This paper proposes a methodology for evaluating and selecting R&D projects in a collective decision setting, especially useful at sectorial and national levels. It consists of two major phases: Evaluation and Selection. The evaluation process repeatedly uses mathematical programming models to determine the "relative values" of a given R&D project from the viewpoint of the other R&D projects. The selection process of R&D projects is based on these "relative values" and is done through a model-based outranking method. The salient features of the methodology developed are its ability to (1) permit the evaluation of an R&D project from the viewpoint of the other R&D projects without at first imposing a uniform evaluation scheme, and (2) maximize the level of consensus as to which projects should not be retained in the R&D Program being funded, thus minimizing the level of possible resentment in those organizations or departments whose projects are not included in the R&D Program. Also discussed in this paper is an application of the methodology to evaluate and select major R&D projects in the iron and steel industry of Turkey.R&D project evaluation and selection, group decision making, iron and steel industry, data envelopment analysis, social choice, multiple criteria analysis, consensus formation

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Several techniques of linearization have appeared in the literature. The technique of F. Glover, which seems to be the most efficient, linearizes a binary quadratic integer problem of n variables by introducing n new continuous variables and 4n auxiliary linear constraints. The new technique proposed in this paper is not only useful in linearizing binary quadratic and cubic integer problems, but also applicable to the case of quadratic and to a certain class of cubic “mixed-integer” problems. It is shown that the new technique further reduces the number of auxiliary linear constraints from 4n to n, while keeping the number of new continuous variables at n for the binary quadratic integer problem of n variables. And, it requires, in the case of a certain class of cubic mixed-integer problems having 2n of 0–1 variables, only 3n auxiliary linear constraints and the same number of new continuous variables. The analytical superiority of the new linearization technique has also been observed, in terms of the number of iterations and execution times, through a computational experiment conducted on a set of randomly generated binary quadratic integer problems.

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