General Objectives

For 2017 the proposed activities of Group 7 are:

i) To improve the processes of evaluation and decision-making on the design, management and operation of complex systems, including infrastructure and public services  through the development and application of state-of-the-art concepts, methods and techniques of modelling, optimization and evaluation emerging from the Operational Research and Systems Science domain;

ii) To attract and stimulate young researchers to pursue advanced studies and to develop innovative ideas;

iii) To contribute to the introduction and dissemination of innovation and best practices in organizations;

iv) To internationalize the group allowing the participation in cross-countries studies and the mobility among researchers.

The S&M group has a long tradition of engagement in applied research and innovative services provision for private and public organizations and we intend to reinforce these industrial links. It is also our objective to consolidate our reputation as one of the leading groups in the areas of Operational Research & Engineering Systems in Portugal and abroad in particular areas, aiming at strengthening our international collaborative ties and recognition. Providing contributions for the literature and increasing the number of published papers in leading international journals, in parallel with active participation in international forums and projects, is also a means to promote international visibility and recognition.

The research development strategy is based on three fundamental pillars:

i) Existing skills and capacities to capture the essence of each problem and to devise appropriate frameworks that fit the decision context;

ii) Societal and industrial relevance of the issues to be addressed and capability to attract and engage partners that provide case-studies and funding;

iii) Internationalization and networking of their members and ability to attract young researchers and involvement in international project teams.

Main Achievements

The research activities of the RG on Management and Systems within CERIS has been strategically directed towards improving decision making, namely through adequate methodologies, processes and decision support models applied to public services and  infrastructure, in four major broad domains  such as:

a) Project management, procurement and contracting;

b) Decision systems, design, operation and management;

c) Regulatory pricing policies and performance systems assessment;

d) Information Modelling and Technologies.

These lines of research were followed during 2016 and the objectives set were fulfilled. Consequently, major outputs were obtained in this year and this RG has started to become a international reference of excellence in some of its research areas. In 2016 19 articles were published in international journals indexed to Web of (Social) Science along with 6 book chapters and 7 papers in international proceedings. The refereeing activity continued highly positive, during 2016 more than 100 papers were reviewed for 53 international journals.

One international conference was fully organized and the involvement and cooperation of the research members with international reputed universities was sped up. RG Researchers belong to 6 Editorial Boards of International Journals. There was cooperation with more than 20 universities and research centers from countries such as the USA (Carnegie Mellon University, University of Florida, Michigan University or Cornell University), Spain (University of Barcelona or Oviedo University), Australia (University of New England, South Australia University, Griffith University, LaTrobe University, Melbourne or University of Southern Cross), Italy (University of Pisa, University of Verona, Bocconi University or Politecnico di Milano), Brazil (FGV,FIOCRUZ, University of Brasilia, UFRJ and University of São Paulo), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam), Ireland (University of Limerick), Chile (University of Santiago) and Belgium (University Catholic of Leuven), University of Gambia among others. Several lectures were given by the RG researchers in these universities.

The most reputed meetings concerning the interest areas of the RG counted on the active participation of its members and, as usual, with the collaboration of its members with international institutions such as the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, Transparency International or OECD. There was also a great involvement in international research projects. In 2016 RG researchers participated in two European Projects.  

In total, 19 doctoral theses are in progress, 9 Msc dissertations supervised by RG Members were concluded.