Quantitative Assessment Methodology Research Articles

Ethical Concerns Upon Artificial Intelligence Empowered Human Resource Management: A Qualitative Study among Middle-level Managers from Beijing Technology Companies

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) in organizational management has significantly enhanced operational efficiency. However, it has introduced ethical challenges in human resource management. Between January to March 2024, this study conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with middle-level managers from high-tech companies in Beijing. Through word frequency analysis, the study found that key topics among the managers were “company,” “data,” “system,” and “problem,” with “AI” frequently recurring in the discussions. Sentiment analysis revealed generally favorable attitudes toward AI in human resource management (AI-HRM), along with nuanced emotional expressions such as inquiry, introspection, recommendation, challenge, adaptation, resistance, and indifference. The sentiment distribution of keywords aligned with topic trends. Thematic analysis identified key ethical concerns in AI-HRM, including issues related to data collection and utilization, human versus machine decision-making, quantitative versus qualitative assessment methodologies, the balance between fairness and efficiency, the need for trustworthy, explainable, and transparent AI, and the oversight of AI-HRM. This study contributes to the ethical investigation of AI-HRM from the perspective of middle-level managers, highlighting themes that are critical for understanding the theory, application, and future development of AI-HRM.

Features of Carbon Regulation in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation: Comparative Analysis and Trends

The article reviews international acts in the field of combating climate change (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement), identifies the main trends in the field of carbon regulation: emissions quoting; implementation of climate projects; introduction of greenhouse gas reporting and expansion of the legislative framework. A comparative analysis of the national legislation in force in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation is carried out, its conditional classification is considered with the allocation of carbon regulation instruments being applied, viz. the market ones, the restrictive ones, the supporting ones and the auxiliary ones. The regulation of greenhouse gas emissions should include a wide range of activities and cannot be reduced solely to restrictive instruments. Market instruments include the national emissions trading system, international voluntary markets and instruments of international cooperation, while restrictive instruments include the introduction of carbon taxes, quotas, and mandatory carbon reporting. Among the examples of supporting instruments subsidies, targeted financing and tax preferences, as well as information policy may be noted. Auxiliary instruments include methodologies for quantitative assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and uptake, carbon reporting standards and tools for verification of reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, legislated possibility of implementing climate projects. The normative national regulation regarding the accounting of greenhouse gas emissions is considered, the categories of emission sources and greenhouse gases whose emissions are subject to accounting are identified. It is important to note that the legislation on greenhouse gases in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, as well as around the world, has not been finalized and is in the process of formation.

Electricity supply resiliency evaluation by a hybrid renewable energy system for a petrochemical plant: Frameworks and quantitative assessment methodologies

The escalation of harm inflicted upon energy systems, has spurred the investigation of energy system resilience. In this regard, the measurement of resilience capacity can serve as a valuable metric for assessing the energy system's ability to withstand a variety of events that may result in potential adverse outcomes. For renewable energy systems, the measurement of resilience is imperative due to the inherent unpredictability and unreliability in their nature. Often, resilience studies lack the comprehensiveness required to fully comprehend the intricate interdependencies within integrated hybrid renewable energy systems. This research delineates the essential factors required to facilitate a comprehensive understanding and advancement in the quantification of such integrated systems in small-scale. Pardis Petrochemical Company, located in Asalouyeh city, Iran, has been chosen as case study. Four distinct configurations of hybrid renewable energy systems—comprising Photovoltaic panels, Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines, Photovoltaic panels + Wave energy converters, and Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines + Wave energy converters— connected to grid, have been developed. These configurations are the result of a multi-objective optimization process, considering the following metrics: the cost of electricity (as an economic metric), CO2 emissions (as an environmental metric), loss of power supply probability (as a reliability metric), and exergy efficiency (as a technical metric). Subsequently, a methodological framework for multicriteria decision support is introduced. This framework is constructed based on primary resilience dimensions, namely: “resist,” “restabilize,” “technology,” and “withstand” serve as a tool for measuring the resiliency of the optimized configurations. The findings indicate that the Photovoltaic panels + Wind Turbines + Wave Energy Converters configuration is as the most resilient system among the studied alternatives.

Assessing the sustainability of Blue Economy activities using an ecosystem and life cycle-based approach: Possibilities, challenges and implications for an informed policy making

The global ocean faces increasing exploitation to meet the demand of a rapidly growing globalisation. Human marine activities are leading to local environmental pressures/benefits, for example on marine ecosystems and their services, but also through their value chains on terrestrial ecosystem services, and to global pressures such as global warming. Effective management of marine activities is essential for the conservation of the natural environment. There is a growing need for holistic sustainability assessment tools capable of quantifying environmental impacts at various geographical scales, alongside evidence-informed policies. This study examines the evolving marine policy landscape, identifies key legislation that supports the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy, traces its historical development, and explores the integration of ecosystem services assessment and life cycle assessment as methodologies for assessing environmental sustainability within this legislation. The review shows that current legislation falls short in providing instructions on how to measure sustainability impacts in a consistent way, i.e., which methods/indicators to use. Therefore, this study supports evidence-informed policy-making by proposing a quantitative and comprehensive environmental sustainability impact assessment methodology, integrating both ecosystem and life-cycle based methods, to a Belgian multi-use case study involving offshore wind energy and mussel farming. Considering the impacts that were possible to assess and the limits of the methodology used, the value of the positive impacts of the MUOF was +61.3 M€ y−, while the negative ones were −4.0 M€ y−1, resulting in a net handprint of +57.0 M€ y−1, primarily attributed to the benefits of the local ecosystem service ‘offshore renewable energy’ However, such a solution is not necessarily scalable, due to cumulative impacts. An analysis was conducted to identify areas for enhancing the methodology to more effectively meet policy needs. The study highlights the importance of using scientifically grounded methods to inform policy decisions.

Methodology of Quantitative Assessment of Network Cyber Threats Using a Risk-Based Approach

The methodology of a quantitative assessment of organ- isation’s network cyber threats was developed in order to quanti- tatively assess and compare the cybersecurity threat landscape in conditions of limited data while applying the risk-oriented approach. It can be used either for assessing the level of network cyber threats of a particular organisation (as a quantitative measure of the criti- cality of cyber threats that are detected within the organisation’s network) or for comparing the level of network cyber threats of several organisations during the same or different time periods, giving grounds for supporting the process of making manage- rial decisions regarding the organisation’s cybersecurity strategy. The proposed scheme of the algorithm can be used to automate the calculation process. The assessment of network cyber threats that are considered in the article is not a full-fledged measure of the cyber risk because the methodology was developed consider- ing the common circumstances of the deficiency of the risk context data. Nevertheless, the results of the methodology implementation partially reflect the overall level of the organisation’s cyber risk and are expected to be used in the case when the full-featured proper cyber threats assessment can’t be organised for some reason.

Assessment of biogeocenosis quality within the boundaries of anthropogenic impact on the sustainability of an industrially developed territory

Currently, the scientific community faces the task of identifying and minimizing the negative impact on the natural environment and related environmental risks caused by the impact on ecosystems, especially anthropogenic factors related environmental risks. The determining role in the assessment of environmental risk is to determine the probability of occurrence of effects of different nature in ecosystems because of anthropogenic factors and to take measures to prevent their negative impact. The purpose of the presented theoretical study was to study and analyze the principle of system-wide methodology of quantitative assessment of biogeocenosis quality within the boundaries of anthropogenic influence on the sustainability of industrially developed territory. The considered principle can provide prerequisites for making changes in the norms of nature management in Russia.

Enhancing sustainability in manufacturing: A methodology for quantitative assessment and improvement of life-cycle design conflict managing capabilities

In response to the escalating need for sustainable production and consumption, manufacturers increasingly adopt Life-Cycle Design (LCD) to address environmental and social challenges. However, the complex nature of cross-organizational collaborations in LCD often leads to conflicts among stakeholders, hindering effective implementation. This study aims to address this gap by proposing a comprehensive method framework for characterizing, evaluating, and improving manufacturers' LCD Conflict Managing Capabilities (LCD-CMC). The study begins by explicating conflicts in LCD and introduces the People-Process-Technology Framework. This framework serves to comprehensively characterize LCD-CMC and to break down the abstract LCD-CMC concept into specific elements in three dimensions. Subsequently, a Maturity Model is developed for quantitatively evaluating LCD-CMC, utilizing a hybrid method integrating Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytical Network Process (ANP). DEMATEL enables the identification and quantification of interrelations among multiple criteria of the LCD-CMC evaluation system, while ANP facilitates the weighting of each criterion based on its significance. Together, these methodologies enable a comprehensive assessment of the maturity level of LCD-CMC. Building upon this foundation, a systematic approach for generating improvement strategies for LCD-CMC is proposed, leveraging the Total Adversarial Interpretive Structure Model (TAISM) to analyze the inter-relations among contributing capability elements. TAISM offers a practical approach to generating robust improvement strategies, ensuring effective and efficient improvements in LCD-CMC over time. Through a case study involving a prominent Chinese machine tool manufacturer, the feasibility and efficacy of our framework are demonstrated, providing valuable insights into potential improvements. Overall, this paper offers valuable insights into managing conflicts in LCD, providing a structured methodology for evaluating and improving LCD-CMC. By leveraging advanced models and methods, it contributes to addressing LCD conflicts and enhancing collaboration in LCD implementation. Furthermore, it contributes to enriching the knowledge of Life-Cycle Design in the context of conflict management, ultimately advancing sustainable production and consumption practices.

An Assessment Methodology about the Effectiveness of Mobility IT Solutions: Application to Six Demo Sites

Considering the significant growth rate of populations in urban areas, public transport has become vital to urban living. Promoting the culture of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) among travelers has become unavoidable to address climatic challenges, particularly the global warming phenomenon. To encourage the use of public transport, it is important to introduce innovative IT solutions to the ecosystem of TSPs (Transport Service Providers) backed by an in-depth analysis to meet the expectations and the needs of the TSPs and the travelers. Building on the work from a previous paper, which introduced an assessment methodology based on the calculation of the effectiveness of IT solutions to meet traveler’s needs and expectations, this paper presents the results of an intersectional assessment by applying this methodology with data collected in six demo sites (Athens, Barcelona, Liberec, Osijek, Padua, and Warsaw). This paper will help to understand better this quantitative assessment methodology, and especially help IT developers and TSPs understand better how to apply it to their IT solutions. Results of this assessment show which of these IT solutions (functionalities) are worth investment, considering the satisfaction level of both TSPs and travelers. This assessment methodology is scalable to other demo sites and datasets in further developments.

Analytical Capabilities of Statistical Methodology for Assessing Threats to Economic Security

Subject. Reduction of threats to economic security based on the construction of multifactorial statistical models that quantify the impact of factors on the level of economic crime, in particular, on the scale of material damage from economic crime. Purposes. Adaptation and application of statistical methodology for complex quantitative assessment of threats to economic security, multifactor modeling of patterns and trends of economic crime. Methods. Applied methods of multidimensional classification - cluster analysis, correlation and regression, trend models and forecasting. Results. Statistical modeling was carried out in the context of clusters formed during the study, reflecting the specification of their regions based on the application of statistical methodology for the typologization of the regions of the Russian Federation and the construction of multifactorial statistical models that quantitatively describe the impact of factors on the level of economic crime (the scale of material damage from economic crime). Conclusions. The results of the conducted research can be used in information and analytical work and activities of departments of internal affairs bodies, public administration bodies to develop directions for reducing economic security risks from criminalization factors. The obtained substantiation of the significance of the factors provides the basis for their inclusion in the dynamic regression model, according to which it is advisable to create short-term forecasts of the crime level of an economic orientation.

A Deep-Learning-Based Quality Control Evaluation Method for CT Phantom Images

Computed tomography (CT) is a rapid and precise medical imaging modality, but it poses the challenge of high radiation exposure to patients. To control this issue, stringent quality control (QC) evaluations are imperative for CT. One crucial aspect of CT QC involves the evaluation of phantom images, utilizing specifically designed phantoms for accuracy management and subsequent objective evaluation. However, CT QC has qualitative evaluation methods, particularly for evaluating spatial and contrast resolutions. To solve this problem, we propose a quality control method based on deep-learning object detection for quantitatively evaluating spatial and contrast resolutions, CT Attention You Only Look Once v8 (CTA-YOLOv8). First, we utilized the YOLOv8 network as the foundational model, optimizing it for enhanced accuracy. Second, we enhanced the network’s capabilities by integrating the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) and Swin Transformers, tailored for phantom image evaluations. The CBAM module was employed internally to pinpoint the optimal position for achieving peak performance in CT QC data. Similarly, we fine-tuned the code and patch size of the Swin Transformer module to align it with YOLOv8, culminating in the identification of the optimal configuration. Our proposed CTA-YOLOv8 network showed superior agreement with qualitative evaluation methods, achieving accuracies of 92.03% and 97.56% for spatial and contrast resolution evaluations, respectively. Thus, we suggest that our method offers nearly equivalent performance to qualitative methods. The utilization of the CTA-YOLOv8 network in evaluating CT phantom images holds potential for setting a new standard in quantitative assessment methodologies.

Quantitative assessment of the visual quality of digital images based on the laws of human visual perception

The existing methods of quantitative assessment of the visual quality of digital images are studied. Among the main shortcomings of the studied methods, the following can be singled out. Most of them require a reference image, do not include all the components that affect visual quality and do not take into consideration the laws of human visual perception. It was decided to develop a method for quantitative assessment of the visual quality of images, which will work without a reference image and will take into account the regularities of human visual perception. There are characterized the main regularities of human visual perception, which are used in the development of the technique. A classification of the researched methods of quantitative assessment of image quality is proposed for structuring their analysis. It was decided to investigate methods of quantitative assessment of quality based on statistical analysis of image pixel intensities. There are described factors affecting the quality of images and methods of their control based on changes in the pixel intensity distribution histogram. A generalized expression of quantitative quality assessment based on moments is proposed. A methodology for quantitative assessment of the visual quality of images has been developed, which does not require a reference image and is based on the laws of human visual perception. This method was tested on an image processed by local contrast enhancement and low-pass filtering. The test results showed that the visual perception of image quality coincides with the quantitative assessment of its quality. It is possible to use the proposed method with some modifications to determine the quality of color images. Moreover, a potential avenue for advancing the proposed method involves adapting it for evaluating images afflicted by distortions induced by noise presence.

THE IMPACT OF CLUSTERING ON COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF SMEs: EVIDENCE FROM THE SERBIAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Clusters are widely regarded by scientific researchers and policymakers as effective tools for addressing the size constraints faced by SMEs. The increased involvement of local SME suppliers in supply chain restructuring has led to the extensive adoption of clusters in the automotive industry. Despite a wealth of literature supporting the economic advantages of clustering, the absence of quantitative evidence has constrained policy support for cluster development in numerous developing countries. This research aims to empirically compare the performance of clustered and non-clustered SMEs within the same industry. The primary objective is to quantify the impact of the Serbian Automotive Cluster on the competitiveness and business performance of Serbian automotive SMEs. Utilizing Stochastic Frontier Analysis and statistic tests, the methodology examines a balanced panel of 29 SMEs in Serbia’s automotive industry spanning from 2016 to 2018. The impact of clustering is analysed in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, crucial dimensions of business success. Total revenue is used to measure efficiency, reflecting an integral competitive indicator. Effectiveness is assessed using profitability indicators such as profit margin, asset turnover ratio, and return on assets. The research reveals that clustered SMEs in the automotive industry exhibit higher efficiency (competitiveness) and effectiveness (profitability) compared to non-clustered SMEs. The proposed methodology holds significance for evidence-based policymaking, providing empirical support for cluster policy. The paper introduces a novel quantitative assessment methodology for gauging the impact of clusters on SME members’ competitiveness and business performance. The unique approach adds value to the paper, as similar methodologies have not been previously applied in assessing the impact of clustering on efficiency and effectiveness, fundamental dimensions of business success. The suggested methodology holds importance due to its potential applicability in evaluating how clusters influence the performance and competitiveness of SMEs across diverse industry sectors in developing nations. Acknowledging the limitations of our research, notably the small sample size that focused solely on SMEs with publicly available financial statements, excluding numerous enterprises from the analysis, we underscore the significance of clustering in enhancing the business performance of SMEs in the automotive industry. This emphasizes the need for additional research in quantitatively measuring the impact of clusters, paving the way for further exploration in this direction.

P186: Longitudinal changes in the cerebrospinal-fluid volumes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Objective:Although the previous studies indicated that impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics might contribute to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the longitudinal changes of CSF volumes in AD has been still unclear. In this study, using the methodology of quantitative assessment of CSF volumes in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), we assessed longitudinal changes in CSF volumes in AD patients.Methods:The subjects were the patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia due to AD who visited Osaka University Hospital from November 2009 to October 2018. We excluded the patients with gait disturbances and MRI findings such as Disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid-space hydrocephalus (DESH), which was the suggestive finding of iNPH. For each subject, MRI was performed in the first visit and 1 year later. We quantitatively measured CSF volumes in DESH-related regions, such as ventricle systems (VS), Sylvian fissures (SF), and sulci at high convexity and the midline (SHM)., using an automatic brain volumetric software program (AVSIS) (Ishii et al. 2006, 2013). The ratio of each regional volume to the intracranial volume was calculated and we compared these parameters between two visits.Results:We enrolled 98 patients with AD (mean (SD) age = 76.0 (5.7)). Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed that, while the ratios of CSF volumes in VS and SF significantly increased during the one-year observation (VS: 4.01 (1.05) % vs 4.14 (1.09) %, p<0.001 ;SF: 1.40 (0.21) % vs 1.42 (0.22) %, p=0.007), those in SHM significantly decreased (4.30 (0.70) % vs 4.23 (0.69) %, p<0.001). The change ratio of relative volumes in VS was correlated with those in SF and SHM (r=0.451, p<0.001; r=-0.350, p<0.001).Conclusion:In patients with AD, the CSF volumes in VS and SF increased while CSF volumes in SHM decreased. This trend of the longitudinal change was similar to the change in the patients with iNPH. The finding of this study indicates that, in the patients with AD, CSF dynamics may be impaired like the patients with iNPH.

Quantitative assessment for tooth crack of the sun gear in a planetary gearbox

The sun gear in a planetary gearbox is prone to generate tooth crack due to its much more severe load conditions than other gears. The cracked sun gear will evolve into distinct tooth breakages and thus may deteriorate the operation status and even cause catastrophic loss of the whole transmission system. To avoid tooth crack induced malfunction of the planetary gearbox, the tooth crack of sun gear should be accurately identified during the early stage. Therefore, a novelty quantitative assessment methodology for tooth crack damage is proposed, which is a mathematical model for crack propagation of the sun gear in planetary gearboxes based on vibration acceleration signal. Firstly, the quantitative relationship between the crack propagation parameters along the gear thickness and width directions and the time-varying mesh stiffness is analytically formulated. The analytical time-varying mesh stiffness formulation is incorporated into a translational–torsional dynamic model to reveal the effects of crack propagation on the vibration signal of internal and external meshing pairs in the planetary gearbox. Secondly, a quantitative mapping function is established by taking the cracked section area as the variable and the residual of the summed envelope spectrum amplitude of the vibration acceleration signal as the assessment index. Finally, a numerical simulation as well as an experimental test is conducted and compared to verify the correctness of the proposed assessment methodology. We believe that the established model and the corresponding index provide a physically intuitive yet mathematically quantitative reference for diagnosing tooth crack in planetary gearboxes.

Establishing a quantitative assessment methodology framework of water conservation based on the water balance method under spatiotemporal and different discontinuous ecosystem scales

Water conservation (WC) is an essential terrestrial ecosystem service that mitigates surface runoff and replenishes groundwater, which has received considerable attention under the dual pressures of climate change and human activity. However, there is insufficient understanding of the trends in WC changes on temporal (annual, monthly, daily), spatial, and ecosystem scales. This study proposed a quantitative assessment methodology framework (QAMF) for analyzing the spatiotemporal variation of WC under different discontinuous ecosystems. The QAMF mainly used models and methods such as the hydrological model (SWAT), calibration and uncertainty program (SWAT-CUP), WC calculation formula (water balance method), and spatial analysis method (empirical orthogonal function and wavelet analysis). It was applied to the source region of the Yellow River (SRYR), where the ecological landscape pattern underwent varying degrees of degradation, and WC capacity decreased. The results show that: Firstly, the constructed SWAT in the SRYR had high accuracy, and the proposed formula for calculating WC was suitable for multi-temporal scale analysis of WC in spatially distributed discontinuous basins. Secondly, the annual and monthly WC were respectively 81.00–184.13 mm and −28.58–107.64 mm, and daily WC was positive during extreme precipitation periods and negative during dry periods. The regulating effect of WC was fully reflected on the daily scale, partially reflected on the monthly scale, and absent on the annual scale. Third, the crucial WC area was mainly distributed in the southeast, and there was a significant primary yearly cycle of WC in the SRYR. Finally, different ecosystems exhibited different WC capabilities, and protecting the diversity of ecosystems played an essential role in maintaining and improving the WC function in the SRYR. This project has great scientific significance and technological support for scientifically evaluating the WC capacity in the SRYR.

Methodology for assessing the social effectiveness of exhibition activity

Improving the exhibition activity efficiency is a rather complex and multi-purpose task that requires taking into account many factors and using various methods and tools. To achieve success in this field, it is necessary to apply an integrated approach, considering the relationship between the economic and social effectiveness of exhibition activity, as well as to use innovative technologies and the latest research methods. The article presents the methodology developed by the authors for the quantitative assessment of social efficiency, which is complex and also includes the calculation of the selected elements’ sensitivity of social efficiency to different changes. The indicators’ calculation of the exhibition social significance the makes it possible to assess its impact on society and determine how much it contributes to the development of culture, coverage of topical issues and familiarization of the general population with cultural and scientific achievements. The quantitative assessment methodology of the exhibition activity effectiveness based on the calculation of the social efficiency integral indicator can be supplemented with methods of organizational support of the exhibition process, meta-planning and risk assessment.

Public policy and strategic business recommendations to accelerate adoption of stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS) in India

PurposeInterest in battery energy storage systems (BESS) is high, and technologies such as Li-ion (and other advanced chemistry) batteries in specific use cases are already economically viable. In this paper, the authors build further on the authors' previously published paper1 to estimate the potential positive impact that accelerated adoption of Li-ion batteries for stationary storage per the authors' identified already economically viable use cases, can have both on India's macro-economy and current account deficit as well as in helping meaningfully accelerate circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) benefits of green economy transition.Design/methodology/approachThe authors identified key challenges for development of BESS ecosystem and applied quantitative and qualitative assessment methodology for rapid adoption of BESS in India. The authors' study was validated through interviews with stakeholders and the authors summarize applicable findings for emerging countries such as India to encourage faster, wider adoption of energy storage.FindingsThe authors' study provides key policy recommendations to achieve a better balance in policy focus—not only for electronic vehicles (EVs) and utility-scale storage, but also for stationary behind-the-meter storage through key policy measures including placing a CESS on diesel generators (DGs), differential tariffs, encouraging advanced battery imports as a way to reduce crude oil imports, green financing and investments in de-carbonized energy breakthrough technologies (e.g. gravity-based energy storage systems). The authors recommend key technology priorities and strategic business rationale for private sector efforts by developing competitive advantages for non-battery hardware and software and expanding into emerging markets, with potential US$15–20+bn enterprise value.Originality/valueWhile the dominant discourse focuses on EVs and utility scale applications of storage, the authors' paper shows the larger near term opportunity for impact is in stationary storage that too in end-user adoption use cases.

Methodology for the analysis of structural vulnerability of WUI settlements

As WUI fires have become a global concern, there is a growing need for engineering methodologies that lead to proactive fire management not only at the landscape level, but at all WUI scales. This paper presents a quantitative methodology for structural vulnerability assessment at the WUI settlement level that is based on 10 indicators, established for the different fire exposure phases a WUI area experiences (pre-impact, impact and fire transfer) as well as on other factors that can escalate vulnerability. As output, a Structural Vulnerability Index (SVI) for the entire analyzed area can be obtained. The methodology can not only assess vulnerability of WUI settlements in a quantitative way, but it can also quantify the effect of measures employed for the reduction of this vulnerability. Additionally, the methodology is suitable for comparison between different settlements or neighborhoods of the same area. A case study for the city of Barcelona, Spain, is presented, in which 9 WUI neighborhoods are analyzed and vulnerability reduction measures are prioritized.

Formalization of risk management in the context of digital business transformation

The aim of the article is to develop a formal methodology for quantitative assessment of the quality of аcontrol in a closed system with feedback in the context of digital transformation. In the proposed study, attention is focused on assessing the quality of management in organizational and technical systems on the example of the aviation industry. The following hypotheses were adopted in the study: in the digital management of business processes of an economic entity, the role of intellectual support is acquired by methods of formal description of processes: control, decision-making and corrective action on the control object. In critical situations, the psychotype of the person making the decision acquires a decisive role. The study solves two scientific and practical problems: development of a formal method for quantitative assessment of the quality of management of a complex multi-criteria organizational and technical system under the conditions of statistical uncertainty of management agents, taking into account feedback in the management of an object; formalization of the process of quantitative assessment of decision-making risks in the environment of statistical uncertainty of control agents and psychological factors of the decision maker.

Philosophy and Meanings of the Information Entropy Analysis of Road Safety: Case Study of Russian Cities

This article is devoted to the study of the entropic orderliness of road safety systems of various dimensionalities. The author’s methodology for quantitative assessment of the quality of the road safety systems is based on the use of information entropy analysis, the essence of which is to assess the significance (or “weights”) of various information-technological stages of the road traffic accident rate formation process. The main emphasis in this paper is on the philosophical interpretation of the results of entropic evaluation of the orderliness of urban road safety systems. The article aimed to philosophically understand the reasons for the diversity in the results of assessing the entropy of road safety (RS) in Russian cities. Within the framework of this goal, the results of the analysis of the state of the issue, ideological approaches and methods for assessing the relative entropy of urban road safety systems were presented. The study was based on analyzing statistics that characterize the processes of the formation of road traffic accidents in Russian cities classified into three groups based on population size. The experimental results obtained were explained from the point of view of human psychology. Rather, results were explained from the perspective of human psychology. The final results of the study once again illustrated the objectivity of Hegel’s dialectical laws and, perhaps, once again shattered illusions about the possibility of achieving high levels of road safety in cities by building rigid systems to regulate the actions of traffic participants. In the author’s opinion, the results of the presented philosophical analysis will be useful to managers specializing in the management of complex systems (not only transport but also other fields) to comprehend the contradictions of the complex nature of humans and the paradoxes of their behavior when their freedom of action is restricted through external control.