A model for selecting professors of management information systems in junior colleges and universities of Taiwan utilizing fuzzy logic (China)

The purpose of this study was to apply concepts of Fuzzy Logic to the staff selection process for professors of management information systems in junior colleges and universities of Taiwan and to develop an interview model using this application. Fuzzy Logic is a departure from the classical two-valued sets and uses soft linguistic system variables and a continuous range of truth values in the interval (0, 1) rather than strict binary (true or false) decisions and assignments.; A review of the literature on effective teaching as well as incorporation of several teaching qualities unique to the Taiwanese culture were used to determine a set of criteria to be used in the staff selection process. A model was designed that begins with the development of a candidate evaluation form to be used by a selection committee, generates a weighted value for each criteria, provides an interview for candidates with scores obtained, and concludes with an evaluation score generalized through the application of Fuzzy Logic.; The selection model was used to evaluate five candidates through simulated interviews. The application of Fuzzy Logic was used to finalize and rank the candidates.; The results of this study illustrate how the application of Fuzzy Logic can be applied to the staff selection process and reduce the effect of interviewer or committee bias or prejudice. The use of Fuzzy Logic permits computers to be utilized in the staff selection process in a way that parallels how humans think. Computer technology also makes the selection process relatively easy to operate, maintain, and modify. The use of a hierarchical structure in the development of the model allows a selection committee to closely match candidate skills to departmental needs. Fuzzy Logic allows a selection committee to measure the degree of membership of a candidate within a class rather than disagreeing over inclusion and exclusion of the candidate.; The study concludes that utilization of Fuzzy Logic is well justified for use in the staff selection process for professors of MIS in the junior colleges and universities of Taiwan. It also holds promise for other applications of social science research.