Francisco Javier Santos Arteaga

Complutense University of Madrid | UCM · Departamento de Economía Financiera y Actuarial y Estadística

You can't always get what you want but (with a bit of luck) you may get what you expect. We study a bilateral exchange model where decision makers (DMs) perceive subjectively the characteristics of the products they initially own. They use a common language to communicate with each other while four requirements are imposed to prevent them from purp...

Data labeling systems are designed to facilitate the training and validation of machine learning algorithms under the umbrella of crowdsourcing practices. The current paper presents a novel approach for designing a customized data labeling system, emphasizing two key aspects: an innovative payment mechanism for users and an efficient configuration...

This study presents a novel hybrid approach for Multiple Attribute Decision-Making (MADM), integrating the Best Worst Method (BWM) together with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and KEmeny Median Indicator Ranks Accordance (KEMIRA). BWM provides a more flexible scenario for experts to express their preferences among decision criteria than the stric...

The robotization and digitalization of businesses are slow and demanding processes requiring significant investments in human capital and infrastructures. The ability of firms to adapt their production and innovation structures conditions the successful implementation of robotics and centralized computing across their value chains. At the same time...

Economic growth in Spain has largely relied on certain water-intensive sectors including construction, leisure, and agriculture; but considerable heterogeneity is found across the country’s regions, both in terms of water stress and economic structure. Using Data Envelopment Analysis and a panel Tobit model, we analyze the determinants of water eff...

This study introduces a novel approach named the fuzzy KEmeny Median Indicator Ranks Accordance (KEMIRA) method tailored for Multi-Attribute Decision Making (MADM) while capturing and processing the uncertainties inherent in complex problems. We explore preferential voting to enhance MADM models, rewriting it as a Linear Programming (LP) problem wi...

This paper studies a linear programming (LP) and a multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) model with hesitant fuzzy numbers (HFNs) for solving group decision-making problems under uncertainty. We introduce a new type of HFN whose flexibility allows for its direct application to standard LP and MADM methods while facing credibility considerations...

Water scarcity is prone to be an important source of stress and conflict in the coming future. In the case of Spain, economic growth has relied, to a large extent, on some water-intensive sectors, such as construction, leisure, and agriculture. Spanish regions display important heterogeneities both in terms of water stress and economic structure. I...

The current paper analyzes the efficiency displayed by 24 European Union (EU) countries when fostering labor productivity and the value added via ICT investments. In particular, a dynamic slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis (SBM-DEA) model is applied to analyze the evolution of efficiency through the period 2006–2013. The ranking resulti...

Efficiency is a fundamental element of the transition towards a sustainable use of natural resources among which water has a prominent role. Spain is among the European countries facing considerable water shortage problems, particularly within its southern regions. The current paper introduces an efficiency evaluation model based on Data Envelopmen...

We analyze the effects of digitalization and the knowledge acquired through vertical and institutional cooperation across the value chain on the introduction of patents and technological, namely, product and process, innovations in large, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We study the case of Spain as a digitally competitive economy di...

The Best-Worst Method (BWM) is a relatively new and popular method for obtaining criteria weights in multi-criteria decision-making. The BWM uses very few comparisons and produces consistent comparisons, leading to more reliable criteria weights. Despite its popularity and reliability, the decision criteria in the BWM are considered independent of...

It is generally assumed that the rankings provided by Multi-Attribute Decision-Making (MADM) techniques are definitive. Once the ranking is delivered, decision makers (DMs) are expected to choose the first alternative and dismiss the remaining ones, concluding the application of the corresponding model. The MADM literature has incorporated fuzzines...

Most companies operate to maximize profits and increase their market shares in competitive environments. Since the proper location of the facilities conditions their market shares and profits, the competitive facility location problem (CFLP) has been extensively applied in the literature. This problem generally falls within the class of NP-hard pro...

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been extensively adopted by firms worldwide due to the significant positive effect on their performance. This fact contrasts with the uncertainty faced by decision makers when entering a country and selecting local firms with which to interact. Consider selecting Decision Making Units (DMUs) ac...

Circular supply chain (CSC) networks improve sustainability and create socially responsible enterprises through recycling, harvesting, and refurbishing. This study develops a Lagrangian relaxation (LR) algorithm for solving location-inventory-routing (LIR) problems with heterogeneous vehicles in multi-period and multi-product sustainable CSC networ...

One of the main problems faced by the literature on Multi-Attribute Decision-Making (MADM) methods, which constitutes an inherent assumption that remains undiscussed through the different publications, is the fact that rankings are definitive. As a result, these models do not account for any of the consequences derived from the uncertainty inherent...

In the modern era, information technology-based solution providers are encountering a growing request for satisfying the versatile requirements of their customers in terms of software applications. To this end, specific approaches have been designed to streamline the way of accomplishing software projects in an efficient manner, i.e., agile-oriente...

Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods do not account for the potentially strategic evaluations of experts. Once the ranking is delivered, Decision Makers (DMs) select the first alternative without questioning the credibility of the evaluations received from the experts. We formalize the selection problem of a DM who must choose from a se...

The following article considers the results from two different studies, a European one involving over 20,000 respondents and an American one closing on 1,000, to illustrate how online platforms such as Facebook and Google can be defined as regrettable necessities. We define regrettable necessities as those whose consumption provides a direct disuti...

We design an information retrieval algorithm that mimics the stochastic behavior of decision-makers (DMs) when evaluating the alternatives displayed by an online search engine. The algorithm consists of a decision tree that incorporates all the 1,024 decision nodes that may arise from the information retrieval process of DMs. We calibrate the behav...

We present an equilibrium model where the demand side of the market determines the strategic incentives of firms when considering the introduction of technologically superior products (TSPs) and the subsequent dynamic evolution of the market configuration. Market demand is built on conventional features defining the behavior of decision-makers (DMs...

We design a benchmark algorithm that mimics the sequential behavior of users when retrieving information from the set of alternatives provided by an engine within the first page of online search results. The benchmark defined by the algorithm is designed to evaluate deviations from the rational retrieval strategies determined by the subjective pref...

Developing sustainable municipal waste management systems requires an in-depth analysis and synthesis of economic, environmental, and social sustainable development indicators. However, despite its profound impact on organizational performance, social sustainability has received little attention in previous studies compared to economic and environm...

This study analyzes the effects that the position of the alternatives ranked by a search engine and the relative impatience of users have on their information retrieval behavior. We design a stochastic information retrieval algorithm calibrated to mimic the click-through rates (CTRs) of users observed in real-life environments. We introduce two ver...

We propose an optimization approach to the routing and scheduling problem for a heterogeneous transportation network that considers (i) stochastic values of demand and supply at the nodes, (ii) variable travel times between nodes conditioned by the fatigue of drivers, (iii) maximum allowed continuous driving time, and (iv) soft service time windows...

We define a computable benchmark framework that replicates the online information retrieval behavior of users as they proceed through the alternatives ranked by a search engine. Through their search processes, decision makers (DMs) must evaluate the characteristics defining the alternatives while aiming to observe a predetermined number satisfying...

The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a reliable, rigorous, and robust method for eliciting and quantifying subjective judgments in multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). Despite the many benefits, the complications of the pairwise comparison process and the limitations of consistency in AHP are challenges that have been the subject of extensiv...

This study analyzes the effects that the position of the alternatives ranked by a search engine and the relative impatience of users have on their information retrieval behavior. We design a stochastic information retrieval algorithm calibrated to mimic the click-through rates (CTRs) of users observed in real-life environments. We introduce two ver...

The code corresponds to the three evaluation processes described in Figures 5 to 7 within Section 2.1 of the paper "Enhancing the Pattern Recognition Capacity of Machine Learning Techniques: The Importance of Feature Positioning" accepted for publication in Machine Learning with Applications. Each evaluation process, defined as Ordered, Grouped and...

We design several algorithms representing evaluation processes of different complexity, ranging from basic environments based on a predetermined number of features to complex structures involving alternatives defined through decision trees whose number of nodes is determined by the cardinality of the respective power sets. The sequential structure...

Full text available at Fuzzy Optimization and Modeling http://fomj.qaemiau.ac.ir/article_684284.html Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a mathematical technique based on linear programming applied to evaluate the efficiency of decision-making units dealing with multiple inputs and outputs. In classical DEA models, it is assumed that input and out...

The shortest path (SP) problem constitutes one of the most prominent topics in graph theory and has practical applications in many research areas such as transportation, network communications, emergency services, and fire stations services, to name just a few. In most real-world applications, the arc weights of the corresponding SP problems are re...

The current Special Issue contains six papers focused on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problems and the formal techniques applied to derive consistent rankings of them [...]

In an overwhelming demand scenario, such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, pressure over health systems may outburst their predicted capacity to deal with such extreme situations. Therefore, in order to successfully face a health emergency, scientific evidence and validated models are needed to provide real-time information that could be applied by any h...

The academic literature analyzing the behavior and interactions among commensals at a table generally resorts to experimental settings with volunteer decision makers or focuses on receipts issued at actual restaurants. The experimental approach widens the potential scope of the phenomena that can be analyzed but is subject to observer effects, with...

Green supply chain management considers the environmental effects of all activities related to the supply chain, from obtaining raw materials to the final delivery of finished goods. Selecting the right supplier is a critical decision in green supply chain management. We propose a fuzzy green supplier selection model for sustainable supply chains i...

The main applications of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to medicine focus on evaluating the efficiency of different health structures, hospitals and departments within them. The evolution of patients after undergoing a medical procedure or their response to a given treatment are not generally studied through this programming technique. In addition...

Consider the problem faced by a decision maker (DM) who must select the order in which to evaluate the unknown alternatives displayed by an online search engine. DMs do not know the distribution of the realizations that result from clicking on an alternative and must therefore account for the differences that may exist between the ranking provided...

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a non-parametric frontier assessment method used to evaluate the relative efficiency of similar decision-making units (DMUs). This method provides benchmarking information regarding the removal of inefficiency. In conventional DEA models, the view of the decision maker (DM) is ignored and the performance of each D...

The managerial and environmental studies conducted in the energy research area reflect its substantial importance, particularly when optimizing and modifying consumption patterns, transitioning to renewable sources away from fossil ones, and designing plans and systems. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of the literature allow...

We present a formal and empirical framework that links the technological capacity of a country, reflected in its National System of Innovation, with the financial constraints it faces. The paper is divided into two sections. The first one introduces a stochastic growth model based on the relative level of technological development of countries, whi...

Dear Colleagues, The substantial increment in the applications of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques observed in recent years illustrates both their malleability and acceptance as problem-solving methods when dealing with conflicting criteria. Despite the impressive evolution of this research area, there is still ample room for ad...

In this study, we propose a new multi-objective mathematical model for designing compact, balanced, and contiguous districts in healthcare systems. The objective functions minimize districting heterogeneity and the implementation cost of monitoring plans for promoting hygiene and public health. Expert teams perform these plans periodically by maxim...

Shortest path (SP) optimization problems arise in a wide range of applications such as telecommunications and transportation industries. The main purpose of these problems is to find a path between two predetermined nodes within a network as cheaply or quickly as possible. Conventional SP problems generally assume that the arc weights are defined b...

This article seeks to explain the contradiction between the promises of welfare gains derived from the economic models recommending the removal of immigration restrictions, and the reality experienced by countries attempting to apply restrictions to immigration flows. A formal model is built in which the strategic reaction of countries takes into a...

Supplier selection and order allocation constitute vital strategic decisions that must be made by managers within supply chain management environments. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective fuzzy model for supplier selection and order allocation in a two-level supply chain with multi-period, multi-source, and multi-product characteristics. Th...

The current paper presents a heuristic evaluation mechanism describing the online search behavior of decision makers (DMs) as determined by the credibility of the rankings displayed by search engines. We formalize the incentives of DMs to observe and evaluate alternatives through a pairwise comparison function that accounts for both the ranking pos...

In this paper, a method based on network data envelopment analysis (DEA) is proposed to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of decision making units (DMUs). In this regard, a version of the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) is designed to accommodate network DEA structures. In this type of environments, sub-DMUs are considered when assessing...

The problem of ranking efficient decision making units (DMUs) is of interest from both theoretical and practical points of view. In this paper, we propose an integrated data envelopment analysis (DEA) and mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model to find the most efficient DMU using a common set of weights. We linearize the MINLP model to...

The following paper considers the results from two different studies, a European one involving over 20,000 respondents and an American one closing on 1,000, to illustrate how online platforms such as Facebook and Google can be defined as regrettable necessities. We define regrettable necessities as those whose consumption provides a direct disutili...

We define a fuzzy multi-objective multi-period network DEA model customized to evaluate the dynamic performance of oil refineries in the presence of undesirable outputs. In particular, we use a standard fuzzy operator to define the efficiency levels so as to integrate multiple objectives and periods of time within a unique maximization framework. M...

We formalize the information acquisition and choice structure of a decision maker (DM) when the main characteristics defining the alternatives are not directly observed but numerical evaluations of unknown quality are provided by external raters. The DM observes the overall numerical value assigned by the raters to an alternative and defines an unc...

Dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) models are built on the idea that single period optimization is not fully appropriate to evaluate the performance of decision making units (DMUs) through time. As a result, these models provide a suitable framework to incorporate the different cumulative processes determining the evolution and strategic behav...

Consider a decision maker (DM) who must rank a set of alternatives and select one of them when searching online using a recommender engine such as Amazon or TripAdvisor. These websites provide numerical and linguistic reviews of the available alternatives offered by groups of unknown raters. The evaluations assigned by the raters to the characteris...

We define a novel information acquisition model that accounts explicitly for the influence of positive and negative anticipated emotions in the evaluation and selection incentives of decision makers (DMs). The model focuses on the value assigned by the DMs to the information being acquired and its capacity to prevent regrettable decisions within a...

This book considers Thorstein Veblen's central preoccupation with the dark places of business enterprise, an integral part of the old institutional economics. Combining the contributions made by Karl William Kapp and Philip Mirowski, it proposes the systematization of an adjourned institutional theory of social costs of business enterprise useful f...

Empirical studies have consistently illustrated the existence of a relationship between the level of productivity and the international commitment of firms. Few studies have considered the effects of learning by foreign direct investment (FDI). We use a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms to analyze the effect that the multinational enterprise (M...

Consolidation problems in cloud computing (CC) encompass server consolidation, virtual machine (VM) consolidation, and task consolidation. These problems have become increasingly challenging for resource allocation in distributed systems. Group technology (GT) has been effectively used to manage resource allocation problems by reducing manufacturin...

We propose a risk-based stochastic VIKOR (RB-VIKOR) model that accounts for differences in the risk attitudes of the decision makers (DMs) when ranking stochastic alternatives. Our proposed RB-VIKOR model is designed to solve multi-criteria problems characterized by stochastic data and DMs categorized by their risk averse or risk seeking behavior....

Organizations often outsource reverse logistics (RL) to third party RL providers (3PRLPs) to focus on their primary business and reduce costs. The existence of multiple criteria available for choosing a 3PRLP, which are sometimes contradictory and yet related to each other, has led decision makers to consider the development of multi-criteria decis...

We empirically examine the strategic importance of the choices of the first person ordering, that is, the leader, for the decisions made and money spent by other commensals at a restaurant table. Our aim is to study the similarity of orders—in terms of dishes, drinks, and prices—among the table leader and the other commensals. The empirical results...

Conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) models treat the decision-making units (DMUs) as black-boxes: inputs enter the system and outputs exit the system, with no consideration for the intermediate steps characterizing the DMUs. As a result, intermediate measures are lost in the process of changing the inputs to outputs and it becomes difficult...

The quality of its players is one of the most significant features determining the failure or success of a sports team. The wide array of factors contributing to the performance of the players together with financial limitations have transformed the selection of players into a complex problem. The current paper presents an integrated approach that...

We build on Hart and Holmstrom (2010) to analyze the strategic choice of organizational form among wine producers. They claim that a firm's organizational form, when agreed upon competitively, conditions the sense of entitlement of the involved parties. The sense of entitlement determines their feeling of grievance for the outcome of the contract a...

We introduce a novel method called subdividing labeling genetic algorithm (SLGA) to solve optimization problems involving dimensional continuous nonlinear functions. SLGA is based on the mutation and crossover operators of genetic algorithms, which are applied on a subdivided search space where an integer label is defined on a polytope built on the...

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is generally used to evaluate past performance and multi objective linear programming (MOLP) is often used to plan for future performance goals. In this study, we establish an equivalence relationship between MOLP problems and combined-oriented DEA models using a direction distance function designed to account for de...