Analytic Hierarchy Research Articles

Who is the Blame for the Russia-Ukraine war? Feminist and Postcolonial Perspectives on 'Real Politics'

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has widely been narrated as having epochal significance with far-reaching implications. For leading historians of Eastern Europe, such as Timothy Snyder (2022) and Serhii Plokhy (2015), what we are seeing is an existential threat to democratic norms. While discussing phenomena of the political world, drawing on a variety of lenses is advantageous; in the case of the Russian-Ukrainian war it is a necessity. This article engages with a combination of lenses provided by feminist and postcolonial theories to critically reflect on the logic, as articulated by Russia's political elites, behind the invasion of Ukraine. It focuses on the role of gender and racialisation in normalising one’s place in the social hierarchy and its ‘appropriate’ behaviour, excusing occupational, violent and genocidal policies under the abstract term of ‘real politics’. This article attempts to trace the way social structures empower gendered and racialised politics, allowing invasions to be justified. Russia-led wars in Ukraine will be discussed as an example of the consequences of such a structure and ideology. This article will firstly underline a feminist and postcolonial approach that addresses the necessity of social hierarchy analysis to reveal the causes of war. Further sections will focus on unpacking Russia’s claims of the legitimacy of its colonial/great-power state project to incorporate Ukraine. I will conclude with a reflection on how the notion of the nation-state, rooted in the ideologies of social hierarchy and colonial domination, can be seen as having fuelled the ongoing war.

Design Of Safety Signs Using Ergonomic Function Deployment Method At PT.XYZ

PT. XYZ is a company engaged in manufacturing by processing raw materials into semi-finishedgoods or finished goods. Because the company routinely produces these products and involvesmachinery, it will allow small to serious work accidents to occur. Based on the hazard event dataowned by the company, there are 5 very diverse events that will be analyzed in the risk controlhierarchy to minimize hazard events. The results of the risk control hierarchy analysis have two hazardevents that have safety sign design criteria. Therefore, research was conducted to design safety signsin the area of explosive materials and loading progress in minimizing hazard events using safety signsassessment and Ergonomic Function Deployment approaches. The data needed in the design areanthropometric data, layout data, customer statements and level questionnaires interest andsatisfaction. From the results of the safe sign assessment, the signal word is obtained, determining thelocation, height, model, and material of the safety signs. The results of the safety signs assessmentwill be used for the Ergonomic Function Deployment approach. From the results of the ErgonomicFunction Deployment, the results obtained are the size of safety signs, safe reading distance, type oflayout, use of language and font size on safety signs. There are two types of designs, namely explosivematerial and loading progress safety signs. The design of safety signs refers to the ANSI Z535standard so that the design of safety signs has detailed signal words, symbols, signs, and wordmessages.

Methodology for selecting optimal wire grade and cross-section based on an integrated technical and economic criterion

The aim was to develop a methodology for selecting an optimal wire grade and cross-section for overhead power lines with a voltage of above 1 kV under intensive development of power grid systems. This aim was solved using the authors’ previously developed methods: selection of an optimal wire grade based on hierarchy analysis and selection of an optimal wire cross-section by optimizing the specific discounted costs during the entire period of construction and operation of overhead power lines. In the present study, these methods are integrated into a single methodology. It is proposed to implement wire inspections prior to the stage of technical and economic calculations, since the necessary data has already been taken into account during the selection of a wire grade and its cross-section. The proposed methodology was tested on a typical example of reconstruction of the Zapadnaya– Davydovka 110 kV overhead line, which creates limitations in the power supply of Primorsky Krai due to insufficient wire capacity and its operation beyond the normative period. SENILEK AT3/C 150/24 wire was selected as a solution for the example under consideration. The application of this wire grade allows not only the overhead line capacity to be increased by 151% without replacing the existing supports, but also active and reactive power losses in the electric network to be reduced by 18.9 and 2.5%, respectively. The proposed methodology enables selection of an optimal grade and cross-section of any wire design, taking the dynamically changing operational conditions of power grid systems into account. The solutions found by the proposed methodology may contribute to a more efficient operation of power lines due to increasing their transmission capacity, reducing the number of used supports, replacing the line wire without replacing supports, decreasing ice formation on wires, and reducing power losses.

Topic identification and content analysis of internet medical policies under the background of Healthy China 2030.

This study aims to analyse the content of internet medical policies, grasp the inherent laws of the development of internet medical policies and provide references for improving the policy system. On the basis of web crawler technology, 436 internet medical policies issued by the central and local governments after the Healthy China Strategy was proposed were collected. The BERTopic model was used to extract topics, and a comprehensive analysis of China's internet medical policy texts was conducted through the analysis of topic content, topic hierarchy and topic clusters. A total of 27 topics were identified in China's internet medical policies, mainly focussing on five topic clusters: medical service regulation, elderly nursing and children's healthcare using traditional Chinese medicine, user safety guarantees, health education and communication and infectious disease treatment and recovery guidance. Different topic contents play a role in promoting the comprehensive and standardized development of internet medical services. However, there is still room for further improvement in policy integrity, consideration of multiple types of users, and implementation effectiveness. Continuous efforts are needed to optimize the effectiveness of policies.

Assessment of the readiness of the medical and preventive facility for actions in an extraordinary situation of a military character with combined radiation injury to the population

Background. In emergency situations of a military nature, medical institutions at all levels, especially specialized (radiological) medical facilities, are tasked with providing qualified assistance to the affected population. The effectiveness of these measures depends not only on the promptness, equipment, and training of operational teams but also on adherence to radiation safety standards, which differ from peacetime norms in terms of the scale of combined radiation injuries, injury criteria, and the methods of implementing measures. At the same time, against the backdrop of the multi-criteria uncertainty of possible radiological scenarios, there is no scientific justification for the necessary connections between the features of radiation safety and specific organizational and technical tasks within the system of overall readiness of medical institutions. Purpose – scientifically justify the potential readiness of a medical institution to act during a special period to provide qualified assistance to the population with combined radiation injuries, based on a systematic analysis of the features of the radiation safety system during military emergencies. Materials and Methods. In this paper, an attempt is made to assess the readiness of a medical and preventive institution to take action in emergency situations of a military nature by applying the method of analysis of hierarchies by T. Saati, adapted for the relevant tasks. Results. The conducted analysis of generalized weight coefficients and priorities in percentages (%) for each element of the hierarchical structure (Fig. 3) shows that more than 50% of «actions» are related to the effective provision of personnel safety and the effective delivery of medical care («Dia-1» and «Dia-2»). These components should receive key attention in the practical training of healthcare facility personnel and involved individuals through special training for emergency actions during special periods. Conclusions. This work attempts to assess the readiness of a medical institution to act in military emergencies by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method by T. Saaty, adapted for the relevant tasks.

Innovative Approaches to Assessing the Competitiveness of Business Structures Using the Method of Analysis of Hierarchies in Multi-Criteria Ranking

The primary objective of this paper is the practical testing of a multi-criteria rating methodology for assessing the competitiveness of business structures. This aims to evaluate critical functional areas of their operations and justify specific managerial decisions to ensure sustainable competitiveness. Maintaining the competitiveness of business structures becomes a primary task in the context of high uncertainty and competition, as well as the presence of crises and politico-economic problems. To achieve the set objective, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), developed by T. Saaty, was utilized. This practical method allows for multi-criteria comparisons using expert evaluations and calculations of eigenvectors and values, providing systematization and quantitative assessment of criteria and alternatives' priorities. AHP includes procedures for synthesizing multiple judgments and obtaining priorities, allowing for consideration of the 'human factor' in decision-making preparation. The study results demonstrate that the multi-criteria approach to rating the competitiveness of business structures effectively accounts for all areas of their activities and forms an adequate comprehensive measure of competitiveness. Within the study's framework, three business structures with different performance trends were analyzed. The comparative importance of criteria and sub-criteria for competitiveness assessment was determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, considering the specifics of the business structures and their business activities. The proposed methodology for multi-criteria rating of business structures' competitiveness allows for a comprehensive assessment of their activities and justification of specific managerial decisions to ensure sustainable competitiveness. The use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process helps to consider the influence of various factors and conditions, contributing to a more objective assessment and strategic decision-making. The application of the proposed methodology is universal and can be effectively used in various sectors of business structures' activities, showcasing its adaptability.

Development and validation of an infectious disease control competency scale for public health professionals

BackgroundInfectious diseases persistently pose global threats, and it is imperative to accelerate the professionalization of public health workforce. This study aimed to develop and validate the infectious disease control competency scale (IDCCS) for public health professionals to fill a theoretical gap and elevate practical capabilities by informing public health professionals’ development goals.MethodsThe initial item pool was generated through a literature review, and categorized into three dimensions (knowledge, practical skills, and leadership) based on the competency iceberg model and public health leadership framework. A two-round Delphi process was conducted to determine indicators within the scale. A pilot survey was utilized for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A formal survey was employed for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The weight value of each indicator was calculated using the analytic hierarchy process.ResultsAn initial scale with three primary items, 14 secondary items, and 81 tertiary items was generated. Twenty experts participated in the two rounds of the Delphi process. Authority coefficients exceeded 0.9 in both rounds. Kendall's W was 0.29 and 0.19, respectively (both P < 0.001). Item analysis presented a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.98, with corrected item-total correlation coefficients ranging from 0.33 to 0.78. EFA demonstrated that cumulative variance explanations for the four primary dimensions (knowledge, practical skills, leadership, and personal quality) were 77.463%, 73.976%, 81.174%, and 68.654%, respectively. CFA indicated that all composite reliability values and average variance extracted surpassed 0.8 and 0.5, respectively. The standardized factor loadings of the items ranged from 0.630 to 0.977. Among the seven model fit indices, each of the four dimensions satisfied at least five criteria. A final three-level scale comprising four primary items, 14 secondary items, and 64 tertiary items was constructed. The weight values for the four primary items were 0.4064, 0.2878, 0.2082, and 0.0981, respectively.ConclusionsThe IDCCS was established to evaluate the competencies of knowledge, practical skills, leadership, and personal quality for public health professionals in infectious disease control. This scale demonstrates good reliability and validity, and can be used for performance evaluation, recruitment processes, curriculum development, and individual self-assessment.

DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY AND STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNICAL, ORGANIZATIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS ON THE DURATION OF THE PROCESS OF LIQUIDATION AND LOCALIZATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESTRUCTIONS

Analysis of the influence of technical, organizational and technological factors on the duration of the process of liquidation and localization of the development of destruction is an important stage of research into the process of liquidation of the consequences of accidental destruction. In order to compare options for liquidation and localization of the development of destruction of an emergency building, three options for reinforcement systems were analyzed: metal typical, wooden individual and combined. The work uses the method of analysis of hierarchies - a mathematical tool of a systematic approach to complex decision-making problems. The method does not impose the "correct" option, but allows you to interactively find an alternative (rational reinforcement option) that best matches the requirements for solving optimization tasks. To reduce the subjectivity of making a justified optimization decision in the conditions of complex multi-criteria optimization problems, a solution to the local problem of finding the optimal alternative according to the duration criterion, or a group of alternatives, taking into account the ratio of advantages based on the vector criterion, is proposed. To indicate the influence of advantages in quantitative expression, a pairwise comparison scale was used, which consists in a qualitative and quantitative assessment of relative advantage: equal in importance - 1; weak advantage – 2; average degree of preference ‒ 3; preference above the average degree ‒ 4; moderately stronger advantage ‒ 5; strong advantage ‒ 6; much stronger advantage ‒ 7; the most significant advantage is 8; absolute advantage ‒ 9. Initial data for choosing a temporary reinforcement option were obtained by comparing the estimated duration of dismantling and restoration works and optimizing the sequence of their execution for three options using wooden individual, metal typical and combined temporary reinforcement systems. It was established that it is impossible to ensure complete unification of reinforcement elements using only typical elements, therefore it is effective to use combined reinforcement systems using typical metal and individual wooden elements.

Neural network architecture of a mammalian brain

Connectomics research is making rapid advances, although models revealing general principles of connectional architecture are far from complete. Our analysis of 106 published connection reports indicates that the adult rat brain interregional connectome has about 76,940 of a possible 623,310 axonal connections between its 790 gray matter regions mapped in a reference atlas, equating to a network density of 12.3%. We examined the sexually dimorphic network using multiresolution consensus clustering that generated a nested hierarchy of interconnected modules/subsystems with three first-order modules and 157 terminal modules in females. Top-down hierarchy analysis suggests a mirror-image primary module pair in the central nervous system's rostral sector (forebrain-midbrain) associated with behavior control, and a single primary module in the intermediate sector (rhombicbrain) associated with behavior execution; the implications of these results are considered in relation to brain development and evolution. Bottom-up hierarchy analysis reveals known and unfamiliar modules suggesting strong experimentally testable hypotheses. Global network analyses indicate that all hubs are in the rostral module pair, a rich club extends through all three primary modules, and the network exhibits small-world attributes. Simulated lesions of all regions individually enabled ranking their impact on global network organization, and the visual path from the retina was used as a specific example, including the effects of cyclic connection weight changes from the endogenous circadian rhythm generator, suprachiasmatic nucleus. This study elucidates principles of interregional neuronal network architecture for a mammalian brain and suggests a strategy for modeling dynamic structural connectivity.

Cybercrime in the Middle East: A Comparative Analysis with Global Trends

This article aims to present a modern methodological approach that will allow the selection of the optimal strategy for combating cybercrime in the Middle East. The research methodology requires using methods that would enable the assessment of the study problem and help solve it effectively; thus, the hierarchy analysis developed by T. Saaty was widely used by researchers and practitioners in solving economic problems. The method of paired comparison and the involvement of experts through the Delphi method was also used. This paper explicitly defends the choices made for countering cybercrime, stressing that these choices should be tailored to the changes in the Middle East. The study acknowledges this restriction by concentrating only on the features of cybercrime in Middle Eastern nations. To gain a more profound understanding of the problem, future studies should investigate cybercrime in other areas, such as EU nations.

Special measures to promote supplementary professional education services: formation and evaluation of effectiveness

Introduction. The problem of promotion of supplementary professional education services is one of the important issues for attracting consumers of professional retraining and advanced development programmes, contributing to marketing attainments and a company’s efficiency in general. The solution largely depends on the developmental level of the market of supplementary professional education services at a regional level, the specifics and quality of training courses, as well as the relevance of promotion tools used by the organisation. Purpose of the research: development and approbation of the methodology for forming and evaluating the effectiveness of a special tool for the promotion of supplementary professional education services. Materials and methods. To determine the format of a special survey, an online questioning of 1,035 potential consumers was carried out; ten marketing and advertising experts were interviewed and selected by the Delphi method modified by J. Fowles; a questioning of 319 participants and 20 organisers of the special survey was undertaken. The expert judgement was arranged using the Hierarchy Analysis Method by T. Saati, including the processing of the data obtained in the course of the experts interviewing and the calculation of eigenvectors of the pairwise comparison matrix. Results. A methodology for forming and evaluating the effectiveness of a special survey was developed. As a result of the approbation, eleven qualitative indicators were evaluated, scoring 7.92 out of nine, totalling 88%. The quantitative indicators, particularly, the engagement index was 56.8%; the key performance indicator was 8.5% and the return on investment was 336.8%. As a result of the special survey, 27 participants acquired the Internet marketing course. Conclusion. The proposed methodology can extend the opportunities of organisations providing supplementary special education services in terms of selecting, planning and realisation of efficient promotion tools. The methodology can be applied to the formation and evaluation of different-format special surveys with regard to their specifics.

FEATURES OF SAFETY CULTURE ASSESSMENT BY USING THE METHOD OF ANALYSIS OF HIERARCHIES BASED ON THE SURVEY OF TEACHERS OF CLINICAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE DENTAL PROFILE

Aim. Determining the features of safety culture, the assessment by using the method of analysis of hierarchies based on the survey of teachers of clinical departments of the dental profile and establishing its main stages. Materials and methods. The research was conducted on the basis of departments of stomatological profile O. O. Bogomolets National Medical University using hygienic, medical sociological and statistical methods, which should be considered a prerequisite for the implementation of the method of analysis of hierarchies (methodology of group examination followed by ranking and pairwise comparison). Results. Based on the application of the method of analysis of hierarchies based on a survey of teachers of clinical departments of the dental profile, the leading components of safety culture were determined, namely: the degree of influence on the level of safety culture and the patient's body of the leading characteristics of dangerous actions of medical personnel related to the operation of equipment, the organization of medical and diagnostic process, use of means of individual and collective protection (component No. 1); the degree of influence on the level of safety culture and the patient’s organism of both strengths and weaknesses in creating the safety of the treatment environment through the culture of awareness, reporting, justice, training (component No. 2), the degree of influence on the level of safety culture and the patient's organism of hygienic and safe working conditions at the workplace of medical personnel (component No. 3), as well as a scientifically based algorithm for assessing the level of safety culture in modern health care institutions. Conclusions. The created algorithm for analytical assessment of the level of safety culture in modern health care institutions provides for the implementation of the following stages: determination of the structural features of the leading components of safety culture and the development of a scoring scale for their evaluation; carrying out an expert assessment of the leading components of the safety culture and establishing the degree of consistency of experts' opinions; calculation of the weighting coefficients of the influence of various components on the formation of a certain level of safety culture; justification of objective statistical approaches to assessing the level of safety culture.

Flood Hazard and Risk Assessment of Flash Floods for Petra Catchment Area Using Hydrological and Analytical Hierarchy (AHP) Modeling

Flood Hazard and Risk Assessment of Flash Floods for Petra Catchment Area Using Hydrological and Analytical Hierarchy (AHP) Modeling

A New Brittleness Evaluation Index for Reservoir Rocks Based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process and Energy Dissipation

Summary Accurate and quantitative evaluation of rock brittleness is essential for optimizing hydraulic fracturing parameter design. Specific aspects of rock brittleness can be characterized based on mineral composition, strength parameter, stress-strain, and elasticity parameter. However, in characterizing the effect of high confining pressure on rock brittleness, these advantages have not been shown for various reasons. The essence of rock fracture resides in the accrual and dissipation of energy, concomitant with the transformation of three distinct energy modalities: elastic energy, dissipated energy, and post-peak release energy. In this study, we proposed a new brittle index for reservoir rocks considering the interactions of the energy evolution process in different stages. The associated Bii values are computed through the analysis of energy evolution based on the fuzzy analytic hierarchy analysis process (FAHP) method. Tri-axial compression tests were conducted on granite, shale, and sandstone specimens under different confining pressures for the validation of the proposed brittleness evaluation (BE) index. The results indicate a decreasing trend in the brittleness index with increasing confining pressure. Comparative analysis with other existing brittleness evaluation indexes demonstrates that the new brittleness evaluation index offers a more precise evaluation of the brittleness of various rock types.

Towards a Sustainable Structure of an Urban Water–Energy–Food Nexus: Based on Network and Hierarchy Analysis

Water, energy, and food (WEF) are critical resources to sustain urban development, which requires a sustainable structure of the urban WEF nexus to address trade-offs and achieve synergies. Although interactions in the WEF nexus are widely explored, its sustainable structure has largely been ignored. This study constructs a framework of WEF nexus sustainability factors. Based on a literature review and expert opinions, 21 factors influencing urban WEF nexus sustainability were extracted and their interrelationships determined. We used social network analysis (SNA) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to analyze the structure of the urban WEF network. The results indicate that technological investment and industrial added-value energy consumption are the most critical and fundamental factors for promoting the sustainable development of the urban WEF nexus. Additionally, the balance of water supply and demand and the comprehensive management of waste pollutants are also driving and supporting factors for the sustainability of the urban WEF nexus. The results of this study complement the interaction mechanism research of the urban WEF nexus and provide practical references for sustainable decision-making in urban WEF nexus practices.

Phytoremediation potential of monocotyledonous plants in the sediments of the Uben River, Gujarat, India

Phytoremediation is a basic eco-friendly technique that uses to treat contaminated water and soil. The plants that remediate the water and soil by their absorption process and improve the water and sediment fertility or decrease the contamination. Form this experiment our finding suggest that the contamination decrease in majority from starting point to end point, it means plants plays the most important role in clean-up the environment and its cost-efficient method to improve the quality of water and soil. This study was carried out on Uben River which is around 50kms long and we covered around 41.88kms of area which divided into six locations. in soil minerals (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+) from Up-stream to Down-stream the concentration of minerals is in decreasing order but in heavy metals (Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and Mn2+) the concentration data is varying. We selected plants that grow around riverbanks belongs to family Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Typhaceae. Most of the plants accumulate high Fe2+ concentrations in their root while in the shoots have low concentration observed from our data. For the statistical validation of data, we perform Grouped Component Analysis (GCA) and Radial Cluster Hierarchy (RCH) analysis. Further we included pollution indices: Contamination factor (CF), Degree of contamination (Cd), Geo accumulation index (Igeo).

Assessment of artificial intelligence-based digital learning systems in higher education amid the pandemic using analytic hierarchy

Assessment of artificial intelligence-based digital learning systems in higher education amid the pandemic using analytic hierarchy

Study of the future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence based on the hierarchy analysis method

Introduction. The article examines the problem of increasing the level of digital literacy of future economists in the context of interaction with artificial intelligence systems. The purpose of the study is to assess the readiness of future economists to use artificial intelligence in the context of digital prospects of the socio-economic space. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the sustainable development strategy, which identifies educational opportunities, resources and technologies as a global driving force for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The main research method is T. Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchical Process method, which enables to build a flexible hierarchical model for studying the dynamics of future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence in the context of developing digital literacy. The authors conducted an online survey of students from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Astrakhan State University, Omsk State Technical University, and schoolchildren from economics classes (Gymnasium 19, Omsk) to assess the future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence in the context of the transition to a digital economy. Results. The authors identified gender differences in respondents’ preferences in the use of artificial intelligence: female participants show higher results than the general sample, when choosing one answer about the purposes of personal use of artificial intelligence, and lower, when choosing a combination of answers, male participants show the opposite results, which is explained by the attitude towards risk in terms of gender stereotypes of behavior. When comparing the choice of respondents’ answers for different age groups (16-20 years old), no age peculiarities were discovered, as well as the ambiguous nature of the influence of artificial intelligence on the younger generation of future economists in terms of a decrease in the natural intelligence of young people against the backdrop of digitalization reaching all spheres of life. A high level of awareness of students and schoolchildren regarding the prospects and problem areas of using artificial intelligence in the field of economics and finance was also revealed. Conclusions. The study concludes that future economists are actively interacting with artificial intelligence systems, promoting the formation of digital literacy in the interests of sustainable development.

Методичні підходи щодо оцінювання конкурентоспроможності підприємства сфери послуг

The article considers methodical and practical approaches to determining the level of competitiveness of an enterprise as a prerequisite for its strategic development. The article identifies various approaches to assessing the competitiveness of enterprises, in particular in the context of the service sector: indicative method, hierarchy analysis method, competitive advantages, expert assessments, taxonomy of integral assessments, matrix methods, and others. The importance of taking into account internal and external factors, as well as a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators to obtain an objective assessment is separately noted. An algorithm for a general plan for assessing competitiveness is proposed. The most objective results can be achieved through the combined use of various methods, which allows taking into account all relevant aspects of the enterprise.

Towards A Dynamic Model of Human Needs: A Critical Analysis of Maslow's Hierarchy

Towards A Dynamic Model of Human Needs: A Critical Analysis of Maslow's Hierarchy