Investing in the bulk carrier market constitutes a rather risky investment due to the volatility of the bulk carrier freight rates. In this study it is attempted to uncover the benefits of using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in forecasting the Capesize Ore Voyage Rates from Tubarao to...

In this thesis we review three case studies in multimodal logistics and transportation systems and analyze the reasons that lead to failure or success. We present the business idea and model of each case study and study the factors that determine revenues and costs, as well as the expectations...

Integrated simulations have been used to predict and analyze the integrated behavior of large, complex product and technology systems throughout their design cycles. During the process of integration, uncertainties arise from many sources, such as material properties, manufacturing variations,...

Many economists agree that countries wishing to develop their national economies should focus on increasing their innovation output. In recent years, the Portuguese government has pursued this goal, taking strides to improve the country's national system of innovation. This effort has included...

The goal of this thesis is to develop a tool for analyzing the risks associated with outsourcing decisions for corporations. The thesis explores the current methods of choosing suppliers to outsource, as well as issues and risks that need to be considered in the decision. A need arose for a tool...

This thesis analyzes the relationship between the physical and paper shipping markets. The main objective is to find if one market leads the other by a specific time period so that market players can take advantage from that. Three different methods were used to analyze this relationship. The...

This thesis discusses the design of a small-business wheelchair that empowers disabled people in developing countries to become entrepreneurs. Disabled people in these countries face tremendous discrimination, making it difficult to find employment and further perpetuating the sentiment that...

Investment and operational decisions involving commodities are taken based on the forward prices of these commodities. These prices are volatile, and a model of their evolution must correctly account for their volatility and correlation term structure. A two-factor model of the forward curve is...

Structural failures of bulk carriers continue to account for the loss of many lives every year. Capes are particularly vulnerable to cracking because of their large length, their trade in high density cargos, and the high rates of cargo operations. Rapid loss often occurs allowing little...

Investments in three coal-fired power generation technologies are valued using the "real options" valuation methodology in an uncertain carbon dioxide (CO2) price environment. The technologies evaluated are pulverized coal (PC), integrated coal gasification combined cycle (baseline IGCC), and...