Quality Of Decisions Research Articles

The practicalities of a partial lottery to allocate research funding

Abstract This article explores the practical dimension of organizing a partial lottery as an alternative funding allocation mechanism in academic institutions. Following an assessment of the recent literature that presents criticism of traditional ranking-based system derived from academic peer assessment and the need for improved decision-making procedures in research funding, we highlight four key arguments for organizing a partial lottery: improved decision quality (more fair, transparent, and divers), an alternative to ranking-based selection, prevention of questionable research practices, and increased efficiency. Based on our observations from a lottery-based ‘seed money call’ at Tilburg University, we provide insights into the organization and implementation of a lottery procedure, including the criteria for proposal eligibility, the administrative process, and the weighting mechanism based on budget categories. We furthermore share six lessons we learned that might be useful for future implementation in other institutional contexts, emphasizing the need for transparency, external supervision, and pre-registration of the lottery procedure to ensure trust and minimize gaming. As such, we not only contribute to the ongoing conceptual discussion about improving funding allocation mechanisms in academia. Our article also offers an account of how partial lotteries could be put into practice.

Reframing wildlife disease management problems with decision analysis.

Contemporary wildlife disease management is complex because managers need to respond to a wide range of stakeholders, multiple uncertainties, and difficult trade-offs that characterize the interconnected challenges of today. Despite general acknowledgment of these complexities, managing wildlife disease tends to be framed as a scientific problem, in which the major challenge is lack of knowledge. The complex and multifactorial process of decision-making is collapsed into a scientific endeavor to reduce uncertainty. As a result, contemporary decision-making may be oversimplified, rely on simple heuristics, and fail to account for the broader legal, social, and economic context in which the decisions are made. Concurrently, scientific research on wildlife disease may be distant from this decision context, resulting in information that may not be directly relevant to the pertinent management questions. We propose reframing wildlife disease management challenges as decision problems and addressing them with decision analytical tools to divide the complex problems into more cognitively manageable elements. In particular, structured decision-making has the potential to improve the quality, rigor, and transparency of decisions about wildlife disease in a variety of systems. Examples of management of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, white-nose syndrome, avian influenza, and chytridiomycosis illustrate the most common impediments to decision-making, including competing objectives, risks, prediction uncertainty, and limited resources.

An interactive, online decision aid assessing patient goals and preferences for treatment of aortic stenosis to support physician-led shared decision-making: Early feasibility pilot study.

Guidelines recommend shared decision making when choosing treatment for severe aortic stenosis but implementation has lagged. We assessed the feasibility and impact of a novel decision aid for severe aortic stenosis at point-of-care. This prospective multi-site pilot cohort study included adults with severe aortic stenosis and their clinicians. Patients were referred by their heart team when scheduled to discuss treatment options. Outcomes included shared decision-making processes, communication quality, decision-making confidence, decisional conflict, knowledge, stage of decision making, decision quality, and perceptions of the tool. Patients were assessed at baseline (T0), after using the intervention (T1), and after the clinical encounter (T2); clinicians were assessed at T2. Before the encounter, patients reviewed the intervention, Aortic Valve Improved Treatment Approaches (AVITA), an interactive, online decision aid. AVITA presents options, frames decisions, clarifies patient goals and values, and generates a summary to use with clinicians during the encounter. 30 patients (9 women [30.0%]; mean [SD] age 70.4 years [11.0]) and 14 clinicians (4 women [28.6%], 7 cardiothoracic surgeons [50%]) comprised 28 clinical encounters Most patients [85.7%] and clinicians [84.6%] endorsed AVITA. Patients reported AVITA easy to use [89.3%] and helped them choose treatment [95.5%]. Clinicians reported the AVITA summary helped them understand their patients' values [80.8%] and make values-aligned recommendations [61.5%]. Patient knowledge significantly improved at T1 and T2 (p = 0.004). Decisional conflict, decision-making stage, and decision quality improved at T2 (p = 0.0001, 0.0005, and 0.083, respectively). Most patients [60%] changed treatment preference between T0 and T2. Initial treatment preferences were associated with low knowledge, high decisional conflict, and poor decision quality; final preferences were associated with high knowledge, low conflict, and high quality. AVITA was endorsed by patients and clinicians, easy to use, improved shared decision-making quality and helped patients and clinicians arrive at a treatment that reflected patients' values. Trial ID: NCT04755426, Clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04755426.

The Service Quality and Brand Trust Toward Purchase Decisions the Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction : A Conceptual Paper

The Service Quality and Brand Trust Toward Purchase Decisions the Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction : A Conceptual Paper

Capital as an economic category. Elements of capital as accounting objects

Subject. This article examines the category of Capital in its various manifestations, the classification of its types, and the characteristics of capital components as accounting objects. Objectives. The article aims to assess the meaning and role of the category of Capital in economic, financial and accounting aspects, substantiate the importance of understanding the content of capital elements as accounting objects in order to improve the quality of accounting and information support of the organization's management system. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of information retrieval, simulation of situations, analysis and synthesis. Results. Based on the study and generalization of historical and modern approaches to substantiating the category of Capital, the article describes the multifaceted nature of this category, evaluates the content of individual elements of capital, and offers recommendations for the classification of capital in its various manifestations in order to form information in the accounting system and accounting (financial) statements. Conclusions and Relevance. The application of the research results in the educational process and practical activities will contribute to the most thorough and deep understanding of the category of Capital, its complexity and versatility. This can help reflect information on capital in accounting (financial) statements in a more correct way, assess the amount of capital and calculate indicators related to it when analyzing the economic activities of economic entities. All this together will affect the quality of management decisions of the organization's management system. The research materials can be used for the study and teaching of accounting disciplines, as well as in the practical activities of specialists in the field of accounting and finance.

Picture this: Making health insurance choices easier for those who need it

Informed health insurance choices are important since they have significant health and financial consequences. Personalized information has been found to improve health insurance decision quality, and ensuring that it benefits vulnerable groups is essential. This study uses experimental data and random forests, to investigate heterogeneous treatment effects of optional personalized information for health insurance decision-support. During the experiment, participants with lower levels of Health Insurance Literacy and less accumulated wealth were less likely to access personalized information when multiple sources were available. Simultaneously, these participants were also found to benefit the most from personalized information, especially when presented using a graphical format, reducing their expected costs significantly. These results hold important implications for policy and practice. Integration of graphical elements into health insurance choice environments, can help individuals make better-informed choices. Additionally, concerted efforts should be made to ensure vulnerable groups have access to the information and support they need.

Approaches to improving valuation decision-making: a review of the literature

PurposeThe complexity of property valuation, coupled with valuers’ cognitive limitations, makes some degree of error inevitable in valuations. However, given the crucial role that valuations play in the efficient functioning of the economy, there is a need for continuous improvement in the reliability of reported values by enhancing the quality of the decision-making process. The purpose of this paper is to review previous research on valuation decision-making, with particular interest in examining the approaches to improving the quality of valuation decisions and identifying potential areas for further research.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopts a narrative approach to review 42 research articles that were obtained from Scopus and Web of Science databases and through author citation searches.FindingsOur findings show that existing literature is skewed towards examining the use of technology in the form of decision support systems (DSS), with limited research attention on non-technological (i.e. behavioural) approaches to improving the quality of valuation decisions. We summarise the non-technological approaches and note that much of the discussions on these approaches often appear as recommendations arising from other studies rather than original investigations in their own rights.Practical implicationsWe conclude that studies investigating the effectiveness of the non-technological approaches to improving valuation decision-making are lacking, providing various avenues for further research.Originality/valueThis paper presents the first attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of non-technological approaches to improving the quality of valuation decisions.

The effects of common ownership on price and quality decisions in competing supply chains

AbstractThis paper examines the implications of common ownership on pricing and quality decisions in supply chains. Our results indicate that the presence of common ownership enhances the quality investment but increases the wholesale price. However, the presence of common ownership induces the retailers to charge lower sales price. Because of higher wholesale price and lower sales price, the manufacturer always benefits from the common ownership but the common ownership always hurts the retailers. The presence of common ownership always benefits consumer surplus and social welfare. The benefits of common ownership are more significant as the common ownership level becomes strong.

AI Transforms Ecommerce Management and Regulation in Uzbekistan

This study investigates the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into Uzbekistan's e-commerce sector, aiming to enhance business management, develop new models, and increase governmental regulatory effectiveness. By employing mathematical models based on a knowledge base and product logic principles, the research predicts and facilitates alternative management decisions, improving market monitoring and administrative procedures. The findings reveal that AI significantly enhances decision-making quality and regulatory efficiency, suggesting its potential as a cornerstone for modern e-commerce management strategies. This contributes to the advancement of the digital economy and the improvement of business and consumer conditions in Uzbekistan. Highlights: AI Integration: Enhances decision-making and administrative procedures in Uzbekistan's e-commerce sector. Mathematical Models: Uses knowledge bases and product logic to improve market monitoring and management decisions. Economic Impact: Contributes to the development of the digital economy, benefiting businesses and consumers. Keywords: Public Administration, E-commerce, Digital Economy, Artificial Intelligence, Regulatory Efficiency

The Impact of Groupthink, Group Cohesiveness, and Bounded Rationality on the Quality of Decision Making: A Systematic Literature Review

This research conducted a systematic literature review of the impact of groupthink, group cohesiveness, and bounded rationality on group decision making. Through a systematic analysis method of relevant literature, the research results reveal that the interaction between these three factors significantly influences the quality of the group decision-making process. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of these three factors in one conceptual framework, providing holistic insights that can be the basis for developing more effective strategies in improving the quality of group decision making. The contribution of this research is important in the social psychology and group decision-making literature, highlighting practical implications for improving decision-making processes in group contexts.

The Role of Large Language Models in Transforming Emergency Medicine: Scoping Review.

Artificial intelligence (AI), more specifically large language models (LLMs), holds significant potential in revolutionizing emergency care delivery by optimizing clinical workflows and enhancing the quality of decision-making. Although enthusiasm for integrating LLMs into emergency medicine (EM) is growing, the existing literature is characterized by a disparate collection of individual studies, conceptual analyses, and preliminary implementations. Given these complexities and gaps in understanding, a cohesive framework is needed to comprehend the existing body of knowledge on the application of LLMs in EM. Given the absence of a comprehensive framework for exploring the roles of LLMs in EM, this scoping review aims to systematically map the existing literature on LLMs' potential applications within EM and identify directions for future research. Addressing this gap will allow for informed advancements in the field. Using PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) criteria, we searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for papers published between January 2018 and August 2023 that discussed LLMs' use in EM. We excluded other forms of AI. A total of 1994 unique titles and abstracts were screened, and each full-text paper was independently reviewed by 2 authors. Data were abstracted independently, and 5 authors performed a collaborative quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the data. A total of 43 papers were included. Studies were predominantly from 2022 to 2023 and conducted in the United States and China. We uncovered four major themes: (1) clinical decision-making and support was highlighted as a pivotal area, with LLMs playing a substantial role in enhancing patient care, notably through their application in real-time triage, allowing early recognition of patient urgency; (2) efficiency, workflow, and information management demonstrated the capacity of LLMs to significantly boost operational efficiency, particularly through the automation of patient record synthesis, which could reduce administrative burden and enhance patient-centric care; (3) risks, ethics, and transparency were identified as areas of concern, especially regarding the reliability of LLMs' outputs, and specific studies highlighted the challenges of ensuring unbiased decision-making amidst potentially flawed training data sets, stressing the importance of thorough validation and ethical oversight; and (4) education and communication possibilities included LLMs' capacity to enrich medical training, such as through using simulated patient interactions that enhance communication skills. LLMs have the potential to fundamentally transform EM, enhancing clinical decision-making, optimizing workflows, and improving patient outcomes. This review sets the stage for future advancements by identifying key research areas: prospective validation of LLM applications, establishing standards for responsible use, understanding provider and patient perceptions, and improving physicians' AI literacy. Effective integration of LLMs into EM will require collaborative efforts and thorough evaluation to ensure these technologies can be safely and effectively applied.

Aviation Operators’ Total Loads Analysis by Multi-Criteria Decision-Making

The aviation operator's role and duties undergo a dramatic change from direct engagement to information management and surveillance in today's advanced aviation environment. In this modern and highly automated working environment, operators must handle various information, data, and transmission during operations, particularly while making decisions in specific situations. The total load system of operators (information, communication, mental, task, and workload) has been fundamentally reshaped in response to these dynamic changes. The highly automated system is linked to unbalanced operator loads, unanticipated losses in situation awareness, inappropriate decision-making quality, and higher stress levels. This research employs the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a foundational framework, integrating the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) on the AHP model to address uncertainties and applying the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for ranking the aviation operators' total loads. online Survey distributed among 63 experts across four aviation operator groups: less experienced pilots, expert pilots, less experienced Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), and experienced ATCOs. serves to evaluate the pivotal characteristics of the operators' total loads model. The results highlighted the communication load's effect on the aviation operators specifically the level of the language as well the workload specifically both practicing referring to the experience and skills.

Trade Secret Protection and the Integration of Information Within Firms

We examine the effect of trade secret protection laws on internal information integration (i.e., the extent to which economic agents are provided with access to decision-relevant information from other economic agents within a firm). We argue that stronger trade secret protection laws increase firms’ internal information integration because they reduce the proprietary costs of information leakage. To test our prediction, we measure a firm’s internal information integration by the share of its sites integrated into its enterprise management system. Exploiting the staggered adoption of trade secret protection laws via the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), we find that these laws increase firms’ internal information integration. This effect is stronger (weaker) for firms with higher proprietary costs (coordination benefits). Further, we provide evidence that the UTSA-induced increase in internal information integration translates into improvements of firms’ internal information quality and decision-making quality. Taken together, our results enhance the understanding of the economic trade-offs shaping firms’ internal information environment. This paper was accepted by Ranjani Krishnan, accounting. Funding: S. Bormann and K. Hombach gratefully acknowledge funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) [Grant Project-ID 403041268–TRR 266 Accounting for Transparency]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.03484 .

Case Study of Skilful Use of LLM-Based Generative AI in Management of a Hypothetical Business

Now that generative AI technology products are already spreading worldwide and are improving their capabilities very fast, it is high time we examine what it can do to decision making, which is the essence of managing businesses. The present paper has used an innovative methodology where one of the currently available Large Language Model based product, namely ChatGPT, is given a series of questions/prompts to use its own capabilities to give its self-assessment of supporting the different dimensions of managing a business. Multiple conversations illustrated the need for well-structured prompts/questions to get the most out of ChatGPT, otherwise it can get confused and provide illogical response. The quality of mutual learning improves by constructive feedback between the human interlocutor and generative AI. Probing it further with multiple scenarios for a hypothetical mid-sized business has verified and confirmed those self-assessments. The insights and conclusions drawn from those conversations are that skillful use of the LLM-based generative AI products can assist human managers in making better quality decisions at all levels of management in a timely manner. Senior managers of businesses need to begin an effort to test-drive an available LLM-based generative AI product and plan to leverage it in the ongoing management to become a learning organization in the interest of the business.

Influence of Service Quality on Purchase Decision with Customer Satisfaction and Hedonistic View as Mediating Variables

Practicing pilot service in a game is popular. One of them is EL’s Merchant Pilot Service. This study was conducted to find the significant impact of service quality that influenced purchase decisions with customer satisfaction and hedonistic view as mediating variables using Smart PLS 3.0 software. The sample of respondents was 150, and they were asked to grade all the indicators using a five-point Likert scale. The results showed that service quality had a significant impact on purchase decisions. The hedonistic view also mediates well between service quality and purchase decision, as well as the serial mediation of the hedonistic view and customer satisfaction that mediates service quality and purchase decision. However, customer satisfaction does not mediate the relationship between service quality and purchase decisions. Theoretically, this study cooperates the collaboration among the service quality, hedonic view, and customer satisfaction to discover what may create the purchase decision in an online game pilot service sector. It enforces that the hedonic view and customer satisfaction are serially positioned as mediation variables between service quality and purchase decision. Keywords: service quality, purchase decision, customer satisfaction, hedonistic view

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making II (MP24)

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making II (MP24)

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making I (MP12)

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making I (MP12)

Інформаційна технологія підтримки прийняття рішень в задачах відеоспостереження та моніторінгу

In the modern world, video surveillance systems are an integral part of security and monitoring measures in various sectors, from public places to industrial facilities. However, with their increasing prevalence, ethical issues arise concerning the use of video data and the impact of these systems on privacy and citizens' rights. In this article, we will delve into some of these issues in detail and propose recommendations for their resolution. It is important to recognize the consequences that video surveillance and monitoring can have on the quality and effectiveness of decisions made by people. This problem proves to be quite relevant in various fields, including manufacturing, engineering, and others. Video surveil-lance and monitoring have become an integral part of the modern world, particularly in the areas of security, transportation, urban planning, and ecology, with the aid of advanced video analysis and data processing technologies. Today's video surveillance systems provide a high level of information support for decision-making, which is why we will explore the key aspects of information technology that support decision-making in video surveillance and monitoring tasks, as well as the prospects and challenges of its application.

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making III (PD40)

Health Services Research: Practice Patterns, Quality of Life and Shared Decision Making III (PD40)

The Risk of Technology Dominance in Using Digital Decision Aids in Assurance Engagements—Evidence from a Survey among Danish Auditors

SYNOPSIS Accounting firms continue to develop digital decision aids (DDAs) that reinforce consistent use of firms’ audit methodology and provide assurance for meeting regulator expectations. Firms actively promote use and reliance on DDAs, but relying on such systems risks over-reliance, impacting decision quality and heightening technology dominance. Surveying 725 Danish auditors, we sought to determine the level of reliance practicing auditors have on DDAs and understand how auditors experience these potentially deleterious effects in the field. Results show auditors rely more on DDAs when auditors are inexperienced, task complexity is high, there is familiarity with the DDA, and/or there is cognitive congruence. Junior auditors rely significantly more on DDAs than senior auditors, whereas auditors indicating low usage rely significantly less on DDAs. Overall, senior auditors and auditors not heavily using DDAs have deskilling concerns and are less positive on junior auditors’ as well as the profession’s skill development when using DDAs. JEL Classifications: M15; M41; M42.