Skip to main content

A decision support system to evaluate the competitiveness of nations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Advances in Numerical Methods

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering ((LNEE,volume 11))

  • 1591 Accesses

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to explore methodological transparency as a viable solution to problems created by existing aggregated indices as well as to conduct a detailed analysis on the ongoing performance of nations’ competitiveness. For this purpose, a methodology composed of three steps is used. To start with, a combined clustering analysis methodology is used to assign countries to appropriate clusters. Unlike the current methods that use a single criterion, the proposed methodology uses 135 criteria for a proper classification of the countries. Relationships between the criteria and classification of the countries are determined using artificial neural networks (ANNs). ANN provides an objective method for determining the criteria weights, which are, for the most part, subjectively specified in existing methods. Finally, the countries are ranked based on weights generated in the previous step. As a final analysis, the dynamic change of the rank of the countries over years has also been investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Oral M, Cinar U, Chabchoub H (1999) Linking industrial competitiveness and productivity at the firm level. European Journal of Operational Research 118(2): 271–277

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. WEF (2006) The Global Competitiveness Report 2006–2007. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan

    Google Scholar 

  3. http://www.imd.ch

  4. Sala-i-Martin X, Artadi EV (2004) The Global Competitiveness Index. in [5] pp 51–80

    Google Scholar 

  5. WEF (2004) The Global Competitiveness Report 2004–2005. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan

    Google Scholar 

  6. Onsel Ş, Ulengin F, Ulusoy G, Aktaş E, Kabak Ö, Topcu Yİ (2007) A new perspective on competitiveness of nations. Socio-Economic and Planning Science (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hair J, Anderson KE, Black WC (1995) Multivariate Data Analysis with Readings. Prentice Hall: New York

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mangiameli P, Chen SK, West DA (1996) Comparison of SOM neural network and hierarchical clustering. European Journal of Operational Research 93(2): 402–417

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Kohonen T (1987) Adaptive associative and self-organizing functions in neural computing. Applied Optics 26(23): 4910–4918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. http://www.mathworks.com

  11. http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/dfdoc/nnet/nnet.pdf

  12. Yoon Y, Swales G, Margavio TM (1993) A comparison of discriminant analysis versus artificial neural networks. Journal of Operational Research Society 44(1): 51–60

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Boznar M, Lesjak M, Mlakar P (1993) A neural network-based method for short-term predictions of ambient SO2 concentrations in highly polluted industrial areas of complex terrain. Atmospheric Environment part B: Urban Atmosphere 27B: 221–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hwarng HB, Ang HT (2001) A simple neural network for ARMA (p,q) time series. Omega 29: 319–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Swanson NR, White H (1997) Forecasting economic time series using flexible versus fixed specification and linear versus nonlinear econometric models. International Journal of Forecasting 13(4): 439–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hruschka H (1993) Determining market response functions by neural network modeling: a comparison to econometric techniques, European Journal of Operational Research 66(1): 27–35

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Onsel Sahin S, Ulengin F, Ulengin B (2004) A dynamic approach to scenario analysis: the case of Turkey’s inflation estimation. European Journal of Operational Research 158(1): 124–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ş. Önsel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Önsel, Ş., Ülengin, F., Ulusoy, G., Kabak, Ö., Topcu, Y.İ., Aktaş, E. (2009). A decision support system to evaluate the competitiveness of nations. In: Mastorakis, N., Sakellaris, J. (eds) Advances in Numerical Methods. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-76483-2_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-76483-2_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-76482-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-76483-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics