The ordered weighted average inflation

In this paper, we investigate the uncertain linguistic multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems in which the attributes and experts are in different priority level. Motivated by the idea of prioritized aggregation operators (R. R. Yager, Prioritized aggregation operators, Int. J. Approximate Reasoning48 (2008) 263–274.), we develop some prioritized aggregation operators for aggregating uncertain linguistic information, and then apply them to develops some models for uncertain linguistic multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problems in which the attributes and experts are in different priority level. Finally, a practical example about talent introduction is given to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.

Prioritized aggregation operators

First-order saturated designs can be orthogonal and have two levels only if the number of design points is a multiple of 4. For other cases, saturated two-level designs have been obtained from balanced incomplete blocks and by computer searches for design matrices of maximal determinant (D-optimal designs). Recently, two-level saturated designs that are efficient for submodels containing only a few of the factors have been developed. Some of these designs do not estimate the effects of all factors with equal precision. In this article, alternative designs that estimate the effects of all factors with equal precision are obtained from partially balanced incomplete block designs. The new designs are compared to all previously known designs by A-, D-, E-, and G-efficiency, and by the average and maximum variance inflation factor.

Prioritized multi-criteria decision making based on preference relations

This paper clarifies, how a preference aggregation problem can be solved using the prioritized aggregation operators (PAO), where, a given group of candidates should be aggregated based upon their satisfaction for a collection of ranked places. The comparison results show that the proposed method can accurate aggregate a preference ranking system with less computation and without the need to solve any mathematical model. Also, a metasearch application shows the usefulness of applying the PAO for a preference aggregation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Against Fair Use: The Case for a Genericness Defense in Artistic Works

Merger control is one of the main pillars of a competition law regime. Without a merger control provision, a competition authority is unable to prevent a problematic merger that lessens competition in the market from being consummated. Malaysia, having its national cross-sector competition law regime in place only since 2010, has, apart from sectoral regulations, no merger control regime in place. The country has adopted a sectoral approach to merger control, empowering certain regulators to oversee merger activities in a specific market or industry. Since 2020, the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has been working on the proposed amendments to the Competition Act 2010 (CA 2010), aiming to incorporate a merger control regime as one of its main agendas. The primary objective of this paper is to explore the development of the merger control regime in Malaysia. The main contribution of this paper is the analysis of the merger control regime in the proposed amendment of the CA 2010 and an understanding of the issues and challenges involved in the enforcement of merger control provisions. The research is doctrinal, based on descriptive and analytical methods, and relies on both primary and secondary data. The research is doctrinal, utilising descriptive and analytical methods, and relies on both primary and secondary data. It also incorporates a comparative element by examining experiences from more developed jurisdictions, such as the European Union and the United States, which have extensive experience in enforcing merger control. Conclusions can be drawn from debates in these jurisdictions regarding potential adjustments to their respective merger control regimes.

In this paper, we investigate the multiple attribute decision making (MADM) problem based on the arithmetic, geometric aggregation operators and Hamacher operations with picture fuzzy information. Then, motivated by the ideal of traditional arithmetic, geometric aggregation operators and Hamacher operations, we have developed some aggregation operators for aggregating picture fuzzy information: picture fuzzy Hamacher aggregation operators, picture fuzzy Hamacher geometric aggregation operators, picture fuzzy Hamacher correlated aggregation operators, induced picture fuzzy Hamacher aggregation operators, induced picture fuzzy Hamacher correlated aggregation operators, picture fuzzy Hamacher prioritized aggregation operators, picture fuzzy Hamacher power aggregation operators. Then, we have utilized these operators to develop some approaches to solve the picture fuzzy multiple attribute decision making problems. Finally, a practical example for enterprise resource planning (ERP) system selection is given to verify the developed approach and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.

According to the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), regulation can be "broadly defined as the imposition of rules by the government, backed by the use of penalties that are intended specifically to modify the economic behaviour of individuals and firms in the private sector." Baldwin, Cave and Lodge notice that a number of reasons explain why the State may decide to regulate the firms' behaviour within a specific industry. First of all, market failures, such as the presence of a monopoly, windfall profits, externalities and information asymmetries might convince the decision-makers that regulatory intervention is needed in a specific sector. In addition to the market failure rationale, regulation might also be justified by non-economic goals, like ensuring safety of the product, as well as ensuring a universal and affordable access to essential products to the population.

Aluminum recycling follows a downcycling dynamic where wrought alloys are transformed into cast alloys, accumulating tramp elements at every cycle. With the saturation of stocks of aluminum and the reduction of the demand for cast alloy due to electrification of transport, improvement in the recycling system must be made to avoid a surplus of unused recycled aluminum, reduce the overall environmental impacts of the industry, and move toward a circular economy. We aim to evaluate the potential environmental benefits of improving sorting efforts by combining operations research, prospective material flow analysis, and life cycle assessment. An optimization defines the optimal sorting to minimize climate change impacts according to different sorting efforts, dismantling conditions, and collection rates. Results show how the improvement of sorting can reduce by around 30% the greenhouse gas emissions of the industry, notably by reducing unused scrap generation and increasing the recycled content of the flows that supply the demand of aluminum. The best performance is achievable with four different sorting pathways. Further improvements occur with a better dismantling and an increase of collection rates, but it requires more sorting pathways. Results point to different closed-loop recycling initiatives that should be promoted on priority in specific sectors, like the building and construction sector and the aluminum cans industry. To implement a better material circularity, the mobilization of different stakeholders is needed. From a wider perspective, the article shows how operations research can be used to project a circular future in a specific industry. This article met the requirements for a Gold–Gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

The chapter investigates the spatial distribution of cultural and creative industries (CCIs), highlighting establishments’ and employees’ sectorial specialization and localization, comparing the inner peripheries and central areas of Italian regions, as defined by the Italian National Strategy of Inner Areas (SNAI). The analysis includes quantitative (specialization indexes) and cartographic methods (maps) that provide a clear insight on the CCIs and their characteristics. This work opens to further research concerning the adherence of the SNAI (and the actions planned at the different scales) to the actual characteristics of the economic and geographical tissue as well as on the possible role of culture in bridging the gap between the areas, contributing to the success of the overall policy.

A city is a sizable and enduring human settlement distinguished by its intricate network of structures, infrastructure, and social, economic, and cultural institutions. Cities play a vital role in a country's global economic growth and development, fostering agglomeration of economies, serving as centres of innovation and technological advancement, acting as major hubs for finances and employment, and facilitating infrastructure development while providing access to broader markets. Often specializing in specific industries or sectors, cities offer amenities such as healthcare, education, employment, and recreational opportunities that enhance their appeal to residents seeking a high quality of life. However, the majority of unplanned cities grapple with the challenge of balancing economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Key issues include rapid population growth, urban sprawl, inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, conflicting interests among stakeholders-particularly regarding development versus conservation and pressing environmental concerns like pollution, improper waste management, health issues, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires cities to evolve into 'Living Cities,' where human settlements can flourish indefinitely as part of nature's beauty and diversity. Achieving this balance involves integrating economic, social, and environmental perspectives. This paper presents detailed strategies under various subheadings, including Integrated Urban Planning with a focus on promoting public transport, increasing green spaces, and conserving biodiversity. It also covers Water Conservation, measures to enhance resilience to climate change impacts, such as strategic infrastructure siting and nature-based solutions, and the promotion of renewable energy and green building concepts to conserve finite resources. Efficient waste management is highlighted to ensure a waste-free urban environment. The paper underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement, involving the public, private sector, NGOs, and communities in the decision-making process through participatory planning and citizen engagement. While acknowledging existing supportive policies and strategies in the country, the paper emphasizes the need for their enforcement and proper implementation to achieve the desired target of sustainable cities-living cities where human populations thrive harmoniously as part of nature's beauty and diversity.
 
 Keywords: Living city, Sustainable city, Urban, Settlement, Integrated planning

Economic Diversification in Africa: How and Why It Matters

Work-related COPD occurs as a result of exposure to harmful particles and gases/fumes in the workplace, including among non-smokers. The objective of this article is to present more recent findings on the correlation between occupational exposure and COPD. In addition, we review diagnostic and prognostic considerations and the potential for prevention. We have undertaken literature searches in Medline and EMBASE for the period May 2009 - July 2014. Studies without any measurements of pulmonary function or references to occupational exposure were excluded. We have also included three prospective studies on pulmonary function and occupational exposure that were not indexed with the search terms used for obstructive pulmonary disease. Three population studies and eight studies that described a specific industry or sector were included. Recent studies detect an association between exposure and an increased risk of COPD in the construction industry, metallurgical smelting, cement production and the textile industry. In other respects, the findings from previous review studies are confirmed. Exposure to a number of organic and inorganic particles and fumes in the workplace may cause COPD even at prevailing levels of exposure. Doctors should inquire about such exposure in cases of suspected and established COPD and should have a low threshold for referral to occupational health assessment.

PurposeSingle-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) are efficient models to address the complexity issues potentially with three components, namely indeterminacy, truthness and falsity. Taking advantage of SVNSs, this paper introduces some new aggregation operators (AOs) for information fusion of single-valued neutrosophic numbers (SVNNs) to meet multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) challenges.Design/methodology/approachEinstein operators are well-known AOs for smooth approximation, and prioritized operators are suitable to take advantage of prioritized relationships among multiple criteria. Motivated by the features of these operators, new hybrid aggregation operators are proposed named as “single-valued neutrosophic Einstein prioritized weighted average (SVNEPWA) operator” and “single-valued neutrosophic Einstein prioritized weighted geometric (SVNEPWG) operators.” These hybrid aggregation operators are more efficient and reliable for information aggregation.FindingsA robust approach for MCGDM problems is developed to take advantage of newly developed hybrid operators. The effectiveness of the proposed MCGDM method is demonstrated by numerical examples. Moreover, a comparative analysis and authenticity analysis of the suggested MCGDM approach with existing approaches are offered to examine the practicality, validity and superiority of the proposed operators.Originality/valueThe study reveals that by choosing a suitable AO as per the choice of the expert, it will provide a wide range of compromise solutions for the decision-maker.