The construction sector plays an important role in a country’s economic development. The financial performance of a company is a good indicator of its financial health and status. In Malaysia, the government encourages the construction industry to develop an advanced infrastructure related to health, transport, education and housing. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the operations and financial performance of construction sector companies have been affected recently. Additionally, uncertainty plays a vital role in the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) process. Based on previous studies, there has been no comprehensive study conducted on the evaluation of the financial performance of construction companies by integrating entropy and fuzzy VIKOR models. Therefore, this paper aims to propose an MCDM model to evaluate and compare the financial performance of construction companies with an integrated entropy–fuzzy VIKOR model. A case study is carried out by evaluating the listed construction companies in Malaysia with the proposed model. The findings of this paper indicate that the company ECONBHD achieves the best financial performance over the study period. The significance of this paper is to determine the priority of the financial ratios and ranking of the construction companies with the proposed entropy–fuzzy VIKOR model.

Investors wish to obtain the best trade-off between the return and risk. In portfolio optimization, the mean-absolute deviation model has been used to achieve the target rate of return and minimize the risk. However, the maximization of entropy is not considered in the mean-absolute deviation model according to past studies. In fact, higher entropy values give higher portfolio diversifications, which can reduce portfolio risk. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a multi-objective optimization model, namely a mean-absolute deviation-entropy model for portfolio optimization by incorporating the maximization of entropy. In addition, the proposed model incorporates the optimal value of each objective function using a goal-programming approach. The objective functions of the proposed model are to maximize the mean return, minimize the absolute deviation and maximize the entropy of the portfolio. The proposed model is illustrated using returns of stocks of the Dow Jones Industrial Average that are listed in the New York Stock Exchange. This study will be of significant impact to investors because the results show that the proposed model outperforms the mean-absolute deviation model and the naive diversification strategy by giving higher a performance ratio. Furthermore, the proposed model generates higher portfolio mean returns than the MAD model and the naive diversification strategy. Investors will be able to generate a well-diversified portfolio in order to minimize unsystematic risk with the proposed model.

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A lot of educational institutions are facing the problem in conducting the physical classes due to COVID-19 pandemic recently. Therefore, most of the medium of teaching has been changed from a face-to-face method to online teaching. These changes may create some challenges to the students as well as the teachers or lecturers. In fact, different learning methods have their own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the preference of E-learning method among the undergraduate students based on multiple criteria. This study determines the priority of decision criteria in the selection of learning methods among the undergraduate students using Analytic Hierarchy Process-VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (AHP-VIKOR) model. The decision criteria that considered in this study are quality management system, information quality, flexibility, learning and teaching as well as attractiveness. Besides, blended learning, distance learning, and e-learning are identified as the alternatives of the learning methods as well as the most preferred learning method is determined in this study. The results of this study show that the most preferred learning method among undergraduate students is E-learning, followed by distance learning, and finally blended learning. Flexibility, information quality, and quality management system are ranked as the top three influential decision criteria. The significance of this study is to determine the most preferred learning method as well as the most influential decision criteria in the selection of learning methods among undergraduate students with AHP-VIKOR model.

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SUMMARYSteady two-dimensional free convection flow due to combined effect of radiation and convection through a porous medium bounded by a vertical infinite plate is considered. The behaviour of Darcy and non-Darcy flow is investigated. The flow of water through different porous media under different environmental conditions is discussed. Effect of four non-dimensional parameters, i.e. Prandtl number (Pr), modified Grashof number (G), permeability parameter (K) and radiation parameter (N ) has been studied. Effect of these parameters on Nusselt number is analysed.

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