2024
Authors
Golalikhani, M; Oliveira, BB; Correia, GHD; Oliveira, JF; Carravilla, MA;
Publication
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART E-LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
Abstract
One of the main challenges of one-way carsharing systems is to maximize profit by attracting potential customers and utilizing the fleet efficiently. Pricing plans are mid or long-term decisions that affect customers' decision to join a carsharing system and may also be used to influence their travel behavior to increase fleet utilization e.g., favoring rentals on off-peak hours. These plans contain different attributes, such as registration fee, travel distance fee, and rental time fee, to attract various customer segments, considering their travel habits. This paper aims to bridge a gap between business practice and state of the art, moving from unique single-tariff plan assumptions to a realistic market offer of multi-attribute plans. To fill this gap, we develop a mixed-integer linear programming model and a solving method to optimize the value of plans' attributes that maximize carsharing operators' profit. Customer preferences are incorporated into the model through a discrete choice model, and the Brooklyn taxi trip dataset is used to identify specific customer segments, validate the model's results, and deliver relevant managerial insights. The results show that developing customized plans with time- and location-dependent rates allows the operators to increase profit compared to fixed-rate plans. Sensitivity analysis reveals how key parameters impact customer choices, pricing plans, and overall profit.
2024
Authors
Biró, P; Klijn, F; Klimentova, X; Viana, A;
Publication
MATHEMATICS OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH
Abstract
In a housing market of Shapley and Scarf, each agent is endowed with one indivisible object and has preferences over all objects. An allocation of the objects is in the (strong) core if there exists no (weakly) blocking coalition. We show that, for strict preferences, the unique strong core allocation respects improvement-if an agent's object becomes more desirable for some other agents, then the agent's allotment in the unique strong core allocation weakly improves. We extend this result to weak preferences for both the strong core (conditional on nonemptiness) and the set of competitive allocations (using probabilistic allocations and stochastic dominance). There are no counterparts of the latter two results in the two-sided matching literature. We provide examples to show how our results break down when there is a bound on the length of exchange cycles. Respecting improvements is an important property for applications of the housing markets model, such as kidney exchange: it incentivizes each patient to bring the best possible set of donors to the market. We conduct computer simulations using markets that resemble the pools of kidney exchange programs. We compare the game-theoretical solutions with current techniques (maximum size and maximum weight allocations) in terms of violations of the respecting improvement property. We find that game-theoretical solutions fare much better at respecting improvements even when exchange cycles are bounded, and they do so at a low efficiency cost. As a stepping stone for our simulations, we provide novel integer programming formulations for computing core, competitive, and strong core allocations.
2024
Authors
Amorim, I; Vasconcelos, PB; Pedroso, JP;
Publication
5th International Computer Programming Education Conference, ICPEC 2024, June 27-28, 2024, Lisbon, Portugal
Abstract
Integration of introductory programming into higher education programs beyond computer science has lead to an increase in the failure and drop out rates of programming courses. In this context, programming instructors have explored new methodologies by introducing dynamic elements in the teaching-learning process, such as automatic code evaluation systems and gamification. Even though these methods have shown to be successful in improving students' engagement, they do not address all the existing problems and new strategies should be explored. In this work, we propose a new approach that combines the strengths of the Kumon method for personalized learning and progressive skill acquisition with the ability of online judge systems to provide automated assessment and immediate feedback. This approach has been used in teaching Programming I to students in several bachelor degrees and led to a 10% increase in exam approval rates compared to the baseline editions in which our Kumon-inspired methodology was not implemented. © Ivone Amorim, Pedro Baltazar Vasconcelos, and João Pedro Pedroso;
2024
Authors
Rabelo, CA; Teixeira, JG; Mendes, GHS;
Publication
JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSHIP
Abstract
In recent years, student experience (SX) has drawn the attention of researchers and librarians due to its impact on student engagement and, eventually, academic success. This study aims to explore the intellectual structure of literature focusing on the student experience with academic libraries. Through bibliometric and thematic analyses, we analyzed a sample of 160 articles published between 1995 and 2022. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of SX research regarding academic libraries. Its intellectual structure unveils six predominant themes: (1) international students' experience; (2) servicescape and service design; (3) impact of technologies; (4) information literacy; (5) psychological and emotional aspects; and (6) engagement and motivation. Additionally, we propose a future research agenda, shedding light on prevalent theories and underexplored topics. This study serves as a valuable resource for researchers and librarians seeking insights into the nuances of SX in academic library settings. In particular, the identification of research clusters and opportunities can assist researchers in better positioning their studies and finding connections across several theoretical lenses and approaches.
2024
Authors
Öztürk, EG; Rocha, P; Rodrigues, AM; Ferreira, JS; Lopes, C; Oliveira, C; Nunes, AC;
Publication
DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Abstract
Sectorization problems refer to dividing a large set, area or network into smaller parts concerning one or more objectives. A decision support system (DSS) is a relevant tool for solving these problems, improving optimisation procedures, and finding feasible solutions more efficiently. This paper presents a new web-based Decision Support System for Sectorization (D3S). D3S is designed to solve sectorization problems in various areas, such as school and health districting,planning sales territories and maintenance operations zones, or political districting. Due to its generic design, D3S bridges the gap between sectorization problems and a state-of-the-art decision support tool. The paper aims to present the generic and technical attributes of D3S by providing detailed information regarding the problem-solution approach (based on Evolutionary Algorithms), objectives (most common in sectorization), constraints, structure and performance.
2024
Authors
Torres, G; Fontes, T; Rodrigues, AM; Rocha, P; Ribeiro, J; Ferreira, JS;
Publication
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
Abstract
The efficient last-mile delivery of goods involves complex challenges in optimizing driver sectors and routes. This problem tends to be large-scale and involves several criteria to meet simultaneously, such as creating compact sectors, balancing the workload among drivers, minimizing the number of undelivered packages and reducing the dissimilarity of sectors on different days. This work proposes a Decision Support System (DSS) that allows decision-makers to select improved allocation strategies to define sectors. The main contribution is an interactive DSS tool that addresses a many-objective (more than 3 objectives) sectorization problem with integrated routing. It establishes a global allocation strategy and uses it as a benchmark for the created daily allocations and routes. A Preference-Inspired Co-Evolutionary Algorithm with Goal vectors using Mating Restriction (PICEA-g-mr) is employed to solve the many-objective optimization problem. The DSS also includes a visualization tool to aid decision-makers in selecting the most suitable allocation strategy. The approach was tested in a medium-sized Metropolitan Area and evaluated using resource evaluation metrics and visualization methods. The proposed DSS deals effectively and efficiently with the sectorization problem in the context of last-mile delivery by producing a set of viable and good-quality allocations, empowering decision-makers in selecting better allocation strategies. Focused on enhancing service efficiency and driver satisfaction, the DSS serves as a valuable tool to improve overall service quality.
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