It is quite an onerous task to edit the proceedings of a two week long institute with learned contributors from many parts of the world. All the same, the editorial team has found the process of refereeing and reviewing the contributions worthwhile and completing the volume has proven to be a satisfying task. In setting up the institute we had considered models and methods taken from a number of different disciplines. As a result the whole institute - preparing for it, attending it and editing the proceedings - proved to be an intense learning experience for us. Here I speak on behalf of the committee and the editorial team. By the time the institute took place, the papers were delivered and the delegates exchanged their views, the structure of the topics covered and their relative positioning appeared in a different light. In editing the volume I felt compelled to introduce a new structure in grouping the papers. The contents of this volume are organised in eight main sections set out below: 1 . Abstracts. 2. Review Paper. 3. Models with Multiple Criteria and Single or Multiple Decision Makers. 4. Use of Optimisation Models as Decision Support Tools. 5. Role of Information Systems in Decision Making: Database and Model Management Issues. 6. Methods of Artificial Intelligence in Decision Making: Intelligent Knowledge Based Systems. 7. Representation of Uncertainty in Mathematical Models and Knowledge Based Systems. 8. Mathematical Basis for Constructing Models and Model Validation.

Business intelligence is a broad category of applications and technologies for gathering, providing access to, and analyzing data for the purpose of helping enterprise users make better business decisions. The term implies having a comprehensive knowledge of all factors that affect a business, such as customers, competitors, business partners, economic environment, and internal operations, therefore enabling optimal decisions to be made. Business Intelligence provides readers with an introduction and practical guide to the mathematical models and analysis methodologies vital to business intelligence. This book: Combines detailed coverage with a practical guide to the mathematical models and analysis methodologies of business intelligence. Covers all the hot topics such as data warehousing, data mining and its applications, machine learning, classification, supply optimization models, decision support systems, and analytical methods for performance evaluation. Is made accessible to readers through the careful definition and introduction of each concept, followed by the extensive use of examples and numerous real-life case studies. Explains how to utilise mathematical models and analysis models to make effective and good quality business decisions. This book is aimed at postgraduate students following data analysis and data mining courses. Researchers looking for a systematic and broad coverage of topics in operations research and mathematical models for decision-making will find this an invaluable guide.

To date, a plethora of companies and organizations are investing vast amounts of money on the latest technologies. Information technology can be used to improve market share, profits, sales, competitive advantage, and customer/employee satisfaction. Unfortunately, the individuals meant to use these technologies are not well equipped on how to effectively and efficiently use these tools for competitive advantage and decision making. The Handbook of Research on IT Applications for Strategic Competitive Advantage and Decision Making is a collection of innovative research relevant to the methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and latest empirical research findings in information technology applications, strategic competitive advantage, and decision making. While highlighting topics including agility, knowledge management, and business intelligence, this book is ideally designed for information technology professionals, academics, researchers, managers, executives, and government officials interested in using information technology for strategic competitive advantage and better decision making.

The complexity of issues requiring rational decision making grows and thus such decisions are becoming more and more difficult, despite advances in methodology and tools for decision support and in other areas of research. Globalization, interlinks between environmental, industrial, social and political issues, and rapid speed of change all contribute to the increase of this complexity. Specialized knowledge about decision-making processes and their support is increasing, but a large spectrum of approaches presented in the literature is typically illustrated only by simple examples. Moreover, the integration of model-based decision support methodologies and tools with specialized model-based knowledge developed for handling real problems in environmental, engineering, industrial, economical, social and political activities is often not satisfactory. Therefore, there is a need to present the state of art of methodology and tools for development of model-based decision support systems, and illustrate this state by applications to various complex real-world decision problems. The monograph reports many years of experience of many researchers, who have not only contributed to the developments in operations research but also succeeded to integrate knowledge and craft of various disciplines into several modern decision support systems which have been applied to actual complex decision-making processes in various fields of policy making. The experience presented in this book will be of value to researchers and practitioners in various fields. The issues discussed in this book gain in importance with the development of the new era of the information society, where information, knowledge, and ways of processing them become a decisive part of human activities. The examples presented in this book illustrate how how various methods and tools of model-based decision support can actually be used for helping modern decision makers that face complex problems. Overview of the contents: The first part of this three-part book presents the methodological background and characteristics of modern decision-making environment, and the value of model-based decision support thus addressing current challenges of decision support. It also provides the methodology of building and analyzing mathematical models that represent underlying physical and economic processes, and that are useful for modern decision makers at various stages of decision making. These methods support not only the analysis of Pareto-efficient solutions that correspond best to decision maker preferences but also allow the use of other modeling concepts like soft constraints, soft simulation, or inverse simulation. The second part describes various types of tools that are used for the development of decision support systems. These include tools for modeling, simulation, optimization, tools supporting choice and user interfaces. The described tools are both standard, commercially available, and nonstandard, public domain or shareware software, which are robust enough to be used also for complex applications. All four environmental applications (regional water quality management, land use planning, cost-effective policies aimed at improving the European air quality, energy planning with environmental implications) presented in the third part of the book rely on many years of cooperation between the authors of the book with several IIASA's projects, and with many researchers from the wide IIASA network of collaborating institutions. All these applications are characterized by an intensive use of model-based decision support. Finally, the appendix contains a short description of some of the tools described in the book that are available from IIASA, free of charge, for research and educational purposes. The experiences reported in this book indicate that the development of DSSs for strategic environmental decision making should be a joint effort involving experts in the subject area, modelers, and decision support experts. For the other experiences discussed in this book, the authors stress the importance of good data bases, and good libraries of tools. One of the most important requirements is a modular structure of a DSS that enhances the reusability of system modules. In such modular structures, user interfaces play an important role. The book shows how modern achievements in mathematical programming and computer sciences may be exploited for supporting decision making, especially about strategic environmental problems. It presents the methodological background of various methods for model-based decision support and reviews methods and tools for model development and analysis. The methods and tools are amply illustrated with extensive applications. Audience: This book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of model development and analysis, model-based decision analysis and support, (particularly in the environment, economics, agriculture, engineering, and negotiations areas) and mathematical programming. For understanding of some parts of the text a background in mathematics and operational research is required but several chapters of the book will be of value also for readers without such a background. The monograph is also suitable for use as a text book for courses on advanced (Master and Ph.D.) levels for programs on Operations Research, decision analysis, decision support and various environmental studies (depending on the program different parts of the book may be emphasized).

Mathematical modeling is both a skill and an art and must be practiced in order to maintain and enhance the ability to use those skills. Though the topics covered in this book are the typical topics of most mathematical modeling courses, this book is best used for individuals or groups who have already taken an introductory mathematical modeling course. This book will be of interest to instructors and students offering courses focused on discrete modeling or modeling for decision making.

Mathematical Modeling, Third Edition is a general introduction to an increasingly crucial topic for today's mathematicians. Unlike textbooks focused on one kind of mathematical model, this book covers the broad spectrum of modeling problems, from optimization to dynamical systems to stochastic processes. Mathematical modeling is the link between mathematics and the rest of the world. Meerschaert shows how to refine a question, phrasing it in precise mathematical terms. Then he encourages students to reverse the process, translating the mathematical solution back into a comprehensible, useful answer to the original question. This textbook mirrors the process professionals must follow in solving complex problems. Each chapter in this book is followed by a set of challenging exercises. These exercises require significant effort on the part of the student, as well as a certain amount of creativity. Meerschaert did not invent the problems in this book--they are real problems, not designed to illustrate the use of any particular mathematical technique. Meerschaert's emphasis on principles and general techniques offers students the mathematical background they need to model problems in a wide range of disciplines. Increased support for instructors, including MATLAB material New sections on time series analysis and diffusion models Additional problems with international focus such as whale and dolphin populations, plus updated optimization problems

Weed management Decision Support Systems (DSS) are increasingly important computer-based tools for modern agriculture. Nowadays, extensive agriculture has become highly dependent on external inputs and both economic costs, as well the negative environmental impact of agricultural activities, demands knowledge-based technology for the optimization and protection of non-renewable resources. In this context, weed management strategies should aim to maximize economic profit by preserving and enhancing agricultural systems. Although previous contributions focusing on weed biology and weed management provide valuable insight on many aspects of weed species ecology and practical guides for weed control, no attempts have been made to highlight the forthcoming importance of DSS in weed management. This book is a first attempt to integrate `concepts and practice’ providing a novel guide to the state-of-art of DSS and the future prospects which hopefully would be of interest to higher-level students, academics and professionals in related areas.