The aim of the article is to show a stochastic approach for both modelling and optimizing the statistical agent belief in a probability model. Two networks are defined: a decision network D of the agent belief state and a utility network U, presenting the utility structure of the agent belief problem. The agent belief is presented via the following three items (B,D,U), where B is a Bayesian net...

Caste based endogamy is one of the main characteristics of traditional caste system practiced in rural Pakistan. Members of different quoms do not inter-marry or at least do not prefer to marry out of their quom. While social acceptance for inter quom marriages among different landowning quoms is increasing in Punjabi villages, inter marriages between landowning quoms and service providing quom...

We study the diffusion of a product in two customer segments where the acceptance level in one segment affects the diffusion rate not only in that same segment, but also in the other. The inter-segment influence can be positive or negative, i.e., the acceptance level of the product in one segment can reinforce or impede its diffusion in the other. The model set-up also applies to the diffusion ...

Imprecision in probability values (represented through credal sets) allows a more realistic modelling of uncertainty in decision problems. Uncertainties often lead to partially ordered preferences and, consequently, different criteria of choice may be taken into account. In this paper, we present an algorithm that evaluates an extended version of influence diagrams, where chance variables repre...

Influence diagrams allow for intuitive and yet precise description of complex situations involving decision making under uncertainty. Unfortunately, most of the problems described by influence diagrams are hard to solve. In this paper we discuss the complexity of approximately solving influence diagrams. We do not assume no-forgetting or regularity, which makes the class of problems we address ...

BACKGROUND A medical tests may influence the health of patients by guiding clinical decisions, such as treatment in case of a positive test result. However, a medical test can influence the health of patients through other mechanisms as well, like giving reassurance. To make a clinical recommendation about a medical test, we should be aware of the full range of effects of that test on patients....

We show the soundness of automated con­ trol of machine vision systems based on in­ cremental creation and evaluation of a par­ ticular family of influence diagrams that rep­ resent hypotheses of imagery interpretation and possible subsequent processing decisions. In our approach, model-based machine vi­ sion techniques are integrated with hierarchi­ cal Bayesian inference to provide a framewor...

Many multichannel retailers are now offering customers the option to place their orders online and then pick them up from the retailers’ physical stores. As a relatively new type of multichannel retail service, the factors that influence consumers to use “online order/in-store pickup” (OOIP) remains largely unknown. This study uses the Behavioral Reasoning Theory to examine the factors that inf...