Abstract
Ambient Intelligence emerged more than two decades ago, with the exciting promise of technologically empowered environments that would be everywhere, cater to all our needs, be constantly available, know who we are and what we like, and allow us to make explicit requests using natural means instead of the traditional mouse and keyboard. At a time in which this technological unravelling was expected to have already happened, we still use the mouse and the keyboard. In this paper we make a brief analysis of why is this evolution taking more than initially expected. We then move on to analyse several different projects that are innovative, in the sense that they encompass fields of application that go beyond the initially envisioned, and show the diverse areas that AmI systems may potentially come to change. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.

Abstract

Abstract
Providing quality public transportation can be extremely expensive when demand is low, variable and unpredictable. Demand Responsive Transportation (DRT) systems try to address these issues with routes and frequencies that may vary according to observed demand. The design and operation of DRTs involve multiple criteria and have a combinatorial nature that prevents the use of traditional optimization methods. We have developed an innovative Decision Support System (DSS) integrating simulation and optimization, to help design and operate DRT services, minimizing operating costs and maximizing the service quality. Experiments inspired in real problems have shown the potential of this DSS. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.

Abstract
As a combination of different methodologies or parts of methodologies, Multimethodology is becoming more frequent in OR practice. This paper contributes with a new proposal and a new field of application: the employment of Multimethodology in problem solving with Metaheuristics (Mh). A convenient selection of soft and hard methods will be considered, from Soft OR, Creativity and Metaheuristics, such as Strategic Choice Approach, SWOT Analysis and Divergent and Convergent thinking. Formulating the 'right' optimisation problem, choosing a method based on Mh and accomplishing an effective implementation is an imprecise decision-making process, which may require skills and ideas that are beyond the ordinary boundaries of Mh practice. The relevance and success of Mh have been well-known for decades, but some open questions concerning choice and implementation strategies, for instance, still remain. If these questions are not adequately answered, they may lose credibility in the long term. The quality of solutions and computational times are not the only criteria used to analyse Mh, nor are they the most important. Very often, the effectiveness of an approach has to be evaluated from the perspective of modelling and practical problem solving. This paper investigates the advantages of Multimethodology and, furthermore, it sketches a framework for a coherent and comprehensive comparison of Mh and recommends a dynamic guiding tool for their implementation.

Abstract
This chapter presents an innovative collaborative planning (CP) approach for non-hierarchical production networks that enhances collaboration between partners in two different lifecycle phases of the virtual organizations (VOs). The first phase concerns the first planning iteration for the customer, and it basically defines the operations plan and a quotation for the customer, supported by a negotiation process between partners. The second phase concerns a detailed specification of the manufacturing operation and its planning. The chapter first presents a summary of the main trends and previous work concerning collaborative network (CN), governance models and approaches for CP. Next, it provides the requirements for the CP. The chapter ends with the methodology proposed for CP, considering two planning schemes and the evaluation of the quality of the solutions. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Abstract
This paper presents part of the findings of a research project aiming at characterising high-performance collaborative business networks and at defining the conditions required for their creation and management. The project adopted a multiple case study research strategy and three different business networks are presented in this paper. Empirical studies have been performed in Northern Portugal. The results of the study include operational definitions based on a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual reference framework for the analysis of high-performance collaborative networks and recommendations for the creation and management of such networks.