An ERP software selection process with using artificial neural network based on analytic network process approach

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) software selection is known to be multi attribute decision making (MADM) problem. This problem has been modeled according with analytic network process (ANP) method due to fact that it considers criteria and sub criteria relations and interrelations in selecting the software.Opinions of many experts are obtained while building ANP model for the selection ERP then opinions are reduced to one single value by methods like geometric means so as to get desired results. To use ANP model for the selection of ERP for a new organization, a new group of expert’s opinions are needed. In this case the same problem will be in counter. In the proposed model, when ANP and ANN models are setup, an ERP software selection can be made easily by the opinions of one single expert. In that case calculation of geometric mean of answers that obtained from many experts will be unnecessary. Additionally the effect of subjective opinion of one single decision maker will be avoided. In terms of difficulty, ANP has some difficulties due to eigenvalue and their limit value calculation.An ANN model has been designed and trained with using ANP results in order to calculate ERP software priority. The artificial neural network (ANN) model is trained by results obtained from ANP. It seems that there is no any major difficulty in order to predict software priorities with trained ANN model. By this results ANN model has been come suitable for using in the selection of ERP for another new decision.     

A framework for software process deployment and evaluation

ContextSoftware Process Engineering promotes the systematic production of software by following a set of well-defined technical and management processes. A comprehensive management of these processes involves the accomplishment of a number of activities such as model design, verification, validation, deployment and evaluation. However, the deployment and evaluation activities need more research efforts in order to achieve greater automation.ObjectiveWith the aim of minimizing the required time to adapt the tools at the beginning of each new project and reducing the complexity of the construction of mechanisms for automated evaluation, the Software Process Deployment & Evaluation Framework (SPDEF) has been elaborated and is described in this paper.MethodThe proposed framework is based on the application of well-known techniques in Software Engineering, such as Model Driven Engineering and Information Integration through Linked Open Data. It comprises a systematic method for the deployment and evaluation, a number of models and relationships between models, and some software tools.ResultsAutomated deployment of the OpenUP methodology is tested through the application of the SPDEF framework and support tools to enable the automated quality assessment of software development or maintenance projects.ConclusionsMaking use of the method and the software components developed in the context of the proposed framework, the alignment between the definition of the processes and the supporting tools is improved, while the existing complexity is reduced when it comes to automating the quality evaluation of software processes.     

软件需求权重的模糊网络分析法

针对软件开发中顾客需求元素间的复杂关系,分析了层次分析法（AHP）与模糊层次分析法（FAHP）在解决复杂需求权重时所存在的缺陷;运用网络分析法（ANP）与梯形模糊数相结合的模糊网络分析法,建立加权极限超矩阵求解需求元素的混合权重;对比分析了模糊网络分析法、模糊层次分析法和网络分析法的权重结果;揭示了在复杂系统中元素的相互联系和顾客需求相对重要度评价的模糊性在权重的求解中的重要性;验证了模糊网络分析法在复杂需求权重求解中的可行性。研究结果为软件开发中顾客需求复杂权重的准确求解提供了依据。     

An integrated fuzzy synthetic evaluation approach for supplier selection based on analytic network process

In order to ensure the uninterrupted supply of items, the suppliers’ performance needs to be evaluated periodically. The evaluation process typically consists of identifying the attributes and criteria relevant to the decision, and measuring the performance of a supplier by considering the relevant criteria. But the evaluation process is complex. Linguistic assessment of suppliers may be carried out based on several criteria. Much of the data are difficult to obtain and ambiguous or vague to interpret. Nonetheless, a rational process of evaluation must exist to select the most appropriate suppliers. This paper develops a supplier evaluation approach based on the analytic network process (ANP) and fuzzy synthetic evaluation under a fuzzy environment. The importance weights of various criteria are considered as linguistic variables. These linguistic ratings can be expressed in triangular fuzzy numbers by using the fuzzy extent analysis. Fuzzy synthetic evaluation is used to select a supplier alternative and the Fuzzy ANP (FANP) method is applied to calculate the importance of the criteria weights. Then an integrated FANP and fuzzy synthetic evaluation methodology is proposed for evaluating and selecting the most suitable suppliers. A hypothetical example is presented and the results indicated that the combination of ANP and fuzzy synthetic evaluation provided useful tool to select the optimal supplier.     

Framework for evaluation and selection of the software packages: A hybrid knowledge based system approach

Evaluation and selection of the software packages is complicated and time consuming decision making process. Selection of inappropriate software package can turn out to be costly and adversely affects business processes and functioning of the organization. In this paper we describe (i) generic methodology for software selection, (ii) software evaluation criteria, and (iii) hybrid knowledge based system (HKBS) approach to assist decision makers in evaluation and selection of the software packages. The proposed HKBS approach employs an integrated rule based and case based reasoning techniques. Rule based reasoning is used to capture user needs of the software package and formulate a problem case. Case based reasoning is used to retrieve and compare candidate software packages with the user needs of the package. This paper also evaluates and compares HKBS approach with the widely used existing software evaluation techniques such as analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted scoring method (WSM).     

A model for the evaluation of computer software packages

The tremendous increase in recent years in the demand for, and availability of, computer software packages, has led researchers to investigate better ways of evaluating them for selection. The selection of software packages is confounded because criteria for evaluation are dependent on the system type. For example, decision support systems should be judged largely on the basis of subjective criteria, while transaction processing systems can be evaluated primarily on quantifiable factors. We discuss the use of a well-known model used in site selection, as a means to evaluate software packages according to subjective or objective factors. We illustrate application of the model with a small example.     

A hybrid approach to concept selection through fuzzy analytic network process

Evaluating conceptual design alternatives in a new product development (NPD) environment has been one of the most critical issues for many companies which try to survive in the fast-growing world markets. Therefore, most companies have used various methods to successfully carry out this difficult and time-consuming evaluation process. Of these methods, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been widely used in multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems. But, in this study, we used analytical network process (ANP), a more general form of AHP, instead of AHP due to the fact that AHP cannot accommodate the variety of interactions, dependencies and feedback between higher and lower level elements. Furthermore, in some cases, due to the vagueness and uncertainty on the judgments of a decision-maker, the crisp pairwise comparison in the conventional ANP is insufficient and imprecise to capture the right judgments of the decision-maker. Therefore, a fuzzy logic is introduced in the pairwise comparison of ANP to make up for this deficiency in the conventional ANP, and is called as fuzzy ANP. In short, in this paper, a fuzzy ANP-based approach is proposed to evaluate a set of conceptual design alternatives developed in a NPD environment in order to reach to the best one satisfying both the needs and expectations of customers, and the engineering specifications of company. In addition, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the proposed approach.     

A heuristic for software evaluation and selection

The proliferation of software packages has created a difficult, complex problem of evaluation and selection for many users. Traditional approaches to the quantification of package performance have relied on compensatory models, such as the linear weighted attribute model, which sums the weighted ratings of software attributes. These approaches define the dimensions of quality too narrowly and, therefore, omit substantial amounts of information from consideration. This paper presents an alternative methodology, previously used in capital rationing and tournament ranking, that expands the opportunity for objective insight into software quality. In particular, it considers three measures of quality, the frequency with which the attribute ratings of one package exceed those of another, the presence of outliers, where very poor performance may exist on a single attribute and be glossed over by compensatory methods, and the cumulative magnitude of attribute ratings on one package that exceed those on others. The proposed methodology is applied to the evaluation of the following software types: word processing, database management systems, spreadsheet/financial planning, integrated software, graphics, data communications and project management.     

How to get mature global virtual teams: a framework to improve team process management in distributed software teams

Managing global software development teams is not an easy task because of the additional problems and complexities that have to be taken into account. This paper defines VTManager, a methodology that provides a set of efficient practices for global virtual team management in software development projects. These practices integrate software development techniques in global environments with others such as explicit practices for global virtual team management, definition of skills and abilities needed to work in these teams, availability of collaborative work environments and shared knowledge management practices. The results obtained and the lessons learned from implementing VTManager in a pilot project to develop software tools for collaborative work in rural environments are also presented. This project was carried out by geographically distributed teams involving people from seven countries with a high level of virtualness.     

Developing a practical framework for ERP readiness assessment using fuzzy analytic network process

Previous studies report unusually high failure in enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects. Thus, it is necessary to perform an assessment at the initial stage of an ERP implementation program to identify weaknesses or problems which may lead to project failure. No definite practical solution could be found for these kinds of problems in the literature. In this paper, a new look at the determinants of a firm’s readiness to implement an ERP project is presented and using fuzzy analytic network process a practical framework is developed. The firm’s current conditions regarding ERP project can be determined and necessary changes prior to implementation of ERP system can be specified. The readiness for ERP implementation is decomposed into project management, organizational, and change management areas and the assessment factors are identified after comprehensive study of critical success factors on ERP implementation. The proposed framework is applied to a real case and the advantages are illustrated.     

Application of fuzzy analytic network process for supplier selection in a manufacturing organisation

The contemporary manufacturing organisations are forced to adopt advanced manufacturing paradigms for sustaining in the global markets. Supply chain management is an essential ingredient of advanced manufacturing systems since outsourcing gains vital importance. Supplier selection is a vital issue concerned in the process of managing global supply chains. A conceptual model for supplier selection encompassing various criteria and sub-criteria has been developed. In this article, fuzzy analytic network process (fuzzy ANP) approach has been used for the supplier selection process. The case study has been carried out in an Indian electronics switches manufacturing company. Based on supplier selection weighted index, the best supplier has been determined. This is followed by the conduct of sensitivity analysis as well as questionnaire-based validation. The results of the validation study indicated that the application of fuzzy ANP is practically feasible and adaptable in the contemporary industrial scenario.     

A virtual memory organisation for minicomputer process control software

The well known techniques of paged virtual memory provide an attractive base for the organization of process control software because the package can be organized as though a large memory were available but only those pages actually being used at any time need be present in the limited minicomputer memory. Such hardware is not available in minicomputers principally because of their limited word length. A software system for process control applications is implemented which takes advantage of virtual memory but avoids the inefficiency inherent in interpreting every address as a virtual address by partitioning the application programs intomodules which reside on single pages and use normal addresses for intra-module references. External references only are interpreted by the virtual space executive. Experimental results indicate that the system is efficient and attractive for this application.     

A framework for the ex-ante evaluation of ERP software

It has been widely reported that a large number of ERP implementations fail to meet expectations. This is indicative, firstly, of the magnitude of the problems involved in ERP systems implementation and, secondly, of the importance of the ex-ante evaluation and selection process of ERP software. This paper argues that ERP evaluation should extend its scope beyond operational improvements arising from the ERP software/product per se to the strategic impact of ERP on the competitive position of the organisation. Due to the complexity of ERP software, the intangible nature of both costs and benefits, which evolve over time, and the organisational, technological and behavioural impact of ERP, a broad perspective of the ERP systems evaluation process is needed. The evaluation has to be both quantitative and qualitative and requires an estimation of the perceived costs and benefits throughout the life-cycle of ERP systems. The paper concludes by providing a framework of the key issues involved in the selection process of ERP software and the associated costs and benefits.     

An analytic framework for performance modeling of software transactional memory

Analytic models based on discrete-time Markov chains (DTMC) are proposed to assess the algorithmic performance of Software Transactional Memory (TM) systems. Base STM variants are compared: optimistic STM with inplace memory updates and write buffering and pessimistic STM. Starting from an absorbing DTMC, closed-form analytic expressions are developed, which are quickly solved iteratively to determine key parameters of the considered STM systems, like the mean number of transaction restarts and the mean transaction length. Since the models reflect complex transactional behavior in terms of read/write locking, data consistency checks and conflict management independent of implementation details, they highlight the algorithmic performance advantages of one system over the other, which – due to their at times small differences – are often blurred by implementation of STM systems and even difficult to discern with statistically significant discrete-event simulations.     

Personnel selection using analytic network process and fuzzy data envelopment analysis approaches

This paper develops a decision support tool using an integrated analytic network process (ANP) and fuzzy data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to effectively deal with the personnel selection problem drawn from an electric and machinery company in Taiwan. The current personnel selection procedure is a separate two-stage method. The administration practice shows that the separation between stages 1 and 2 reduces the administration quality and may incur both the top manager’s displeasure and the decision-makers’ depression. An illustrative example by a simulated application demonstrates the implementation of the proposed approach. This example demonstrates how this approach can avoid the main drawback of the current method, and more importantly, can deal with the personnel selection problem more convincingly and persuasively. This study supports the applications of ANP and fuzzy DEA as decision support tools in personnel selection.     

Personnel selection using analytic network process and fuzzy data envelopment analysis approaches

This paper develops a decision support tool using an integrated analytic network process (ANP) and fuzzy data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to effectively deal with the personnel selection problem drawn from an electric and machinery company in Taiwan. The current personnel selection procedure is a separate two-stage method. The administration practice shows that the separation between stages 1 and 2 reduces the administration quality and may incur both the top manager’s displeasure and the decision-makers’ depression. An illustrative example by a simulated application demonstrates the implementation of the proposed approach. This example demonstrates how this approach can avoid the main drawback of the current method, and more importantly, can deal with the personnel selection problem more convincingly and persuasively. This study supports the applications of ANP and fuzzy DEA as decision support tools in personnel selection.     

基于FAHP的可信软件非功能需求评估方法

针对可信软件的非功能需求表示与评估问题,对用于非功能需求描述的软目标相互依赖图（Software Interdependency Graph,SIG）进行改进,提出了一个扩展的软目标相互依赖图（Extended Software Interdependency Graph,ESIG）模型来描述和表示非功能需求。在ESIG图模型上,从面向方面的角度提出了一种基于模糊层次分析法（Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process,FAHP）的可信软件非功能需求评估方法。在评估过程中建立了评价准则集、评价等级标准集、权重向量、评价得分矩阵和综合评判矩阵,综合考虑了非功能需求间存在的相对重要性和促进与抑制影响。最后通过一个实例说明了此评估方法的合理性与有效性。     

A framework for fidelity evaluation of immersive virtual reality systems

Virtual Reality - Developments in visual and tracking systems have expanded virtual reality (VR) applications and led to VR becoming a powerful tool for decision making, planning, and conducting...     

基于可拓模糊层次分析的异构网络选择算法

针对目前异构网络选择算法在确定指标权重存在主观性的问题,提出基于可拓模糊层次分析的异构无线网络选择算法。该算法在分析不同业务类型对网络性能需求的基础上,结合可拓理论,将收集到的性能参数映射到性能标度区间中,通过网络物元模型的建立和相对隶属度的计算,构建了新的判决矩阵,利用模糊层次分析法计算网络性能参数的综合权重。最后,通过对相对隶属度的加权排序,得到最优接入网络。仿真实验证明:该方法能综合考虑不同用户的业务类型和网络的客观性能,提高了异构网络中多模终端选择网络的准确性和有效性。