Web-Based DSS for Resource Allocation in Higher Education

Abstract

The allocation of scarce resources is a complex higher education decision problem, especially when it comes to budget constraints. Therefore, the authors propose a multicriteria web-based decision support system for resource allocation in higher education organizations. To do so, they define an MCDA/M resource allocation model, based on a project portfolio selection problem to set the percentage of the total budget that every alternative should receive. For the web-based DSS, they develop a database model to store and retrieve data, define the user's interface, and they use a web platform to transform the prototype into a web-based system. Also, they run an empirical analysis with an end-user to test the DSS. They show that the system can provide a clear vision of how the resource allocation system works; the mechanism as a whole becomes more transparent to those involved, enabling them to make efficient and reasonable decisions.