An advanced quality function deployment model using fuzzy analytic network process

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer-oriented design tool used to ensure that the voice of customers is employed throughout the product planning and design stages. QFD uses the house of quality (HOQ), which is a matrix that provides a conceptual map for inter-functional planning and communication. In this paper, an advanced QFD model, based on fuzzy analytic network process (ANP) approach, is proposed to systematically take into account the interrelationship between and within the QFD components. The proposed method is aimed at expanding the current research scope from the product planning phase to the part deployment phase to provide product developers with more valuable information (ex. the importance and bottleneck level of part characteristics). Both customer requirements and the company’s production demands will be used as the inputs for the QFD process to enhance the completeness and accuracy of the QFD analysis results. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed method.     

Fuzzy linear programming models for NPD using a four-phase QFD activity process based on the means-end chain concept

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer-driven approach in processing new product development (NPD) to maximize customer satisfaction. Determining the fulfillment levels of the “hows”, including design requirements (DRs), part characteristics (PCs), process parameters (PPs) and production requirements (PRs), is an important decision problem during the four-phase QFD activity process for new product development. Unlike previous studies, which have only focused on determining DRs, this paper considers the close link between the four phases using the means-end chain (MEC) concept to build up a set of fuzzy linear programming models to determine the contribution levels of each “how” for customer satisfaction. In addition, to tackle the risk problem in NPD processes, this paper incorporates risk analysis, which is treated as the constraint in the models, into the QFD process. To deal with the vague nature of product development processes, fuzzy approaches are used for both QFD and risk analysis. A numerical example is used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model.     

基于灰色系统理论的工程项目评标方法研究

工程项目评标实质是多目标决策问题,为优先出合适的投标单位,建立灰色Euclid理论工程项目评标决策模型.首先,运用层次分析法(AHP)与信息熵法分别确定主客观权重.然后利用博弈集结模型对指标体系进行组合赋权,得到综合权重.最后,结合工程项目评标实例运用灰色Euclid理论评标模型进行评标决策.结果表明,运用博弈集结组合赋权和灰色Euclid理论模型选出投标单位D为最优方案,与实际评标一致,验证了模型的可操作性和适用性.     

Ranking of Sports Teams via the AHP

This paper presents an application of the analytic hierarchy approach (AHP) to predict the ranking of the 16 soccer teams of the Israeli National League. Six criteria (attributes) were used for evaluating each team: the team's facility, the team's trainer, the players' level, the team's fans, the previous season's performance and the current performance. For each criterion a matrix of pairwise comparisons between teams was evaluated by a sports expert. The normalized eigenvector of each matrix scales the teams with regard to that criterion. The overall scaling is constructed by weighting the scales of all the criteria. The weight of the criteria are extracted from a judgemental matrix of pairwise comparisons between every two criteria. The normalized eigenvector of this matrix provides the criteria weights. Some comparisons to simpler ranking methods were made in order to validate the model.     

A measure of competitiveness in leagues: a network approach

Many sports are played competitively in a league format. Final positions are based on the aggregations of the points won at each game. Issues of promotion, relegation and much else will depend on the position in the league. However, the results may also be seen to constitute a network of inter-team relations in which the links represent the degree to which a pair of teams have similar performance. This idea is taken as the basis for the construction of a systemic measure of competitiveness in the league. The basis for the model is the construction of a blockmodel on a network of binary relations. The method is illustrated by application to nine seasons of the English soccer Premier League.     

Predictors of the outcome of a soccer game — a normative analysis illustrated for the Israeli Soccer League

A basic normative approach is suggested to evaluate a family of predictors of the outcome of a soccer game. The proposed approach can be easily extended to cover any sports games. Members of the family such as the naive and mode predictors are evaluated and their relative efficiencies are derived. Furthermore, a statistical analysis regarding these predictors is supplied to identify the factors affecting the outcomes of games in the Israeli Soccer League.     

In search of goals: increasing ice hockey’s attractiveness by a sides swap

The popularity and business impact of major sports have been growing globally over time. This paper focuses on ice hockey, specifically the National Hockey League in North America. It reports a striking irregularity in ice hockey’s scoring dynamics relative to comparable sports such as soccer and rugby, namely a scoring surge in the middle section of the game. We explore an explanation for this irregularity related to the convention on the spatial location of the teams’ benches (which are fixed throughout the game) and on-ice sides (which are switched every period). Because a large number of the players’ substitutions occur while the play is in progress, this convention determines the distance forwards and defenders need to travel to make a substitution, and thus indirectly substitution strategies and scoring. We consider two simple operational changes that could increase the number of goals in the NHL by approximately 5 and 10%, respectively, corresponding to roughly 350 and 700 additional goals each season. This would partly offset the current downward scoring trend and thus enhance the game’s attractiveness. The estimated impact of the proposed reforms, one of which is largely costless, is robust across several specifications—using per-minute and per-second scoring data and controlling for various factors, such as bookmakers’ odds.     

团队规范下管制员违章行为演化与监管研究

为发现团队规范下管制员违章行为及监管策略的演化博弈规律,运用演化博弈理论,构建安全管理者与管制员演化博弈模型,分析博弈系统均衡点的局部稳定性。在此基础上建立演化博弈的系统动力学模型,仿真模拟不同情形下博弈双方策略选择的动态演化过程,并分析模型参数变化对系统演化结果的影响。结果表明:正的团队规范有助于系统演化至理想模式,负的团队规范会使系统陷入“不良锁定”模式和“震荡”模式;管制员行为收益、行为成本、被监查到的概率、处罚力度、监管成本等因素均对系统演化结果产生影响。鼓励班组成员对违章行为进行否定性评价、加大对管制员的处罚力度等均能够长效促进管制员主动遵章。     

The implementation of simultaneous engineering in the stage of product concept development: A process orientated improvement of quality function deployment

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) has been introduced as a method of implementing Simultaneous Engineering. In spite of its achievements so far, QFD does not sufficiently link engineering to marketing and marketing science. The QFD procedure takes neither the development of market orientated or constructional product concepts, nor the coordination of both into account, although they play an important role in product definition. In order to overcome this and other deficiencies of the traditional QFD method, the author develops the process model of ‘Integrated Concept Development’ (ICoDe). It is proposed to fill the gap between marketing science and engineering by consequently relating market orientated concept development and testing to the House of Quality concept of QFD. The ICoDe process is described by refering to a ‘simulated’ application example of a wind turbines concept development.     

Fuzzy linear programming models for new product design using QFD with FMEA

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a customer-driven approach in processing new product developments in order to maximize customer satisfaction. Determining the fulfillment levels of design requirements (DRs) and parts characteristics (PCs) is an important decision problem during QFD activity processes for new product development. Unlike the existing literature, which mainly focuses on the determination of DRs, this paper proposes fuzzy linear programming models to determine the fulfillment levels of PCs under the requirement to achieve the determined contribution levels of DRs for customer satisfaction. In addition, considering the design risk, this paper incorporates failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) into QFD processes, which is treated as the constraint in the models. To cope with the vague nature of product development processes, fuzzy approaches are used for both FMEA and QFD. The illustration of the proposed models is performed with a numerical example to demonstrate the applicability in practice.     

Scheduling a triple round robin tournament for the best Danish soccer league

In this paper, we present a solution method for the highly constrained problem of finding a seasonal schedule for the best Danish soccer league. The league differs from most sports leagues, since it plays a triple round robin tournament which leads to an uneven distribution of home and away games. The solution method presented here uses a logic-based Benders decomposition in which the master problem finds home-away pattern sets while the subproblem finds timetables. Furthermore, column generation techniques are used to enhance the speed of the master problem. The computational results show that the solution method is capable of solving the problem within reasonable time and the Danish Football Association has used it for scheduling the 2006/2007 season.     

An evaluation approach to engineering design in QFD processes using fuzzy goal programming models

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a product development process used to achieve higher customer satisfaction: the engineering characteristics affecting the product performance are designed to match the customer requirements. From the viewpoint of QFDs designers, product design processes are performed in uncertain environments, and usually more than one goal must be taken into account. Therefore, when dealing with the fuzzy nature in QFD processes, fuzzy approaches are applied to formulate the relationships between customer requirements (CRs) and engineering design requirements (DRs), and among DRs. In addition to customer satisfaction, the cost and technical difficulty of DRs are also considered as the other two goals, and are evaluated in linguistic terms. Fuzzy goal programming models are proposed to determine the fulfillment levels of the DRs. Differing from existing fuzzy goal programming models, the coefficients in the proposed model are also fuzzy in order to expose the fuzziness of the linguistic information. Our model also considers business competition by specifying the minimum fulfillment levels of DRs and the preemptive priorities between goals. The proposed approach can attain the maximal sum of satisfaction degrees of all goals under each confidence degree. A numerical example is used to illustrate the applicability of the approach.     

A practical prioritization by multi-level group decision support

Military capability is proposed to be defined according to the DYNPOT scoring method. Multiobjective resource allocation of shared resources by group decision-making can combine analytic and qualitative modeling. Recently it has been pointed out that the goal programming model is superior to other models though it remained to be answered how to take into account hierarchy of decision makers (and objectives) (Stummer and Vetschera in Cent Eur J Oper Res 11:3–260, 2003). In this article it is tried to present, that the quantitative model can be easily adapted to the qualitative STT/QFD model of objectives of top-level group of decision-makers. The subsequent phases of the qualitative and the analytic solution of a multiobjective cooperative resource allocation problem can be applied within the group decision-making framework of defence requirements capability-based planning.     

Capturing and prioritizing students’ requirements for course design by embedding Fuzzy-AHP and linear programming in QFD

Customer requirements play a vital and important role in the design of products and services. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a popular, widely used method that helps translate customer requirements into design specifications. Thus, the foundation for a successful QFD implementation lies in the accurate capturing and prioritization of these requirements. This paper proposes and tests the use of an alternative framework for prioritizing students’ requirements within QFD. More specifically, Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) and the linear programming method (LP-GW-AHP) based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) are embedded into QFD (QFD-LP-GW-Fuzzy AHP) in order to account for inherent subjectivity of human judgements. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is assessed in capturing and prioritizing students’ requirements regarding courses’ learning outcomes within the process of an academic course design. Sensitivity analysis evaluates the robustness of the prioritization solution and implications for course design specifications are discussed.     

A combined approach for fuzzy multi-objective multiple knapsack problems for defence project selection

In this study, a model representing military requirements as scenarios and capabilities is offered. Pair-wise comparisons of scenarios are made according to occurrence probabilities by using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The weights calculated from AHP are used as the starting weights in a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrix. QFD is used to transfer war fighter requirements into the benefit values of projects. Two levels of QFD matrices are used to evaluate new capability areas versus capabilities and capabilities versus projects. The benefit values of the projects are used in a multi-objective problem (multi-objective multiple knapsack problem) that considers the project benefit, implementation risks and environmental impact as multiple objectives. Implementation risk and environmental impact values are also calculated using the same combined AHP and QFD methodology. Finally, the results of the fuzzy multi-objective goal programming suggest a list of projects that offers optimal benefit when carried out within multiple budgets.     

Games on fuzzy communication structures with Choquet players

Myerson (1977) used graph-theoretic ideas to analyze cooperation structures in games. In his model, he considered the players in a cooperative game as vertices of a graph, which undirected edges defined their communication possibilities. He modified the initial games taking into account the graph and he established a fair allocation rule based on applying the Shapley value to the modified game. Now, we consider a fuzzy graph to introduce leveled communications. In this paper players play in a particular cooperative way: they are always interested first in the biggest feasible coalition and second in the greatest level (Choquet players). We propose a modified game for this situation and a rule of the Myerson kind.     

An analysis of Chinese Super League partial results

Some of the history of soccer/world football in China is presented. Then consideration turns to the 2008 Chinese Super League. It has 16 teams. The results from the first half of the season, i.e. 15 rounds, are studied. The response of interest for a specific game is whether the home team won, tied or lost, who the home team was, and who the opponent was. The response is ordinal-valued. A generalized linear model is fit and then, given the remaining fixtures, used to predict the final standings of the season. Other explanatories, such as round number, are considered for inclusion in the model. Simulation is employed to estimate probabilities of interest. This work was supported by US National Science Foundation (Grant No. DMS-0707157)     

Using Hypergames to Model Difficult Social Issues: An Approach to the Case of Soccer Hooliganism

In this paper, Hypergame Analysis is used to produce predictive models of the social conflict of "soccer hooliganism". The purpose of this form of analysis is to help model interactions in which the parties involved may have quite different perceptions of the "game" being played. Soccer hooliganism is considered in terms of an interaction between two main parties-the "hooligan fans" and the "authorities". Recent empirical studies are used to help build up representations of some possible "games" that may be seen by each side. From the resulting hypergames, predictions are derived as to the likely outcome under various circumstances. Also considered are possible effects of taking the interaction through several "rounds". Finally, some practical conclusions are drawn, both about the problem of how best to respond to soccer hooliganism, and about the methodological question of how to approach the analysis of such social conflicts in a systematic way.     

The solution of the soccer “dream league” game

On January 5, 1996, Maariv, one of the two leading daily newspapers in Israel, announced “The Dream League” game. Every participant in this game was required to “purchase” from a pool of all the soccer players in the Israeli National League, a team which according to his judgment would be chosen as the best team at the end of the season. Purchasing the players was subject to a given budget and to several other constraints. After the soccer season was over, we were requested by Maariv to find the optimal “Dream Team”.The problem of finding the optimal team is shown to be a generalized version of the well-known knapsack problem. It is formulated as an integer program and solved to optimality by the software NAG. Evidently, the optimal Dream Team is much better (in terms of the total cumulative grade) than the actual winning team chosen by the readers of Maariv. A possible heuristic procedure for solving the game in larger settings is also discussed.     

两人进化博弈策略的决定机制与应用研究

通过建立一般情况下的两人进化博弈模型,给出了系统均衡点对应的矩阵行列式和迹表达式的经济含义,分析了16种典型情形下的进化稳定策略,详细讨论了均衡点稳定性分析结果所对应的博弈双方决策过程,从策略权衡的视角揭示了策略选择的内在机制。研究结果表明:不同策略前提下的相对净支付决定了系统的进化稳定策略,对方的策略选择以及自身可选策略的支付比较是影响博弈主体策略选择的两个基本要素,博弈主体会趋向于选择在对方策略既定下能够带来更大支付的策略。最后以环境治理中地方政府与企业以及地方政府之间的博弈关系为例,从对称博弈和非对称博弈两方面阐明了本文所构建模型在政策设计中的应用价值:针对不同案例,只要明确了两人博弈的支付矩阵,就可以通过计算相对净支付确定博弈双方的行为演化规律和稳定策略,从而简化计算过程,更加直接和更为便捷地为政策设计提供理论参考。