A Local Adjustment Method to Improve Multiplicative Consistency of Fuzzy Reciprocal Preference Relations

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Preferences that verify the transitivity property are usually referred to as rational or consistent preferences. Existent methods to improve the consistency of inconsistent fuzzy reciprocal preference relations (FPRs) fail to retain the original preference values because they always derive a new FPR. This article presents a new inconsistency identification and modification (IIM) method to detect and rectify only the most inconsistent elements of an inconsistent FPR. As such, the proposed IIM can be considered a local adjustment method to improve multiplicative consistency (MC) of FPRs. The case of inconsistent FPRs with missing values, i.e., incomplete FPRs, is addressed with the estimation of the missing preferences with a constrained nonlinear optimization model by the application of the IIM method. The implementation process of the proposed algorithms is illustrated with numerical examples. Simulation experiments and comparisons with existent methods are also included to show that the new method requires fewer iterations than existent methods to improve the MC of FPRs and achieves better MC level, while preserving the original preference information as much as possible than the existent methods. Thus, the results presented in this article demonstrate the correctness, effectiveness, and robustness of the proposed method

Consistency-driven methodology to manage incomplete linguistic preference relation: A perspective based on personalized individual semantics

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.In linguistic decision making problems there may be cased when decision makers will not be able to provide complete linguistic preference relations. However, when estimating unknown linguistic preference values in incomplete preference relations, the existing research approaches ignore the fact that words mean different things for different people, i.e. decision makers have personalized individual semantics (PISs) regarding words. To manage incomplete linguistic preference relations with PISs, in this paper we propose a consistency-driven methodology both to estimate the incomplete linguistic preference values and to obtain the personalized numerical meanings of linguistic values of the different decision makers. The proposed incomplete linguistic preference estimation method combines the characteristic of the personalized representation of decision makers and guarantees the optimum consistency of incomplete linguistic preference relations in the implementation process. Numerical examples and a comparative analysis are included to justify the feasibility of the PISs based incomplete linguistic preference estimation method

Pairwise comparison matrix in multiple criteria decision making

The measurement scales, consistency index, inconsistency issues, missing judgment estimation and priority derivation methods have been extensively studied in the pairwise comparison matrix (PCM). Various approaches have been proposed to handle these problems, and made great contributions to the decision making. This paper reviews the literature of the main developments of the PCM. There are plenty of literature related to these issues, thus we mainly focus on the literature published in 37 peer reviewed international journals from 2010 to 2015 (searched via ISI Web of science). We attempt to analyze and classify these literatures so as to find the current hot research topics and research techniques in the PCM, and point out the future directions on the PCM. It is hoped that this paper will provide a comprehensive literature review on PCM, and act as informative summary of the main developments of the PCM for the researchers for their future research. First published online: 02 Sep 201

A fuzzy hierarchical multiple criteria group decision support system - Decider - and its applications

Decider is a Fuzzy Hierarchical Multiple Criteria Group Decision Support System (FHMC-GDSS) designed for dealing with subjective, in particular linguistic, information and objective information simultaneously to support group decision making particularly on evaluation. In this chapter, the fuzzy aggregation decision model, functions and structure of Decider are introduced. The ideas to resolve decision and evaluation problems we have faced in the development and application of Decider are presented. Two real applications of the Decider system are briefly illustrated. Finally, we discuss our further research in this area. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Analyzing decision making in software design

A model is given for the analysis of rationality in design decision making. We define a formal means for answering the query, To what extent has a designer, on a particular occasion, using an explicit definition of 'good', decided rationally?A decision rationality classification scheme is proposed. This scheme incorporates non-compensatory decision analysis techniques (dominance and conjunctive cut-off) as well as compensatory techniques (simple and hierarchical additive weighting, linear assignment, concordance, and displaced ideal). A formal definition of design decision is derived by extending the Lehman, Stenning, Turski transformational model of the software design process. Their view of artifact specification mappings between linguistic systems is extended to include the concomitant effect of the mapping on resource expenditure.A formal specification for decision control knowledge is defined. This representation is the union of that knowledge required to support the various decision analysis techniques. Presumed to operationalize a designer's goals, the knowledge representation scheme includes five levels:1. Each objective expresses some relevant design concern for an artifact and/or resource characteristic.2. Each criterion expresses some relevant decomposition of a superior objective or criterion.3. Each attribute expresses the bottom-most decomposition for a superior criterion. Each attribute may have a weight indicating its relative contribution to its superior criterion.4. For each attribute, a value function expresses the designer's preference ordering over observed performance for an attribute.5. For each attribute, an observation channel describes an observer independent metric over some specification (either resource or artifact) rendered in some linguistic system and a procedure for application of that metric.Our model is applied to problems in Structured Design and conceptual data modeling. We argue that a comprehensive design history must include not only the transformations applied but also the rationale used in deciding their application. This rationale must include decision control knowledge governing both artifact (product) and resource (process) facets of design decision making. The principal contribution of this work is that the opacity of the decision intensive aspects of design are reduced thereby taking a necessary step for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of software development

A Decision Tool for Supplier Selection That Takes into Account Power and Performance

Companies select their suppliers to provide required performance while being successful partners. An important aspect of collaboration is the power relationship between the company and its suppliers. Although the significance of power in supplier selection is acknowledged, published work rarely includes assessment of power. An empirical study on selecting suppliers for new product developments in a major European diesel engine manufacturing company, supported by three smaller studies with electronic engineering companies, frames overall questions regarding the importance of incorporating power into supplier selection and how this might be achieved. This research proposes an approach that assesses both performance and power and integrates the assessment results by modelling the relative effects of power and performance. It positions the suppliers into six scenarios (ideal, satisfying, tolerable, unfavourable, risky and tough) which depict to what extent a supplier is ‘suitable’ to work with. A reverse analysis reviews the relationship when several suppliers appear suitable. An assessment method is developed incorporating both subjective and objective data for qualitative and quantitative criteria. It combines two decision making methods, AHP and TOPSIS, with triangular fuzzy numbers. Multiple judgements from several decision makers are synthesised. This method is adapted for performance assessment of single, group and cross-group suppliers. Weights are calculated for the criteria, and combined with calculations of supplier performance against each criterion to provide an overall assessment and supplier profile. Power is quantified against a set of power determinants and power relations (supplier dominance, buyer dominance and balanced) are determined. The effects of supplier perceptions (objective, optimistic and pessimistic) are estimated in the calculation. The proposed approach involves complex calculations and a prototype software tool is developed with graphical interfaces. The tool includes performance criteria and power determinants collected from literature and allows users to define new ones. Application to an agriculture case enables the sustainable performance of suppliers (farmers) to be evaluated and compared

Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy Logic is becoming an essential method of solving problems in all domains. It gives tremendous impact on the design of autonomous intelligent systems. The purpose of this book is to introduce Hybrid Algorithms, Techniques, and Implementations of Fuzzy Logic. The book consists of thirteen chapters highlighting models and principles of fuzzy logic and issues on its techniques and implementations. The intended readers of this book are engineers, researchers, and graduate students interested in fuzzy logic systems

CBR and MBR techniques: review for an application in the emergencies domain

The purpose of this document is to provide an in-depth analysis of current reasoning engine practice and the integration strategies of Case Based Reasoning and Model Based Reasoning that will be used in the design and development of the RIMSAT system. RIMSAT (Remote Intelligent Management Support and Training) is a European Commission funded project designed to: a.. Provide an innovative, 'intelligent', knowledge based solution aimed at improving the quality of critical decisions b.. Enhance the competencies and responsiveness of individuals and organisations involved in highly complex, safety critical incidents - irrespective of their location. In other words, RIMSAT aims to design and implement a decision support system that using Case Base Reasoning as well as Model Base Reasoning technology is applied in the management of emergency situations. This document is part of a deliverable for RIMSAT project, and although it has been done in close contact with the requirements of the project, it provides an overview wide enough for providing a state of the art in integration strategies between CBR and MBR technologies.Postprint (published version

Multi-Criteria Decision Making in Complex Decision Environments

In the future, many decisions will either be fully automated or supported by autonomous system. Consequently, it is of high importance that we understand how to integrate human preferences correctly. This dissertation dives into the research field of multi-criteria decision making and investigates the satellite image acquisition scheduling problem and the unmanned aerial vehicle routing problem to further the research on a priori preference integration frameworks. The work will aid in the transition towards autonomous decision making in complex decision environments. A discussion on the future of pairwise and setwise preference articulation methods is also undertaken. "Simply put, a direct consequence of the improved decision-making methods is,that bad decisions more clearly will stand out as what they are - bad decisions.