An integrated multiple criteria decision making approach for resource allocation in higher education

Abstract

Abstract:Resource allocation is one of the major decision problems arising in higher education. Resources must be allocated optimally in such a way that the performance of universities can be improved. This paper applies an integrated multiple criteria decision making approach to the resource allocation problem. In the approach, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is first used to determine the priority or relative importance of proposed projects with respect to the goals of the universities. Then, the goal programming (GP) model incorporating the constraints of AHP priority, system, and resource is formulated for selecting the best set of projects without exceeding the limited available resources. The projects include "hardware" (tangible university's infrastructures), and "software" (intangible effects that can be beneficial to the university, its members, and its students). In this paper, two commercial packages are used: Expert Choice for determining the AHP priority ranking of the projects, and LINDO for solving the GP model.

Measuring performance of virtual learning environment system in higher education

“…HOQ3linking VLE system features and VLE system alternatives Table I. Applications of AHP, QFD, and their integration in higher education Approaches Authors Applications AHP Kwak and Lee (1998) IT-based project selection Ozdemir and Gasimov (2004) Faculty course assignment Badri and Abdulla (2004) Faculty performance measurement Kim et al (2005) Course and curriculum design Lee and Lee (2006) Subject evaluation and selection Ho et al (2007) Resource allocation QFD Jaraiedi and Ritz (1994) Course and curriculum design Wiklund and Wiklund (1999) Course and curriculum design Hwarng and Teo (2001) Course and curriculum design Duffuaa et al (2003) Course and curriculum design Sahney et al (2003; Course and curriculum design Chou (2004) Course and curriculum design Aytaç and Deniz (2005) Course and curriculum design Denton et al (2005) Course and curriculum design After logging in the system successfully, stakeholders may find a list of modules in their VLE portal, particularly for students. Within each module, there may be numerous documents in the middle and end of semester.…”

“…The authors applied AHP to rank the alternative subject streams, including accounting, finance, information systems, management, management science, and marketing, with respect to four criteria: personal, others, institutional, and career preferences. Ho, Dey and Higson (2007) studied the resource allocation problem in a university.…”

“…Ho et al (2007) studied the resource allocation problem in a university. AHP was used first to determine the relative importance of the proposed projects with respect to three university's goals: teaching, quality, and consultancy.…”

“…The applicability of AHP in higher education is broad. It has been applied to three of the main higher education decision problems (Ho et al , 2006), including resource allocation (Kwak and Lee, 1998; Ho et al , 2007), performance measurement (Badri and Abdulla, 2004; Kim et al , 2005; Lee and Lee, 2006), and scheduling (Ozdemir and Gasimov, 2004).…”

Application of analytic hierarchy process to evaluate design criteria for humane trap cage.

“…In this context, Saaty's analytic hierarchy process (AHP) forms as the dominant method of MCDM that provides a suitable framework for this related problem [2,5]. As acknowledged by many authors, AHP gain popularity due to its simplicity, transparent process and accuracy with regards to expressing one's opinion based on only two alternatives [6,7,9]. In supporting this view, [10] added that the analytical hierarchy process approach yield positive results as it was administered and verified in an investigative study on the university-industry partnership initiatives on ranking preference of linkages by industry of various sectors with the following approaches, namely identification of industrial respondent, development of hierarchical structure, data tabulation, assignment of weight and eventually producing output.…”