Planning Based on Decision Theory

Planning Based on Decision Theory
Author: Giacomo Della Riccia
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2014-05-04
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3709125308

Planning of actions based on decision theory is a hot topic for many disciplines. Seemingly unlimited computing power, networking, integration and collaboration have meanwhile attracted the attention of fields like Machine Learning, Operations Research, Management Science and Computer Science. Software agents of e-commerce, mediators of Information Retrieval Systems and Database based Information Systems are typical new application areas. Until now, planning methods were successfully applied in production, logistics, marketing, finance, management, and used in robots, software agents etc. It is the special feature of the book that planning is embedded into decision theory, and this will give the interested reader new perspectives to follow-up.

Decision Making Under Uncertainty

Decision Making Under Uncertainty
Author: Mykel J. Kochenderfer
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2015-07-24
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 0262331713

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.

Data-Driven Decision Making and Dynamic Planning

Data-Driven Decision Making and Dynamic Planning
Author: Paul Preuss
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 143
Release: 2013-09-27
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1317924134

This book will help you understand how to integrate data-based decisions into the daily work of the school. It is a practical and relevant handbook for converting data into wise decision-making and planning. It will give you the skills to successfully make data-based decisions, measure student learning and program effectiveness, evaluate student progress, use data to improve instruction, integrate a "Dynamic Planning" process into the daily operation of your school.

A Reader in Planning Theory

A Reader in Planning Theory
Author: Andreas Faludi
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 415
Release: 2013-10-22
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1483292894

Urban and Regional Planning Series, Volume 5: A Reader in Planning Theory focuses on the approaches, methodologies, applications, and mechanics involved in planning theory. The selection first elaborates on a choice theory of planning, sociological considerations in the evaluation of planning, and British town planning. Discussions focus on social scientific research and town planning ideology, town planning as part of broader social policy, critics of traditional planning, value formulation, means identification, and effectuation. The text then examines comprehensive planning and social responsibility and building the middle-range bridge for comprehensive planning. The publication takes a look at the science of "muddling through", beyond the middle-range planning bridge, and goals of comprehensive planning. Topics include comprehensiveness and public interest, community development programming, non-comprehensive analysis, relations between means and ends, and successive comparisons as a system. The book also ponders on community decision behavior, a conceptual model for the analysis of planning behavior, and advocacy and pluralism in planning. The selection is a dependable reference for researchers interested in planning theory.

A Theory of Case-Based Decisions

A Theory of Case-Based Decisions
Author: Itzhak Gilboa
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2001-07-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780521003117

This work, a paradigm for modelling decision-making under uncertainty, describes the general theory and its relationship to planning, repeated choice problems, inductive inference, and learning; and highlights its mathematical and philosophical foundations.

Decision Making in Behavioral Strategy

Decision Making in Behavioral Strategy
Author: T. K. Das
Publisher: IAP
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2016-11-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1681236591

Behavioral strategy continues to attract increasing research interest within the broader field of strategic management. Research in behavioral strategy has clear scope for development in tandem with such traditional streams of strategy research that involve economics, markets, resources, and technology. The key roles of psychology, organizational behavior, and behavioral decision making in the theory and practice of strategy have yet to be comprehensively grasped. Given that strategic thinking and strategic decision making are importantly concerned with human cognition, human decisions, and human behavior, it makes eminent sense to bring some balance in the strategy field by complementing the extant emphasis on the “objective’ economics-based view with substantive attention to the “subjective” individual-oriented perspective. This calls for more focused inquiries into the role and nature of the individual strategy actors, and their cognitions and behaviors, in the strategy research enterprise. For the purposes of this book series, behavioral strategy would be broadly construed as covering all aspects of the role of the strategy maker in the entire strategy field. The scholarship relating to behavioral strategy is widely believed to be dispersed in diverse literatures. These existing contributions that relate to behavioral strategy within the overall field of strategy has been known and perhaps valued by most scholars all along, but were not adequately appreciated or brought together as a coherent sub-field or as a distinct perspective of strategy. This book series on Research in Behavioral Strategy will cover the essential progress made thus far in this admittedly fragmented literature and elaborate upon fruitful streams of scholarship. More importantly, the book series will focus on providing a robust and comprehensive forum for the growing scholarship in behavioral strategy. In particular, the volumes in the series will cover new views of interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks and models (dealing with all behavioral aspects), significant practical problems of strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, and emerging areas of inquiry. The series will also include comprehensive empirical studies of selected segments of business, economic, industrial, government, and non-profit activities with potential for wider application of behavioral strategy. Through the ongoing release of focused topical titles, this book series will seek to disseminate theoretical insights and practical management information that will enable interested professionals to gain a rigorous and comprehensive understanding of the subject of behavioral strategy. Decision Making in Behavioral Strategy contains contributions by leading scholars in the field of behavioral strategy research. The 10 chapters in this volume cover a number of significant issues relating to the decision making processes, practices, and perspectives in the field of behavioral strategy, covering diverse topics such as failures in acquisitions, entrepreneurs under ambiguity, metacognition, neural correlates of emotion, knowledge flows, behavioral responses, business modeling, and alliance capability. The chapters include empirical as well as conceptual treatments of the selected topics, and collectively present a wide-ranging review of the noteworthy research perspectives on decision making in behavioral strategy.

Planning and Decision Making

Planning and Decision Making
Author: Jane Smith
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
Total Pages: 276
Release: 1996
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780631196754

Planning and Decision Making has been developed to give the student the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for the core module in the new BTEC HNC/HND in Business Studies. The workbook looks at organizational planning and decision processes and the constraints and uncertainties within which they take place. From objective setting to SWOT analysis it gives the student a framework for applying techniques as an aid to decision making and contingency planning in every business activity from marketing to finance. The workbook is divided into three main sections: The planning framework, from organizational plans to individual objectives. Decision making, including decision making techniques and processes. Contingency planning, spanning the preparation and evaluation of contingency plans and coping with risk. Packed with examples from real business, self-assessment exercises, assignments and task-based activities, the workbook will be essential for all those taking the new BTEC Higher Nationals.

Decision-making on Mega-projects

Decision-making on Mega-projects
Author: Hugo Priemus
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2008-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1848440170

It will be useful for those experienced and senior professionals who are charged with authorizing and controlling projects. Recommended. P.F. Rad, Choice Building on the seminal work of Bent Flyvbjerg, this book is a collection of expert contributions that will prove essential to anyone wanting to understand why mega-projects go wrong and how they can be made to work better. Professor Sir Peter Hall, University College London, UK This book offers a refreshing and fascinating look at mega-projects from the perspective of public evaluation and planning. With the changing role of the public sector in planning and implementing large-scale projects and a subsequent strong emergence of private public modes of operation, mega-projects have become a problematic phenomenon. This volume is a major source of information and reference. It provides the reader with unique insights and caveats in mega-projects planning. Peter Nijkamp, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands This book enlarges the understanding of decision-making on mega-projects and suggest recommendations for a more effective, efficient and democratic approach. Authors from different scientific disciplines address various aspects of the decision-making process, such as management characteristics and cost benefit analysis, planning and innovation and competition and institutions. The subject matter is highly diverse, but certain questions remain at the forefront. For example, how do we deal with protracted preparation processes, how do we tackle risks and uncertainties, and how can we best divide the risks and responsibilities among the private and public players throughout the different phases of the project? Presenting a state-of-the-art overview, based on experiences and visions of authors from Europe and North America, this unique book will be of interest to practitioners of large-scale project management, politicians, public officials and private organisations involved in mega-project decision-making. It will also appeal to researchers, consultants and students dealing with substantial engineering projects, complex systems, project management and transport infrastructure.