Robust stability test for 2-D continuous-discrete systems with interval parameters

It is revealed that the dynamic stability of 2-D recursive continuous-discrete systems with interval parameters involves the problem of robust Hurwitz-Schur stability of bivariate polynomials family. It is proved that the Hurwitz-Schur stability of the denominator polynomials of the systems is necessary and sufficient for the asymptotic stability of the 2-D hybrid systems. The 2-D hybrid transformation, i. e. 2-D Laplace-Z transformation, has been proposed to solve the stability analysis of the 2-D continuous-discrete systems, to get the 2-D hybrid transfer functions of the systems. The edge test for the Hurwitz-Schur stability of interval bivariate polynomials is introduced. The Hurwitz-Schur stability of the interval family of 2-D polynomials can be guaranteed by the stability of its finite edge polynomials of the family. An algorithm about the stability test of edge polynomials is given.     

Fundamentals of the analytic network process — Dependence and feedback in decision-making with a single network

The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is a multicriteria theory of measurement used to derive relative priority scales of absolute numbers from individual judgments (or from actual measurements normalized to a relative form) that also belong to a fundamental scale of absolute numbers. These judgments represent the relative influence, of one of two elements over the other in a pairwise comparison process on a third element in the system, with respect to an underlying control criterion. Through its supermatrix, whose entries are themselves matrices of column priorities, the ANP synthesizes the outcome of dependence and feedback within and between clusters of elements. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with its independence assumptions on upper levels from lower levels and the independence of the elements in a level is a special case of the ANP. The ANP is an essential tool for articulating our understanding of a decision problem. One had to overcome the limitation of linear hierarchic structures and their mathematical consequences. This part on the ANP summarizes and illustrates the basic concepts of the ANP and shows how informed intuitive judgments can lead to real life answers that are matched by actual measurements in the real world (for example, relative dollar values) as illustrated in market share examples that rely on judgments and not on numerical data. Thomas L. Saaty holds the Chair of University Professor, Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, and obtained his Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale University. Before that he was a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for ten years. Prior to that he spent seven years at the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in the State Department in Washington, DC, that carried out the arms reduction negotiations with the Soviets in Geneva. His current research interests include decision-making, planning, conflict resolution and synthesis in the brain. As a result of his search for an effective means to deal with weapons tradeoffs at the Disarmament Agency and, more generally, with decision-making and resource allocation, Professor Saaty developed The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its generalization to dependence and feedback, the Analytic Network Process (ANP). He is co-developer of the software Expert Choice and of the software Super Decisions for decisions with dependence and feedback. He has authored or co-authored twelve books on the AHP/ANP. Professor Saaty has also written a number of other books that embrace a variety of topics, including Modern Nonlinear Equations, Nonlinear Mathematics, Graph Theory, The Four Color Problem, Behavioral Mathematics, Queuing Theory, Optimization in Integers, Embracing the Future and The Brain: Unraveling the Mystery of How It Works. His most recent book is Creative Thinking, Problem Solving & Decision Making. The book is a rich collection of ideas, incorporating research by a growing body of researchers and practitioners, profiles of creative people, projects and products, theory, philosophy, physics and metaphysics...all explained with a liberal dose of humor. He has published more than 300 refereed articles in a wide variety of professional journals. He has been on the editorial boards of Mathematical Reviews, Operations Research, Naval Research Logistics Quarterly, Mathematical and Computer Modeling, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Applied Mathematics Letters, and several others. He also served as consultant to many corporations and governments.     

Optimizing on multiple constrained QoS multicast routing algorithms based on GA

With the rapid development of Internet, mobile networks and high-performance networking technology,multiple constrained QoS multicast routing optimization in networks with uncertain parameters has become a very important research issue in the areas of networks and distributed systems. It is also a challenging and hard problem to the next generation Internet and high-performance networks, and has attracted the interests of many people. This paper discusses the multiple constrained QoS multicast routing problem, which may deal with the delay, delay jitter,bandwidth and packet loss metrics, and describes a network model for researching the routing problem. The paper mainly presents multiple constrained QoS multicast routing algorithm (MCQMRA), a QoS multicast routing policy for Internet,mobile network or other high-performance networks, which is based on the genetic algorithm (GA) and can provide QoS-sensitive paths in a scalable and flexible wayin the network environment with uncertain parameters. The MCQMRA can also optimize the network resources such as bandwidth, delay, packet loss metrics and can converge to the optimal or near-optimal solution within few iterations, even for the network environment with uncertain parameters. Simulation results show that MCQMRA is an available approach to QoS multicast routing decision.     

A Maturing of Systems Thinking? Evidence from Three Perspectives

This paper reviews trends in systems theory/thinking from the 1970s to the early 2000s. It proposes a maturation of the field based on certain conceptual and methodological advances that have sought to liberate systems thinking from earlier strictures. An edited dialogue among three prominent systems thinkers from different systems schools—Merrelyn Emery, Bob Flood, and Eric Wolstenholme—provides evidence. Similarities and differences are identified, complementarities among the schools are derived and analyzed, and trajectories for future research are indicated.     

Modeling Organizational Systems: Banathy's Three Lenses Revisited

The inherent complexity of organizational systems defies full understanding by inquirers. This condition often causes organizational inquirers to become mired in convoluted deliberations, unable to attain the consensus among the inquiring community that is needed to advance the research forward to a meaningful conclusion. Consequently, many practitioners and researchers employ models of organizations to aid in simplifying the system's complexity and to reach shared agreement. Because no single model can fully capture the complexity of an organization, Dr. Bela H. Banathy therefore proposed using three types of interrelated models to give a multidimensional view of a human system under study. Since Banathy first introduced his three lenses approach, the concept has been employed in many educational and organizational settings. This article examines the author's experience using Banathy's three lenses and integrates their usage with some other popular modeling techniques, providing a comprehensive view of how Banathy's three lenses can be effectively employed in contemporary organizational settings.     

Repositing Thinking for Future Social Systems Design: In Tribute to Bela H. Banathy and His Inspiration of the Fuschl Conversations

Contemporary systems activity can be divided into that stressing feasible and practical short-term measures, and that which is more ideal-aware, focussed on mid-longer term futures, and typically involving on-going community or social systems design. The paper highlights the key differences in approach, but then invites closer collaboration in the cause of the possible contribution that systems thinking could make for a longer term future, with Y3K (Year 3000) as a metaphor for this. This analysis, which derives from work undertaken at Asilomar 1995 and Fuschl conversations in 2000 and 2002, finds that contemporary social system design, which is driven by western culture and is action-oriented, needs adaptation before it could contribute to greater future global harmony. A truly comprehensive systems design process must accommodate a wide range of possible parameters in terms of culture, and appreciation of time and progress. An emerging paradigm as basis for thinking and engaging in social systems design work of the future is offered, which also has relevance to general systems practice.     

一类线性切换系统的能控性和能观测性的充要条件

循环不变子空间是常用于控制科学和信号处理理论的重要数学工具之一。用循环不变子空间的性质研究了切换系统的能控性和能观测性。先给出了切换系统能控性、能达性和能观测性的概念,并讨论了循环不变子空间的性质。然后用循环不变子空间的性质研究了周期线性切换系统的能控制性、能达性及能观测性,得到线性周期切换系统完全能控和完全能观测的充分必要条件。最后给出一般线性切换系统完全能控和完全能观测的充分条件和必要条件。     

Application of the Constrained Predicated Nets and Interval Logic to Production Systems

1 .INTRODUCTIONDuetotheireconomicsignificanceandclosenesstopersons,productionsystemsmustbemodeledbeforetheirimplementationanduse,thus,amethodwhichspecifies ,analyzesandsynthesizestheproductionsys tems—discreteeventsystems (DES)hasbeenestab lishedanddevelopedstepbystepinrecentyears.DESmethodspecifiestheplantbasedonitsdiscretecharacters,however,intherealworld ,therearefewplantsthatcanbemodeledbypurelydiscretemathe maticalmodelbecausetherearealwayssomecontinu ousparametersforstudyinnearlya…     

STABILITY CRITERIA FOR A CLASS OF UNCERTAINSYSTEMS WITH TIME—DELAY

Some stability criteria are obtained for a class of uncertain systems with time-delay usingLyapunov functional and analytic techniques. It is easy to check the criteria by making use of theboundedness of the uncertainties.     

STRATEGIC EXERCISE OF REAL OPTIONS：INVESTMENT DECISIONS IN TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

Viewing investment projects in new technologies as real options, this paper studies the effects ofendogenous competition and asymmetric information on the strategic exercise of real options. We firstdevelop a multi-period, game-theoretic model and show how competition leads to early exercise andaggressive investment behaviors and how competition erodes option values. We then relax the typicalfull-information assumption found in the literature and allow information asymmetry to exist acrossfirms. Our model shows, in contrast to the literature that payoff is independent of the ordering ofexercise, that the sequential exercise of real options may generate both informational and payoffexternalities. We also find some surpising but interesting results such as having more information isnot necessarily better.