Best-worst multi-criteria decision-making method: Some properties and a linear model

The Best Worst Method (BWM) is a multi-criteria decision-making method that uses two vectors of pairwise comparisons to determine the weights of criteria. First, the best (e.g. most desirable, most important), and the worst (e.g. least desirable, least important) criteria are identified by the decision-maker, after which the best criterion is compared to the other criteria, and the other criteria to the worst criterion. A non-linear minmax model is then used to identify the weights such that the maximum absolute difference between the weight ratios and their corresponding comparisons is minimized. The minmax model may result in multiple optimal solutions. Although, in some cases, decision-makers prefer to have multiple optimal solutions, in other cases they prefer to have a unique solution. The aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, we propose using interval analysis for the case of multiple optimal solutions, in which we show how the criteria can be weighed and ranked. Secondly, we propose a linear model for BWM, which is based on the same philosophy, but yields a unique solution.     

A Diversity Index for Model Space Selection in the Estimation of Benchmark and Infectious Doses via Model Averaging

In chemical and microbial risk assessments, risk assessors fit dose‐response models to high‐dose data and extrapolate downward to risk levels in the range of 1–10%. Although multiple dose‐response models may be able to fit the data adequately in the experimental range, the estimated effective dose (ED) corresponding to an extremely small risk can be substantially different from model to model. In this respect, model averaging (MA) provides more robustness than a single dose‐response model in the point and interval estimation of an ED. In MA, accounting for both data uncertainty and model uncertainty is crucial, but addressing model uncertainty is not achieved simply by increasing the number of models in a model space. A plausible set of models for MA can be characterized by goodness of fit and diversity surrounding the truth. We propose a diversity index (DI) to balance between these two characteristics in model space selection. It addresses a collective property of a model space rather than individual performance of each model. Tuning parameters in the DI control the size of the model space for MA.     

Efficiency measures of the Chinese commercial banking system using an additive two-stage DEA

Measuring and improving the efficiency of the Chinese commercial banking system has recently attracted increasing interest. Few studies, however, have adopted the two-stage network DEA to explore this issue in the Chinese context. Because the entire operational process of the banking system could be divided into two sub-processes (deposit producing and profit earning), the evaluation of the sub-process efficiencies could be used to assist in identifying the sources of the inefficiency of the entire banking system. In this study, we utilize the network DEA approach to disaggregate, evaluate and test the efficiencies of 16 major Chinese commercial banks during the third round of the Chinese banking reform period (2003–2011) with the variable returns to scale setting and the consideration of undesirable/bad output. The main findings of this study are as follows: (i) the two-stage DEA model is more effective than the conventional black box DEA model in identifying the inefficiency of banking system, and the inefficiency of the Chinese banking system primarily results from the inefficiency of its deposit producing sub-process; (ii) the overall efficiency of the Chinese banking system improves over the study period because of the reform; (iii) the state-owned commercial banks (SOBs) appear to be more overall efficient than the joint-stock commercial banks (JSBs) only in the pre-reform period, and the efficiency difference between the SOBs and the JSBs is reduced over the post-reform period; (iv) the disposal of non-performing loans (NPLs) from the Chinese banking system in general explains its efficiency improvement, and the joint-equity reform of the SOBs specifically increases their efficiencies.     

An Integrated Risk Assessment Model of Township‐Scaled Land Subsidence Based on an Evidential Reasoning Algorithm and Fuzzy Set Theory

Land subsidence risk assessment (LSRA) is a multi‐attribute decision analysis (MADA) problem and is often characterized by both quantitative and qualitative attributes with various types of uncertainty. Therefore, the problem needs to be modeled and analyzed using methods that can handle uncertainty. In this article, we propose an integrated assessment model based on the evidential reasoning (ER) algorithm and fuzzy set theory. The assessment model is structured as a hierarchical framework that regards land subsidence risk as a composite of two key factors: hazard and vulnerability. These factors can be described by a set of basic indicators defined by assessment grades with attributes for transforming both numerical data and subjective judgments into a belief structure. The factor‐level attributes of hazard and vulnerability are combined using the ER algorithm, which is based on the information from a belief structure calculated by the Dempster‐Shafer (D‐S) theory, and a distributed fuzzy belief structure calculated by fuzzy set theory. The results from the combined algorithms yield distributed assessment grade matrices. The application of the model to the Xixi‐Chengnan area, China, illustrates its usefulness and validity for LSRA. The model utilizes a combination of all types of evidence, including all assessment information—quantitative or qualitative, complete or incomplete, and precise or imprecise—to provide assessment grades that define risk assessment on the basis of hazard and vulnerability. The results will enable risk managers to apply different risk prevention measures and mitigation planning based on the calculated risk states.     

Staff Perceptions of Same-Gender Sexual Contacts in Long-Term Care Facilities

An ongoing fear in the gay and lesbian community is that long-term care (LTC) facilities may not be sensitive to their needs. In the present study, 218 LTC staff members responded to one of three vignettes in which resident sexual contact was observed, with only the gender of the characters changing, to create different gender pairings. Results suggested that staff rated male-male and female-female pairings more negatively than heterosexual intimacy. Knowledge about older adult sexuality made little difference in staff ratings. However, staff attitudes were directly related to ratings of negative reaction and level of acceptability of same-gender sexuality.     

论对大学生进行财商教育的重要意义

传承传统重义轻利观念的大学教育,对学生的财富意识具有极大的压抑作用。改革开放以来,一部分人陷入拜金主义的泥潭,一部分人则保持着"饿死事小失节事大"的极端思想。调查的结果令人担忧,大学生财商整体水平较低。对大学生进行财商教育,是实现教育"使人更幸福地生活"目的之必然要求。     

侵权法中的作为义务探究

国外立法例对侵权法中作为义务的规制模式不尽相同,中国台湾地区和大陆地区理论界对作为义务的研究在结合中国司法实践方面略显不足。对于侵权法中作为义务的探究,应当将国外立法例、中国理论界的研究成果与司法实践情况结合起来。中国侵权法中作为义务的设计应当遵循如下思路:无须在一般条款中明确作为义务;合同约定不应成为侵权法中作为义务的来源;不应当规定一般救助义务;作为义务来源应当具有层级性,且该层级性应当以重塑安全保障义务为中心。     

“社会企业”与“食物银行”:澳门特区的社会管理创新刍议

伴随着经济的飞速发展,社会管理体制绝不能产生任何滞后。随着经济社会各领域发生深刻地变化,由政府高度主导的社会管理模式亦需要与时俱进地创新。作为国家特别行政区之一的澳门,近年来在经济上取得长足发展、政府公共财政收入颇为理想的情况下,不断探索"以民为本"的社会管理模式,努力辅助弱势社群,解决社会问题,持续营造良好的社会环境,促进社会和谐。澳门特区近年来推出的"社会企业"和"食物银行",是澳门政府现阶段社会管理的着力举措,体现出澳门特区的社会管理体制创新的特点。     

《手批尔雅义疏》同族词疏证七则

《手批尔雅义疏》是近代著名语源学家黄侃从事语源研究实践最重要的成果之一，其批语中系联了大量的同族词。经过系统梳理，并运用同类互证方法等加以验证，可以发现，“荎：挃”、“殻：螯”、“睔：棆”、“憋：鷩”、“跳：狣”、“串：贯：毋”、“讹：化”等还没有被现当代学者证实的同族词确实存在同源关系。     

Global Governance,neoliberalism and national responses: The case of Bangladesh’s ready‐made garment (RMG) sector

This article on the ready‐made garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh shows how over‐reliance on foreign capital for development financing and deregulated investment—a hallmark of neoliberal economic arrangements—undermines the incorporation of SDGs’ and INGOs’ equity principles, contributing to biased policy responses yielding unequal outcomes. The article cautions that while countries prioritize economic growth over social and environmental nourishment and continue to adopt neoliberal economic policies to promote economic growth, inequity is unavoidable, if not inevitable. Thus, the way forward may be to shift the focus of ‘development’ from the economy to society, to building ‘good societies’ where institutions and strategies, including those that contribute to economic growth, are organized such that these complement not compromise the evolution of such societies.