and carry out the overall assessment could be done by giving each variable a weighted value and perform a so-called multi-criteria analysis. This article shows the efficiency of the structural solution of the one-story building. The case study presents an investigation and comparison of five possible symmetrical structural solutions by multi-criteria assessment methods: The analysis of three steel frameworks differs majorly due to the beam-column characteristics, as well as precast RC frame structures case and combined steel beams and RC columns frame option. Possible solutions must meet all the essential requirements of the building, including mechanical resistance and stability. The obtained results show a broad assessment of the structural solutions of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The redundancy allocation problem (RAP) has been studied for many different system structures, objective functions, and distribution assumptions. In this paper, we present a problem formulation and a solution methodology to maximize the system steady-state availability and minimize the system cost for the repairable series-parallel system designs. In the proposed approach, the components' time-to-failure (TTF) and time-to-repair (TTR) can follow any distribution such as the Gamma, Normal, Weibull, etc. We estimate an approximation of the steady-state availability of each subsystem in the series-parallel system with an individual meta-model. Design of experiment (DOE), simulation and the stepwise regression are used to build these meta-models. Face centred design, which is a type of central composite design is used to design experiments. According to a max-min approach, obtained meta-models are utilized for modelling the problem alongside the cost function of the system. We use the augmented "-constraint method to reformulate the problem and solve the model. An illustrative example which uses the Gamma distribution for TTF and TTR is explained to represent the performance of the proposed approach. The results of the example show that the proposed approach has a good performance to obtain Pareto (near-Pareto) optimal solutions (system configurations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies related to transportation planning and development have been in the center of activities of many researchers in the past decades. Road congestions issues, economic problems, health problems and environmental problems are some examples of complex problems that can be caused by urban and public transportation in big cities. Evaluating urban and public transportation systems could help to reach effective solutions to overcome these issues. This article presents a short bibliographic review of some recent studies on Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approaches for evaluating urban and public transportation systems. To this aim, Scopus was chosen as the database for making a search on journal articles. Scopus is trusted by major institutions in the world, and all journals covered in this database are inspected for sufficiently high quality each year. The search was made on the journal articles from 2017 to 2022 (July). The analyses presented in this study show that the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is the most used method, which has been applied to different studies in the field of urban and public transportation systems based on MCDM approaches. According to the analysis of the number of articles, Turkey is ranked 1st among different countries, and "Budapest University of Technology and Economics" (Hungary) is 1st in the ranking of institutions. Moreover, most of the articles have been published within the "social sciences" subject area. The recent trend in different studies on urban and public transportation systems shows the importance of using MCDM approaches in this field. Moreover, noticeable employment of fuzzy sets in several studies is a point that can shows the significant role of uncertainty in dealing with this type of problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the process of choice of electricity generation technologies, which has been solved using a case of Lithuania's power sector and such multiple criteria mathematical methods as AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and ARAS (Additive Ratio Assessment method). Having considered the impact of environment, a set of evaluation criteria was compiled for electricity generation technologies. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative criteria helped to rate the electricity generation technologies considering their economic, technological, environmental social and political aspects and rank them in order of priority. The derived results show that in case of Lithuania it is viable to consider further development of the nuclear power generation capacity. Among the electricity generation technologies related to renewable energy sources a clear priority is assigned to biomass technologies. Sensitivity analysis performed by applying multi criteria method ARAS, has confirmed this result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the hiring process at companies, decision makers have underused the methods of the multi-criteria decision-making processes of selection of personnel. Therefore, this paper aims to establish a framework for the selection of candidates during the process of the recruitment and selection of personnel based on the SWARA and ARAS methods under uncertainties. The usability and efficiency of the proposed framework is considered in the conducted case study of the selection of candidate for the position of the sales manager. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Historic buildings are the trademark of cities. They show a high level of energy inefficiency. [•] Saving energy by heating less and living in twilight would worsen living conditions. [•] It is reasonable to invest in the energy refurbishment of historic buildings. [•] Assessing of building modernization carried out is MCDM problem with not crisp values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a new extension of the Integrated Simple Weighted Sum-Product (WISP) method, adapted for intuitionistic numbers. The extension takes advantage of intuitionistic fuzzy sets for solving complex decision-making problems. The example of contractor selection demonstrates the use of the proposed extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-makers should focus on solar energy due to the increasing energy demand and adverse consequences such as global warming. Conflicting criteria influence choosing the most desirable place to construct a Solar Power Plant (SPP). Researchers have popularized multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods because of the potential. Although the simultaneous use of several methods increases the robustness and accuracy of the results, existing methods to integrate MCDM methods mainly consider the same weight for all methods and utilize the alternatives ranking for the final comparison. This paper presents a hybrid decision-making framework to determine the best location for SPPs in Iran using a set of criteria extracted from the literature and expert opinions. An initial list of decision-making alternatives is prepared and evaluated using GIS software in terms of criteria. Decision-makers prioritized the identified alternatives using the MCDM methods, including SWARA and different ranking methods (TOPSIS, TODIM, WASPAS, COPRAS, ARAS, and MULTIMOORA). Finally, the CCSD method aggregates the results and identifies the best location. Results highly correlate with the results of previous methods and demonstrate the robustness of the proposed approach and its capability to overcome the limitations of previous methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy generation and savings is a vital problem for the social and economic development of a modern world. The construction of wind farms is a challenge of crucial importance to Lithuania. Offshore wind farms are one of the possibilities of the multiple use of marine space. Wind energy industry has become the fastest growing renewable energy in the world. An offshore wind farm is considered one of the most promising sources of green energy towards meeting the EU targets for 2020 and 2050. They provide long-term green energy production. The major purpose of this study is the selection and ranking of the feasible location areas of wind farms and assessing the types of wind turbines in the Baltic Sea offshore area. Multi-criteria decision making methods represent a robust and flexible tool investigating and assessing possible discrete alternatives evaluated applying the aggregated WSM and WPM method namely WASPAS. The following criteria such as the nominal power of the wind turbine, max power generated in the area, the amount of energy per year generated in the area, investments and CO2emissions have been taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of lightweight construction material with high corrosion resistance and low cost plays an important role in the design and construction of marine structures such as waterfronts. One of the most common methods for strengthening the structures is composite fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) sheet that is used for member retrofitting including wood plastic composite (WPC). The WPC material is produced from wood and compressed resin, which has good mechanical properties as well as economic benefits. The main problem of WPC reinforced with FRP sheets is the debonding of the sheet from WPC surface, which leads to premature and non-economic failure in members. One of the existing methods to solve this problem is surface preparation. However, surface preparation of wood plastic composite has some additional problems, such as operational cost, environmental pollution, etc. Therefore, to avoid debonding, another method has been used, known as the grooving method at the lower parts of beams. The laboratory used 50 I-shaped specimens with the same geometrical and mechanical properties. Initially, some slots such as longitudinal, transverse and diagonal grooves were created on the surface of specimens and filled by an epoxy. All beams were armed using one or two layers of GFRP sheets embedded at the lower part and were tested under four-point flexural loading. Grooves of different shapes, various widths and depths as well as the number of reinforcement layers were determined for considering their effect on the beam's behaviour. The results expressed that the debonding of FRP sheets can be delayed by selecting the longitudinal grooves with certain width and depth, which also leads to resistance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry is among the fastest growing energy market sectors. The gas terminal in Klaipėda allows Lithuania to import natural gas from various countries around the world. One of the most debatable subjects is the location of the future terminal. The problem pertaining to selection of construction sites for the LNG terminal should be investigated and solved using the set of multiple conflicting criteria. Many researchers argue that similar problems should be solved by applying several different Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. The research presents the model for application of three different MCDM methods and aggregation of solution results for the problem, which is based both on different objective data and on investigation of expert opinions for determining subjective criteria weights for the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Multi-attribute analysis is a useful tool in many economical, managerial, constructional, etc. problems. The accuracy of performance measures in COPRAS (The multi-attribute COmplex PRoportional ASsessment of alternatives) method is usually assumed to be accurate. This method assumes direct and proportional dependence of the weight and utility degree of investigated versions on a system of attributes adequately describing the alternatives and on values and weights of the attributes. However, there is usually some uncertainty involved in all multi-attribute model inputs. The objective of this research is to demonstrate how simulation can be used to reflect fuzzy inputs, which allows more complete interpretation of model results. A case study is used to demonstrate the concept of general contractor choice of on the basis of multiple attributes of efficiency with fuzzy inputs applying COPRAS-G method. The research has concluded that the COPRAS-G method is appropriate to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The higher life quality standards, the changes of habits and new well-being requirements have led to an increase in the demand for housing. Decision-making problems in construction management often involve a complex decisionmaking process in which multiple requirements and conditions have to be taken into consideration simultaneously. However, not every attribute used in multidimensional scaling is equally and precisely weighted in the real world. Thus quantitative and qualitative assessments are often required to deal with uncertainty, subjective and imprecise data. The accuracy of performance measures in common multi-attribute methods is usually assumed to be accurate. Grey theory is a new technique for performing prediction, relational analysis and decision-making in many areas. This paper considers the application of grey relations methodology for defining the utility of an alternative and is proposed as a method of multiple criteria COmplex PRoportional ASsessment of alternatives with Grey relations (COPRAS-G). In this model parameters of the alternatives are determined by the grey relational grade and are expressed in intervals. A case study of assessing external walls of four alternatives was used to demonstrate the applicability and the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results show that this method can be implemented as an effective decision aid in multi-attribute selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the most widespread designs of external walls of the multi-storey residential buildings now in use. Such 49 alternative designs of external walls of multi-storey residential buildings are analyzed using multicriteria analysis program under uncertainty. Few ways of the decision are applied for the decision of the problem: the method of distance to an ideal point, Baye's rule and Wald's rule. To project and understand effective construction of a building, it is necessary to execute exhaustive analysis of all decisions (planimetric, prolongation of term and quality of buildings operation, improvement of architectural decisions, etc.). The level of a design of external walls efficiency of multi-storey residential buildings depends on very many factors, including: cost of the construction work, used materials and building mechanisms, aesthetics, properties of service, thermal insulation properties, durability, etc. The offered decision of the choice of the effective decision problem using the system of the criteria having different dimensions takes into account the rational estimation of economic, climatic, social conditions and traditions and also allows better to satisfy architectural, functional, service, comfort and other requirements of the client. It also allows to reduce design, building and operational expenses. The choice of a variant mainly depends on needs and existing financial ability of the customer. The offered system of the effective decision choice using the principles of the multi-criteria analysis is described in the presented paper. There is an opportunity on the basis of the offered system to compare alternative design decisions of external walls of multi-storey residential buildings and the choice of the most effective variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the post-recession period, the business environment in developing countries is still relatively undesirable. Based on the reports published, the number of closed entrepreneurs are significantly more than the number of those newly established. These statistics also reflect that the development of entrepreneurship faces several challenges. However, a strategic management program must be accurately conducted to effectively control entrepreneurial challenges based on the limitation of time and financial resources. On the other hand, the program should provide an appropriate opportunity for competitiveness by producing better quality goods and services successfully marketed to consumers. The aim of this paper is to propose a robust model with a high potential for evaluation of entrepreneurial challenges in order to identify and control the most critical ones. To achieve the aim, the most critical parameters should be identified to prevent wasting the resources. Likewise, the analytical network process (ANP) method, a branch of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques, is a powerful tool that can consider all interrelationships and interdependencies between criteria. On the other hand, neutrosophic sets are among the most widespread approaches in coping with vagueness and unknown environment. The methodology employed in this paper uses a combination model based on ANP and neutrosophic sets using sustainable development indicators to prioritize the challenges of entrepreneurship. The results show that the proposed model has a high potential to provide a process for decision-making under a vague environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue covers symmetric and asymmetric data that occur in real-life problems. We invited authors to submit their theoretical or experimental research to present engineering and economic problem solution models that deal with symmetry or asymmetry of different data types. The Special Issue gained interest in the research community and received many submissions. After rigorous scientific evaluation by editors and reviewers, seventeen papers were accepted and published. The authors proposed different solution models, mainly covering uncertain data in multi-criteria decision-making problems as complex tools to balance the symmetry between goals, risks, and constraints to cope with the complicated problems in engineering or management. Therefore, we invite researchers interested in the topics to read the papers provided in the Special Issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, based on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, a matrix of Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths (TOWS) was formed. It represents possible business strategies of the transport company. To choose the right plan, a model based on the integration of Fuzzy PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment (fuzzy PIPRECIA), Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) and Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) methods, has been formed. A case study was conducted in the transport company from Bosnia and Herzegovina which provides services on the domestic and the European Union market for 20 years and belongs to a group of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The SWOT analysis in this transport company was the basis for forming the TOWS matrix, which represents a set of possible business strategies. These strategies are the basis for developing five basic alternatives. The transport company should choose the best one of them for future business. The research focuses on forming a model for choosing the best strategy by which the transport company seeks to improve its business. Decision-making (DM) is not a straightforward sequence of operations, so the harmonization of methods as well as the verification of their results, are essential in the research. This model is applicable in SMEs that make these and similar decisions. Using this model, companies can adjust their business policies to the results of the model and achieve better business results. This research is the first that allows the use of such a model in making strategic decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-makers are often hesitant to invest in unproven solutions because of a lack of the decision-making framework for managing innovations as a portfolio of investments that balances risk and return, especially in the field of developing new technologies. This study provides a new portfolio matrix for decision making of policy-makers to identify IoT applications in the agriculture sector for future investment based on two dimensions of sustainable development as a return and IoT challenge as a risk using a novel MADM approach. To this end, the identified applications of IoT in the agriculture sector fall into eight areas using the meta-synthesis method. The authors extracted a set of criteria from the literature. Later, the fuzzy Delphi method helped finalise it. The authors extended the SWARA method with interval-valued triangular fuzzy numbers (IVTFN SWARA) and used it to the weighting of the characteristics. Then, the alternatives were rated using the Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) method based on interval-valued triangular fuzzy numbers (IVTFN ARAS). Finally, decision-makers evaluated the results of ratings based on two dimensions of sustainability and IoT challenge by developing a framework for decision-making. Results of this paper show that policy-makers can manage IOT innovations in a disciplined way that balances risk and return by a portfolio approach, simultaneously the proposed framework can be used to determine and prioritise the areas of IoT application in the agriculture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monitoring and management of consistently changing landscape patterns are accomplished through a large amount of remote sensing data using satellite images and aerial photography that requires lossy compression for effective storage and transmission. Lossy compression brings the necessity to evaluate the image quality to preserve the important and detailed visual features of the data. We proposed and verified a weighted combination of qualitative parameters for the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to evaluate the quality of the compressed aerial images. The aerial imagery of different contents and resolutions was tested using the transform-based lossy compression algorithms. We formulated an MCDM problem dedicated to the rating of lossy compression algorithms, governed by the set of qualitative parameters of the images and visually acceptable lossy compression ratios. We performed the lossy compression algorithms' ranking with different compression ratios by their suitability for the aerial images using the neutrosophic weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) method. The novelty of our methodology is the use of a weighted combination of different qualitative parameters for lossy compression estimation to get a more precise evaluation of the effect of lossy compression on the image content. Our methodology includes means of solving different subtasks, either by altering the weights or the set of aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become a key concern for project selection in construction industries. Determining the best sustainable project based on various sustainability attributes is a very complicated decision. Accordingly, developing a suitable decision support framework can be very helpful for decision makers to attain planned business goals and complete projects at the right time with good quality. This research develops a decision support model which helps managers to understand the concept of sustainability in construction project selection and choose the best project using a new integrated Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach under uncertainty by integrating Fuzzy Preference Programming (FPP) as a modification of Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP), with Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) as a fuzzy rule-based expert system. In the first phase of the research, fifteen sustainability attributes were selected. In the second phase, the final weight of each attribute was computed by using FPP. In the last phase, the most appropriate project was selected by running the weighted FIS. The results showed that Project 3 (P3) is the best project. Finally, two different evaluative tests were also applied to verify the validity and robustness of the developed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practice, the judgments of decision-makers are often uncertain and thus cannot be represented by accurate values. In this study, the opinions of decision-makers are collected based on grey linguistic variables and the data retains the grey nature throughout all the decision-making process. A grey best-worst method (GBWM) is developed for multiple experts multiple criteria decision-making problems that can employ grey linguistic variables as input data to cover uncertainty. An example is solved by the GBWM and then a sensitivity analysis is done to show the robustness of the method. Comparative analyses verify the validity and advantages of the GBWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]