An introduction to decision making under uncertainty from a computational perspective, covering both theory and applications ranging from speech recognition to airborne collision avoidance. Many important problems involve decision making under uncertainty—that is, choosing actions based on often imperfect observations, with unknown outcomes. Designers of automated decision support systems must take into account the various sources of uncertainty while balancing the multiple objectives of the system. This book provides an introduction to the challenges of decision making under uncertainty from a computational perspective. It presents both the theory behind decision making models and algorithms and a collection of example applications that range from speech recognition to aircraft collision avoidance. Focusing on two methods for designing decision agents, planning and reinforcement learning, the book covers probabilistic models, introducing Bayesian networks as a graphical model that captures probabilistic relationships between variables; utility theory as a framework for understanding optimal decision making under uncertainty; Markov decision processes as a method for modeling sequential problems; model uncertainty; state uncertainty; and cooperative decision making involving multiple interacting agents. A series of applications shows how the theoretical concepts can be applied to systems for attribute-based person search, speech applications, collision avoidance, and unmanned aircraft persistent surveillance. Decision Making Under Uncertainty unifies research from different communities using consistent notation, and is accessible to students and researchers across engineering disciplines who have some prior exposure to probability theory and calculus. It can be used as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in fields including computer science, aerospace and electrical engineering, and management science. It will also be a valuable professional reference for researchers in a variety of disciplines.

Outlines an approach to high-performance problem solving and decision making that draws on insights from survival guides, pop culture, and other sources.

This discourse on the conference proceedings unveils Sir John Hicks's efforts to discuss capital/income family of concepts with their principal characteristics of inter-temporality. Papers on capital, profits, the concept of invariant capital stock and Kaleckian theory of investment are discussed.

Originally published in 1991, The Economic Organisation of a Financial System develops a descriptive theory of a financial system’s organisation and functions and applies the theory of organisational economics to the study of a financial system. The book attempts to reconcile neoclassical financial theory and managerial finance by synthesising the main findings of these studies within an institutional economics framework. The book helps to relate the complementary perspectives of current theory and current practice and aims to strengthen the relations between both theory and practice. The book’s contents provide a detailed illustration of how organisational economics can be put to work.

The volumes in this set, originally published between 1970 and 1996, draw together research by leading academics in the area of economic and financial markets, and provide a rigorous examination of related key issues. The volumes examine the stock exchange, capital cities as financial centres, international capital, the financial system, bond duration, security market indices and artificial intelligence applications on Wall Street, whilst also exploring the general principles and practices of financial markets in various countries. This set will be of particular interest to students of economics and finance respectively.

Research in Corporate and Shari'ah Governance in the Muslim World: Theory and Practice aims to address a critical disciplinary gap between Islamic theory and the practice of the corporate sector in the Muslim World. Adopting a critical approach, the book sheds light on the impact of corporate governance on the economies of the Muslim world.