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Cat-SD (Categorization by Similarity-Dissimilarity) is a method developed for handling nominal classification problems in the context of Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (MCDA). This paper describes the design and implementation of this method and an application dealing with a recruitment and selection process in the Special Forces of the Portuguese Army. Besides, it proposes interaction protocols to elicit the preference parameters of the method to facilitate the construction of a decision model when the analyst guides the decision maker. Cat-SD has been implemented in DecSpace, a user-friendly online platform for supporting decision aiding processes using one or more MCDA methods simultaneously. The study related to the Portuguese Army Special Forces recruitment and selection demonstrates how these protocols and a tool like DecSpace can facilitate the process of applying the method in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes the use of a multiple criteria decision aiding (MCDA) nominal classification method to tackle a dramatic current social problem: the accommodation system for refugees. In recent years, the number of people in need of protection and assistance as a consequence of forced displacement has drastically increased. As many other European cities, Turin (Italy) offers to refugees temporary places for a limited time span, but they are insufficient and often inadequate. Meanwhile, there are several underused buildings that can potentially be used to cover the refugees' needs of housing and facility. Combining these two aspects, this study aims at contributing to the definition of an urban strategy and improve the decision aiding process related to the accommodation system in Turin. We adopt a recently developed MCDA method to tackle the problem of accommodation of migrants, that is, the Cat-SD (Categorization by Similarity–Dissimilarity) method. We face a nominal classification problem where underused buildings located in the city of Turin are assigned to categories (i.e., three migrant status). A decision model is constructed based on the judgments of the experts. Thus, the application of the method allows to identify an adequate category (or categories) of migrant status for each building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 2010 Toronto summit, the leaders of the G‐20 countries agreed on the implementation of urgent fiscal consolidation plans, following the expansionary policies adopted to curb the recessionary effects of the financial crisis. Unprecedented cuts in public expenditures have taken place, particularly in the European Union periphery, reviving the discussion on the optimal size of the public sector. Supporters of fiscal restraint defend that bigger governments tend to be more inefficient, its opponents assume that government size determines the effectiveness of its performance. However, the social and economic impacts from contractionary fiscal policies ultimately depend on the level of public sector efficiency. Relatively inefficient governments have more scope to consolidate without compromising social welfare. In this paper, we adopt a multiple decision aiding approach, not previously employed for the assessment of complex macroeconomic performances, and employ the ELECTRE TRI‐C outranking method to categorize OECD countries on a set of criteria representing the quality of their public sectors. We then compare the obtained classifications with the share of each government's expenditures on GDP, to identify distinct levels of efficiency. Our analysis suggests that various countries exhibit a margin for efficiency gains, attenuating the social and economic effects of fiscal consolidation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory governance is considered as a new era in the state's intervention, and it is vital to foster both qualitative and quantitative performances of regulators. In this paper, the authors argue that the absence of governance principles allows regulators to justify the adoption of instruments to improve it. Five core regulatory principles, particularly accountability, administrative capacity, open government, regulatory quality, and rule of law build the bridge between regulatory governance and regulatory substance. The authors propose the application of a multicriteria modelling method (ELECTRE TRI‐C) in order to conduct the assessment and categorization of Brazilian subnational regulators according to the presence of governance, encompassing the opinions of legitimate stakeholders. The levels of regulatory governance are calculated for the regulators in order to provide some determinants of good governance, which could be stimulated by regulatory impact assessment, as a policy tool that improves institutional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]