Abstract
Technological advances and the use of mobile solutions to make smartphone users’ daily life easier is a mindset that has revolutionized the society lifestyle in the past years. In the public transport sector, mobile ticketing is an example of the applicability of mobile solutions in a real context. Using one smartphone to purchase and validate tickets is a revolutionary idea that has acquired fans around the world. The convenience of use and time savings throughout the process are positive aspects, however, the success of the adoption of such services is limited. Based on the case of Porto, Portugal and particularly of the mobile app And, this study intends to understand customer churn factors of mobile ticketing services by analysing data from customer complaints and from usage history. Thus, an analysis of the complaints, the complainers and the effects of complaints is presented. A strategy for capturing and retaining users is also proposed considering four stages of mobile ticketing apps lifecycle: user onboarding, user engagement, user retention and user reinstall. © 2021, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.

Abstract
The increasing growing need for optimization of transportation in a sustainable and green environment is fundamental for the future of mobility. Companies, governments, and non-governmental institutions are trying to find new ways to contribute to this challenge. The main goal of this Special Issue was to integrate the most recent advances in transportation that connect the hybrid point of view. In particular, key contributions integrate several interesting topics related to earning algorithms for the integration of passengers and goods, gamification techniques, semantic data, blockchain, and edge computing. Other topics in urban mobility, railway, and highways were considered, and hot topics on shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) brought huge value. It is revealed that connected and autonomous vehicle technology and services for the mobility of people and goods in mixed-mode environments can improve efficiency, safety, and cleanliness.

Abstract
Customer segmentation is increasingly needed in a context where customer interests are vital for companies to survive. This study proposes the use of the weighted RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) supported by data mining techniques and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to classify the customers according to their lifetime value (CLV). The customer segments obtained can be used to boost marketing strategies, as these segments enable to differentiate the customers. Each segment of customers is described by a set of rules based on the customers’ purchasing patterns. The methodology developed is validated by using a real case study, i.e. a food industry company, whose core business is the production of biscuits. © IEOM Society International.

Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between students' performance and the type of school attended during upper secondary education. The performance of three different types of schools (Liceo, Technical and Professional schools) in four Italian macroregions (North West, North East, Centre, South & Islands) is investigated. A benchmarking analysis of the variability in students' performance among regions (within macroregions) for cohorts of students attending Liceo is also conducted. The data was collected at the student level from the Italian Institute for the Evaluation of Education System (INVALSI), for the academic year 2017/18. Families with higher socio-economic status may self-select into Liceo, so a direct comparison with vocational schools could lead to biased conclusions regarding the impact of school type on student performance. To overcome this limitation, we used a Propensity Score Matching approach prior to the estimation of efficiency. A pseudo-Malmquist index, based on a metafrontier and satisfying the circular property, is developed. It enables comparing the location of the best-practice frontier for each type of school and the spread in the educational efficiency of the students attending each type of school. Thus, best performance of a given school type corresponds to the combined effect of these two aspects. This study is an interesting starting point to challenge the stereotypes that persist in Italy, especially concerning general and vocational studies and geographic differences in educational achievements.

Abstract
Economic efficiency assessments based on Data Envelopment Analysis are scarce compared to technical efficiency studies, even in for-profit firms. Some aspects justify this scarcity, such as the difficulty to estimate accurate prices, given their variability over time. In many situations, external benchmarking is hindered due to organizations' unique nature and the barriers to sharing information considered critical to competitiveness. The use of internal benchmarking can overcome some of these difficulties. This study conducted an internal benchmarking analysis of a broiler production system, focusing on cost efficiency. We conducted longitudinal case-based research over six years (2014-2019). The concepts of throughput accounting of the Theory of Constraints were applied to structure the DEA model (inputs, prices, and output). The Critical Incident Technique was used to explore the effects of interventions on the production system's cost efficiency. The results show that the broiler production system could reduce 32% of the total cost per unit of production if the balance of inputs suggested by the DEA evaluation was used. This work contributes to the literature by showing the potential of internal benchmarking to explore the evolution of cost efficiency over time. From a practical perspective, this study is important for managers by showing how to measure the impact of management actions on performance, providing valuable information to guide continuous improvement.

Abstract
Grasping the intricacy and diversity of complex systems dealing with ever-growing amounts of data is essential to public and private institutions' continuous improvement. Composite indicators (CIs) emerge as aggregators of key performance indicators, providing a single measure that reflects those multidimensional performance aspects. One way to build such measures is based on the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA). Several DEA models can be used to generate CIs. Still, not many of them can deal concurrently with desirable and undesirable outputs, and incorporate the decision-making actors' preference information. Based on the directional 'Benefit-of-the-Doubt' model, we propose a novel approach consisting of the simultaneous use of weight restrictions and an artificial target reached via a range directional vector. The resulting CI assesses the Portuguese public hospitals' performance under two perspectives of hospital activity: users and providers. In the end, managerial and policy implications are withdrawn from the results of this study conducted in cooperation with the Portuguese Ministry of Health.