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Assignment on Direct Fresh Limited

The document is an assignment on decision making under uncertainty regarding options for selling or consuming 10 metric tons of litchi. It provides a payoff table and asks the student to choose options based on different decision making criteria, including optimistic, pessimistic, criterion of realism using different alpha values, Laplace, and minimax regret. The student's answers apply each criteria to the payoff table and determine that the recommended option would change depending on the criteria and assumptions used.

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Md Aulad Hossain
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
118 views12 pages

Assignment on Direct Fresh Limited

The document is an assignment on decision making under uncertainty regarding options for selling or consuming 10 metric tons of litchi. It provides a payoff table and asks the student to choose options based on different decision making criteria, including optimistic, pessimistic, criterion of realism using different alpha values, Laplace, and minimax regret. The student's answers apply each criteria to the payoff table and determine that the recommended option would change depending on the criteria and assumptions used.

Uploaded by

Md Aulad Hossain
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SHER-E-BANGLA AGRICULTURAL

UNIVERSITY

Assignment on
“Direct Fresh limited”
Course Title: E-Business
Course Code: AGBM 329

Submitted to:
Md. Rashidul Hasan
Associate Professor, Dept. Of Agribusiness and Marketing
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University

Submitted by:
Md. Aulad Hossain (19-09844)
Degree Name: [Link]. Agricultural Economics
Faculty: Agribusiness Management
Department: Agricultural Economics
Level: 3, Semester: Ⅰ

Submission Date: 24th May, 202


Suppose you have 10 metric tons of litchi from your land. You have two choices: either you can
sell or keep the litchi for household and popular consumption. For sale, you can target the market
of Dhaka city and the market of the Rangpur division to supply the litchi. You have a payoff
table as below:

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market
Dhaka City 1000000 -600000
Rangpur Division 500000 -250000
Household and Popular 0 0
Consumption

1. Which option will you choose under an uncertain business situation (Optimistic, Pessimistic,
the criterion of realism, Laplace & minimax regret)? You can assume 𝛼 = 0.4,0.7 for assessing
the criterion of realism.
2. Estimate the EMV considering the 𝛼 = 0.4,0.65 and prove that your option can change when
the value of 𝛼 (𝑎𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎) changes.
3. Estimate the EOL considering the α=0.3,0.6,0.8 and prove that your option can change when
the value of α (alpha) changes.

Answer

Question Number 1:
As we know that when several states of nature exist and a manager cannot assess the outcome
probability with confidence or when virtually no probability data are available, the environment
is called decision making under uncertainty. Several criteria exist for making decisions under
these conditions. And they are_

● Optimistic
● Pessimistic
● Criterion of realism
● Equally likely
● Minimax regret

Optimistic
In using the optimistic criterion, the best (maximum) payoff for each alternative is considered
and the alternative with the best (maximum) of these is selected. As we can see, the maximum
payoff among the best payoff (Maximax) is tk. 1000000 of Dhaka city in a favorable market. So,
in optimistic criteria, my decision is to supply litchi in Dhaka city.

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market Maximum in a Row

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 1000000 Maximax


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 500000
Household and 0 0 0
Popular Consumption

Pessimistic
As we know, in pessimistic criteria, the worst (minimum) payoff for each alternative is
considered and the alternative with the best (maximum) of these is selected. As we can see, the
best among the worst payoff (Maximin) is tk. 0 of Dhaka city in Household and Popular
Consumption. So, in pessimistic criteria, my decision is to keep the litchi for Household and
Popular Consumption.

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market Minimum in a Row
Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 -600000
Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 -250000
Household and 0 0 0 Maximin
Popular Consumption

Criterion of Realism
The criterion of realism (the Hurwicz criterion) is a compromise between an optimistic and a
pessimistic decision. To begin with, a coefficient of realism (α) is selected. Then weighted
average is computed as follows: (The option with maximum value of the weighted average is
selected)

Weighted average = α (Best in row) + (1 – α) Worst in row


The given coefficient (α) here is 0.4 and 0.7.

Considering alpha (α) =0.4,

Weighted average (Dhaka City) = 0.4 × 1000000 + (1 – 0.4) (-600000)


= 400000 – 360000
= 40000
Weighted average (Rangpur Division) = 0.4 × 500000 + (1 – 0.4) (-250000)
= 200000 – 150000
= 50000
Weighted average (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.4 × 0 + (1 – 0.4) × 0
=0

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market Criterion of Realism or
Weighted Average
(α=0.4)
Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 40000
Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 50000 Realism
Household and 0 0 0
Popular Consumption

From the above we can see that the maximum weighted average is 50000 when the value of
alpha (α) =0.4. So, at this condition my decision is to sell the litchi in Rangpur Division.

Considering alpha (α) = 0.7,


Weighted average (Dhaka City) = 0.7 × 1000000 + (1 – 0.7) (-600000)
= 700000 – 180000
= 520000
Weighted average (Rangpur Division) = 0.7 × 500000 + (1 – 0.7) (-250000)
= 350000 – 75000
= 275000
Weighted average (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.7 × 0 + (1 – 0.7) × 0
=0

STATE OF NATURE Criterion of Realism or


Weighted Average
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market
(α=0.7)
Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 520000 Realism
Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 275000
Household and Popular 0 0 0
Consumption

From the above we can see that the maximum weighted average is 520000 when the value of
alpha (α) =0.7. So, at this condition my decision is to sell the litchi in Dhaka City.

Laplace
This criterion uses all the payoffs for each alternative. This involves finding the average payoff
for each alternative, and selecting the alternative with the best or highest average. The equally
likely approach assumes that all probabilities of occurrence for the states of nature are equal, and
thus each state of nature is equally likely.

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market Row Average

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 200000 Laplace


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 125000
Household and 0 0 0
Popular Consumption
From the above table, it is clear that the highest average is tk. 20000 and the alternative is Dhaka
City. So, in Laplace criteria, my decision is to sell the litchi in Dhaka City.

Minimax Regret
The next decision criterion is Minimax Regret. Minimax regret criterion is based on opportunity
loss. Opportunity loss for any state of nature, or any column, is calculated by subtracting each
payoff in the column from the best payoff in the same column.

Determining Opportunity Losses

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market
Dhaka City 1000000-1000000 0-(-600000)
=0 =600000
Rangpur Division 1000000-500000 0-(-250000)
=500000 =250000
Household and Popular 1000000-0 0-0
Consumption
=1000000 =0

Opportunity Loss Table

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market
Dhaka City 0 600000
Rangpur Division 500000 250000
Household and Popular 1000000 0
Consumption
In order to make a decision which alternative is suitable, first we need to find the maximum
(worst) opportunity loss for each alternative. Next, looking at these maximum values, we pick
that alternative with the minimum (or best) number.

Decision

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market Maximum in a Row

Dhaka City 0 600000 600000


Rangpur Division 500000 250000 500000 Minimax
Household and 1000000 0 1000000
Popular Consumption

From the above table, it is clear that the alternative Rangpur Division comes with the least
opportunity cost. So, my decision is to sell litchi in Rangpur Division.

Question Number # 02
Estimating EMV when α=0.4

EMV (Dhaka City) = 0.4 × 1000000 + 0.6(-600000)


= 40000
EMV (Rangpur Division) = 0.4 × 500000 + 0.6(-250000)
= 50000
EMV (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.4 × 0 + 0.6 × 0
=0
STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market EMV (α=0.4)

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 40000


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 50000
Household and 0 0 0
Popular Consumption

Estimating EMV when α=0.65

EMV (Dhaka City) = 0.65 × 1000000 + 0.35(-600000)


= 440000
EMV (Rangpur Division) = 0.65 × 500000 + 0.35(-250000)
= 237500
EMV (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.65 × 0 + 0.35 × 0
=0

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market EMV (α=0.65)

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 440000


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 237500
Household and 0 0 0
Popular Consumption

Question Number # 3
From (1) we get the opportunity loss table as below
STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market
Dhaka City 0 600000
Rangpur Division 500000 250000
Household and 1000000 0
Popular Consumption

Considering the value of alpha (α)=0.3, we get the Expected Opportunity Loss as below

EOL (Dhaka City) = 0.3 × 0 + 0.7 × 600000


= 420000
EOL (Rangpur Division) = 0.3 × 500000 + 0.7 × 250000
= 325000
EOL (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.3 × 1000000 + 0.7 × 0
= 300000

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market EOL (α=0.3)

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 420000


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 325000
Household and 0 0 300000
Popular Consumption
Considering the value of alpha (α)=0.6, we get the Expected Opportunity Loss as below

EOL (Dhaka City) = 0.6 × 0 + 0.4 × 600000


= 240000
EOL (Rangpur Division) = 0.6 × 500000 + 0.4 × 250000
= 400000
EOL (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.6 × 1000000 + 0.4 × 0
= 600000

STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market EOL (α=0.6)

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 240000


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 400000
Household and 0 0 600000
Popular Consumption

Considering the value of alpha (α)=0.8, we get the Expected Opportunity Loss as below

EOL (Dhaka City) = 0.8 × 0 + 0.2 × 600000


= 120000
EOL (Rangpur Division) = 0.8 × 500000 + 0.2 × 250000
= 450000
EOL (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0.8 × 1000000 + 0.2 × 0
= 800000
STATE OF NATURE
Alternatives Favorable Market Unfavorable Market EOL (α=0.8)

Dhaka City 1000000 -600000 120000


Rangpur Division 500000 -250000 450000
Household and 0 0 800000
Popular Consumption

Sensitivity Analysis
EMV (Dhaka City) = 1000000p – (1-p) 600000
= 1000000p + 60000p – 600000
= 1600000p – 600000
EMV (Rangpur Division) = 500000 p – (1-p) 250000
= 500000p + 250000p – 250000
= 7500000p – 250000
EMV (Household and Popular Consumption) = 0 p + (1-p) 0
=0
EMV
1000000

800000

600000

400000

200000

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
-200000

-400000

-600000

-800000

-1000000

Probability

EMV (Dhaka City)

EMV (Rangpur Division)

EMV (Household and Popular Consumption)

Common questions

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Under conditions of uncertainty, various decision-making criteria can be applied to choose the market for litchis. These include Optimistic (Maximax), which suggests supplying to Dhaka city due to the potential maximum payoff of 1,000,000 in a favorable market , and Pessimistic (Maximin), which leads to the Household and Popular Consumption option with a payoff of 0 under unfavorable conditions . The Criterion of Realism considers a balance with weighted averages calculated using different alpha values; at α=0.4, the decision is to supply to Rangpur Division due to a higher weighted average of 50,000, whereas at α=0.7, Dhaka city is preferred with a 520,000 average . The Laplace criterion, considering equal probabilities, points again to Dhaka City with the highest average payoff . Minimax Regret, focusing on minimizing opportunity loss, leans towards Rangpur Division due to its minimum loss across possible states . Each criterion gives a distinct preference, reflecting the risk attitudes and balancing prospects in uncertain scenarios.

External economic conditions, such as shifts in demand or market stability, directly impact payoff predictions in distribution decisions, illustrating sensitivity through economic change simulation. For litchis, favorable market conditions increase attractiveness of high-payoff regions like Dhaka (validated under optimistic and adjusted realism criteria), while downturns might highlight household consumption due to stability and minimal loss risks . Observations of alpha value effects (weighting favorable/unfavorable market assumptions) clearly show this influence, dictating choice between aggressive market play versus secure positions during economic variability.

Integrating multiple strategic analysis frameworks like optimistic, pessimistic, realism, Laplace, and minimax regret enhances decision-making by offering diverse perspectives on risk and reward, enabling more robust, informed choices. Each framework emphasizes different aspects: Maximizing potential returns (Optimistic), preparing for worst-case outcomes (Pessimistic), balancing risk/return (Realism), equal probability scenarios (Laplace), and minimizing regret (Minimax Regret). Such varied methodologies provide a comprehensive risk assessment toolkit allowing decision-makers to choose strategies that align best with corporate risk tolerances and market conditions, optimizing decisions amid uncertainty.

Expected Opportunity Loss (EOL) quantifies the expected loss from not choosing the optimal decision, incorporating regret into decision-making. Calculations for varying alpha values show different preferential outcomes: At α=0.3, EOL shows Rangpur Division with the least loss (325,000), due to a smaller compounded expected regret . At α=0.6, Dhaka City offers lower EOL (240,000), aligning with a high potential benefit despite regret costs . Higher α values weigh more on favorable outcomes, creating an environment where potential high returns offset typical regrets, guiding risk-averse or balancing strategies.

Sensitivity analysis evaluates how changes in probability estimations of favorable and unfavorable markets influence perceived risk and strategic decisions. By varying probabilities, this analysis alters the potential payoff calculations and thus preference patterns. For example, EMV sensitivity to probability for Dhaka City, increasing linear with possible favorable market likelihood, shifts perception and strategy . Such analysis reveals all decisions' profit and loss elasticity to probability, guiding decision-makers in adjusting strategies to pursue balance between gain potential and inherent risk amid variability.

EMV is calculated by weighing payoffs of each market alternative by their respective probabilities, reflecting different states' likelihood. For α=0.4, EMV for Dhaka City calculates as: 0.4 × 1,000,000 + 0.6 × (-600,000) = 40,000, while for Rangpur Division it's 0.4 × 500,000 + 0.6 × (-250,000) = 50,000 . Under this scenario, Rangpur Division emerges as the better option. Changing to α=0.65, EMV for Dhaka City increases to 440,000, favoring Dhaka City as the preferred choice . This process shows how greater confidence in favorable outcomes (higher alpha) can shift preferences toward higher potential returns.

The Minimax Regret criterion focuses on minimizing the worst-case regret, evaluating opportunity losses for each decision against the best possible outcomes. In the litchi market scenario, the regret is calculated by determining the opportunity loss for each state and selecting the option with the smallest maximum regret. For example, Rangpur Division, having the lowest maximum regret (500,000 compared to others), is preferred . Such analysis helps businesses mitigate risk by ensuring that outcomes, irrespective of the state of nature, have minimized negative deviations from the optimal choice, thus guiding decisions towards less risky but competitive strategies.

The Criterion of Realism blends optimistic and pessimistic views using a weighted average dependent on a realism coefficient (alpha), providing flexibility based on risk preference. It yields varied results contrasted against Laplace, which assumes equal probability for each state of nature, regardless of actual likelihood . For instance, with α=0.4, realism directs to Rangpur; at α=0.7, Dhaka . Contrarily, Laplace consistently favors Dhaka for highest average . Realism's strength lies in adjustable assumptionsal structure, but requires confidence in alpha settings. Laplace benefits from simplicity, yet oversimplifies by ignoring real condition disparities.

Changing the coefficient of realism (alpha) significantly affects decision-making outcomes by altering the weighted average calculations. With α=0.4, the weighted average suggests selling to Rangpur Division (Payoff: 50,000). However, increasing α to 0.7 shifts the preference to Dhaka City due to its higher weighted average of 520,000 . This shift highlights how varying optimism levels about market conditions can change risk assessments and the preferred marketing strategy, balancing between pessimistic and optimistic views.

Minimax Regret as a strategic decision tool calculates the regret felt when a suboptimal decision is made. For litchis, this involves calculating the opportunity loss for each alternative across states (market conditions), choosing the one with the lowest maximum regret. With Rangpur Division presenting lowest maximum regret (500,000), it emerges as less risky despite lower potential payoffs compared to Dhaka City . By minimizing potential regret, this approach offers a conservative strategy focusing on safeguarding against worst-case losses, potentially reducing regret impact while still maintaining competitive positioning across volatile market scenarios.

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