Big Data Analytics Using Multiple Criteria Decision-making Models

Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is a subfield of Operations Research, dealing with decision making problems. A decision-making problem is characterized by the need to choose one or a few among a number of alternatives. The field of MCDM assumes special importance in this era of Big Data and Business Analytics. In this volume, the focus will be on modelling-based tools for Business Analytics (BA), with exclusive focus on the sub-field of MCDM within the domain of operations research. The book will include an Introduction to Big Data and Business Analytics, and challenges and opportunities for developing MCDM models in the era of Big Data.

RAMAKRISHNAN RAMANATHAN

Professor Ram Ramanathan is the Director of Business and Management Research Institute, in the Business School of the University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK. In the past, he has worked and taught in a number of countries, including the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Oman and India. He has taught basic and advanced courses on Operations Management, Production Systems Management, Supply Chain Management, Optimization Theory, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Management Science, Business Statistics, Simulation, Energy and Environment, Energy and Environmental Economics, Energy and Transport Economics, and others. His research interests include operations management, supply chains, environmental sustainability, economic and policy analysis of issues in the energy, environment, transport and other infrastructure sectors. He works extensively on modelling using techniques such as optimisation, decision analysis, data envelopment analysis and the analytic hierarchy process.

Ram has successfully completed a number of research projects across the world. He is on the editorial boards of several journals and in the technical/advisory committees of several international conferences in his field. He is an advisory board member of an innovative new online resource, The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and Management. He is a member of ESRC Peer Review College in the UK. He has produced four books (including an introductory textbook on DEA), more than 119 research publications in journals and more than 141 conference presentations. His research articles have appeared in many prestigious internationally refereed journals including Omega, Tourism Economics, International Journal of Production Economics, Supply Chain Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, European Journal of Operational Research, Transport Policy, and, Transportation Research.

More details about Professor Ramanathan is available at the following links.

Profile: http://www.beds.ac.uk/research/bmri/centres/bisc/people/ram-ramanathan

http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/business/staff/prof-ramakrishnan-ramanathan

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ramakrishnan-ramanathan/12/50a/204

ResearcherID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/H-5206-2012

Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=1CBQZA8AAAAJ

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ProfRamanathan

Twitter: @ProfRamanathan

M. MATHIRAJAN

Dr Mathirajan has been working at the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore since April 1986 with various academic/faculty-positions. Currently he is a Chief Research Scientist at IISc, Bangalore. He received M.S. (Engineering) degree by research in Applied Operations Research area, and PhD degree in Operations Management area from the Faculty of Engineering, IISc, Bangalore. In addition he holds a M.Sc degree in Mathematics of Madurai Kamaraj University, and Post Graduate Diploma in Operations Research (OR) of Anna University, Chennai.

During May 2008-May 2010, Dr Mathirajan was with Anna University of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, on deputation, and he was the Professor of Planning and Development at the University level and he was also the Professor and Head of the Department of Management Studies of the Anna University of Technology, Tiruchirappalli.

Dr Mathirajan was a post-doctoral fellow at Singapore MIT Alliance (SMA) of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He was also a visiting consultant at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), OMAN. Dr Mathirajan was selected and nominated as young Indian-representative of Operational Research Society of India (ORSI) to present a paper in the 1999 Fall Annual Conference of ORSJ, TOKYO, JAPAN.

Dr Mathirajan’s PhD thesis was adjudged as best thesis for "M. N. Gopalan Award of 2002-Annual Convention of ORSI". Dr Mathirajan’s research interests are in the development of mathematical modelling and heuristic methods for the problems related to Industrial Engineering, Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management in Manufacturing, Service and Container Terminal Management areas. He has published over 155 research articles. He is a co-author of three books [published by Person, PHI and Allied Publishers respectively].

He has guided a number of graduate and post graduate projects. So far seven dissertations were awarded PhD degree under his guidance in IISc, Bangalore. Currently he has been guiding 2 doctoral research students at IISc; and he has examined several PhD theses from various higher learning Institutes (such as IITs, IIM, NITs) and Universities (such as Anna University Chennai, Gandhigram Rural University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathiar University, Delhi University, Dr. MGR University).

A. "RAVI" RAVINDRAN

Dr. Ravi Ravindran is a Professor and past Department Head of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University since 1997. Formerly, he was a faculty member in the School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University for 13 years (1969-82) and at the University of Oklahoma for 15 years (1982-97). At Oklahoma, he served as the Director of the school of Industrial Engineering for 8 years and as the Associate Provost of the university for 7 years with responsibility for budget, personnel and space for the academic area. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering with honors from BITS, Pilani, India. His graduate degrees are from the University of California, Berkeley, where he received an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research.

Dr. Ravindran’s area of specialization is Operations Research with research interests in multiple criteria decision-making, financial engineering, healthcare delivery systems and supply chain optimization. He has published 7 books (OPERATIONS RESEARCH: Principles and Practice, ENGINEERING OPTIMIZATION: Methods and Applications, HANDBOOK OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, OPERATIONS RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES, OPERATIONS RESEARCH APPLICATIONS, SUPPLY CHAIN ENGINEERING: Models and Applications, MULTIPLE CRITERIA DECISION MAKING IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT) and over 150 journal articles in operations research. His recent text book on Supply Chain Engineering received the Institute of Industrial Engineers Book-of-the-Year Award in 2013.

Dr. Ravindran is a Fulbright Fellow and a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). In 2001, he was recognized by IIE with the Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator award for significant contributions to the industrial engineering profession by an educator. In 2013, he received the Outstanding Teaching Award in the College of Engineering from the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society. He also received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the IE Graduating Seniors in spring 2014. He has been a consultant to AT&T, CNH America, General Motors, IBM, Kimberly Clark, General Electric, U.S. Department of Transportation, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association and the U.S. Air Force.