A proposed multistage evaluation approach for Higher Education Institutions based on network Data envelopment analysis: A Brazilian experience.

The evaluation of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is a challenging task, due to the complexity inherent in the context in which they are inserted, the different institutional profiles, the variety of resources used and the results offered in the performance of their mission. In this way, the present study proposes an evaluative approach that aims to measure efficiency taking into account the diverse activities characteristic of university institutions. To this end, a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, known as Network DEA, is used, which encompasses the different processes and subprocesses that take place within these institutions. In all, the evaluation considers eleven variables organized in three distinct stages, which reflect the performance of the HEIs in different perspectives: financial, undergraduate level and graduate level (student training and scientific production and innovation). Finally, the model was applied at 45 Brazilian federal universities. This case study allows a comprehensive efficiency analysis to be carried out for the set of institutions considered, from each perspective taken into account in the approach.

Evaluation of soccer players under the Moneyball concept.

The recruitment of athletes with limited resources is a global problem in professional sports. In US Major League Baseball, the experience of the Oakland Athletics' general manager in the last decade turned his "Moneyball" model into a synonym of quantitative analysis in the transfer market of baseball players. His strategy focused on hiring players with outstanding technical skills but relatively low market value. This study adapted this model to the framework of a multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA), by selecting undervalued players who have complementary abilities. The novelty here refers to the joint use of four algorithms explored by the composition of probabilistic preferences (CPP) (i.e., ranking, classification, dynamic evaluation and regularity analysis) and their application to soccer player performance evaluation. The new model analysed the recent transfer of a left-back soccer player to Europe. The results indicated 12 opportunities for better investment, among 32 left and right-back players considered. Two years later, the value of the same player was considerably lower. He played only five matches in the 2018-2019 season, without scoring or providing any assists. On the other hand, the players better classified by the CPP-MB model presented higher performances and market values.

Sustainability assessment and prioritisation of e-waste management options in Brazil.

Brazil has an increasing rate of e-waste generation, but there are currently few adequate management systems in operation, with the largest share of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) going to landfill sites or entering informal chains. The National Solid Waste Policy (2010) enforces the implementation of reverse logistics systems under the shared responsibility of consumers, companies and governments. The objective of this paper is to assess sustainability and prioritise system alternatives for potential implementation in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. Sustainability criteria and decision alternatives were defined by elicitation of stakeholders. The adopted multicriteria approach combines Life Cycle Assessment with qualitative evaluations by a small sample of regional experts with knowledge of the problem. The recommended system consists of a hybrid WEEE collection scheme with delivery points at shops, metro stations and neighbourhood centres; a pre-treatment phase with the involvement of private companies, cooperatives and social enterprises; and full recycling of all components in the country.