If a decision problem is not multiple criteria one, it is not a real-world problem

Who we are

We are an R&D group originating from Russia and Poland.
The core of the group is two professors from the Technical University of Czestochowa, Ludmila Dimova and Pavel Sevastianov .
Our scientific representative in the USA is Dmitry Sevastianov.

It must be emphasized that we are developers oriented on problems, not methods. For example, we found out that fancy genetic algorithms are ineffective for solving portfolio selection optimization problems in a fuzzy setting when compared with other methods for adaptive random search of extremum, which bewilders a lot of young scientists unfamiliar with a history of optimization techniques. However, it does not mean that we do not intend to apply genetic algorithms to solve other problems.

Our major scientific directions are modeling, identification, and multicriteria optimization under conditions of different nature in applications for economics, technology, and ecology.

They include:

• Development of interval and fuzzy mathematics and their synthesis with methods of the possibility theory and the Dempster-Shafer Theory of Evidence
• The synthesis of mathematical statistics methods and fuzzy regression analysis in data processing (processing of real-time market data)
• The problem of local criteria and alternatives' comparative importance estimation based on objective data and subjective opinions
• The problem of aggregation of local criteria in multicriteria, hierarchical, and uncertain settings (for example, when assessing investment projects, stocks, possibility of bankruptcy, production quality, commercial contracts, etc.)
• Multicriteria optimization in a fuzzy setting (portfolio problems, logistics, optimization of technological processes quality, quality of cities air under conditions of budget restrictions, etc)
• Simulation modeling of economic and technological processes in a fuzzy setting
• Methods for fuzzy scheduling
• Methods for the search of bottlenecks in ramified technological schemes in a fuzzy setting
• Original methods for solving systems of linear and non-linear equations with interval and fuzzy parameters using parallel programming and transputers and their application for macro-economical problems (Leontiev Model)
• Development of the methods of fuzzy logic and their synthesis with the theory of rough sets and their application for problems of technical analysis on the stock market
• Software implementation of these methods

Following is a systemized list of applications, a major part of which is in use and described in scientific papers (available upon request).

We have descriptions of all applications in the form of block schemes and technical documentation. These materials may be adapted and re-used for real-life problem-solving.

Currently, only scientific and methodological results are published in English.

Applications and software developed

1.  Methods for multicriteria hierarchical estimation of alternatives in an uncertain setting
1.  Investment projects estimation
2.  Assessment of product quality
3.  Technical projects valuation
4.  Estimation of commercial contracts
5.  Real estate valuation
6.  Estimation of life quality in different regions of a country
7.  Stocks valuation
2. Methods for multicriteria optimization in fuzzy setting
1.  Multicriteria optimization of product quality (optimization of technological processes)
2.  Fuzzy multicriteria optimization of stock portfolio
3.  Multicriteria optimization of ecological investments aimed at urban population life conditions improvement
4.  Multicriteria optimization of distributor decision-making (transport and trade logistics) in a fuzzy and probabilistic setting
5.  Optimization of decision-making on the stock market on a basis of synthesis of technical analysis, fuzzy logic, and Dempster-Shafer Theory of Evidence
3.  Methods for Analysis, Modeling, and Optimization in the Production Management Field
1.  Methods for the search of bottlenecks in ramified technological networks in interval and fuzzy-interval setting
2. Optimization of enterprise management in interval and fuzzy-interval setting (fuzzy scheduling)
3. Simulation modeling of production processes in probabilistic and fuzzy setting
4. Modeling of economics in a framework of the basic Leontiev model (World Input-Output Model) under conditions of the fuzzy matrix of technological parameters (software realization using parallel programming for transputer)

Applied tools

• mathematical statistics
• fuzzy sets theory
• numerical methods for solving systems of equations with partial derivatives describing technological processes
• simulation methods
• methods for search of extremum, etc.

Work style

Immersion in client problems, detailed (sometimes for 3-6 months) examination of technology, and organization of production, which often led to complete re-formalization of problems initially proposed by engineers. Further, the problem was solved with a choice of optimal synthesis of methods. Some of these methods we developed ourselves, which was a basis for our scientific careers.

Our History

Our research group (at this moment already international) started in 1976 in the former USSR.

We developed information systems based on contracts with major metallurgical, engineering, and aeronautics enterprises and research centers. The information systems we built were meant to solve problems in the following order:

• modeling
• identification on the basis of laboratory and industrial experiments
• multicriteria optimization of technology and production processes.

In the early nineties, we actively used this approach for production quality optimization.

The scientific and applied results of this work were the basis for three books we published in Russian between 1989 and 1993.

In years of industrial crisis and the collapse of USSR, we switched to problems of medicine, ecology, and economics.

Two of our systems for solving ecological and medical problems after Chernobyl disaster were applied on a level of the Ministry of Health (Belarus). At the same time, we had contracts with the pharmaceutical firms Sanofi and Bayer. We conduct multicriteria drug efficiency estimation for medicines proposed by these firms to solve medical problems after the Chernobyl disaster.

The success of our systems was conditioned by optimal synthesis of the methods of mathematical statistics, the methods of fuzzy sets theory, and the methods for solving multicriteria problems.

From 1994 our research group was also engaged in solving economic problems in a fuzzy setting. Original methods of fuzzy budgeting as well as multicriteria evaluation of investment projects were designed and applied for the development of business plans for major enterprises of Belarus based on credit lines provided by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development .

The systems of multicriteria hierarchical estimation of the level of the social economic development of regions were developed and applied to the government of the Republic of Belarus.

In 1999 two of our colleagues went to the USA. The scientific core of our group consisting of two professors moved to Poland.

Now our Polish research group consists of two Professors, some specialists with PhD, and post-graduate students. Some years ago we founded the chair of Informational Systems and Economic Informatics at Technical university of Czestochowa, where our research group is now located. Our chair is a part of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Informatics , which possesses the original CLUSTER (the kind of transputer), now consisting of 32 parallel linked processors. This makes it possible for us to overcome some restrictions of common computer systems.

The peculiarity of the scientific work in Poland, when academic results are valued more than applied ones, and the necessity of revival of the group under new conditions were the reasons for our recent concentration on methodological problems and manpower training in Poland.

As of today, our human resource problems are virtually solved. There are two doctoral dissertations ready for defense, and four of our best-graduating students of informatics have attended special courses under our supervision starting from the second year of study. Each of them has 4-5 publications in English and Polish and they are good specialists able to solve problems from mathematical formalization to software development by themselves.

Our efforts in education allowed us to form a group of young specialists involved in real-life work. There are three contracts with Polish municipalities for elaboration of the system for multicriteria estimation of investment projects proposed in a framework of European Union programs.

Also, there are propositions for cooperation from Russian colleagues. For example, one of them is from the company SeverStal experiencing difficulty with an estimation of reconstruction projects on dozens of their steel plants. There is also an interest in Russia in our methods for multicriteria optimization of economic and financial processes under uncertainty of various natures.