Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process to Prioritize Urban Transport Options - Comparative Analysis of Group Aggregation Methods

The present study presents a comparative analysis of different group aggregation methods adopted in AHP by testing them against social choice axioms with a case study of Delhi transport system. The group aggregation (GA) methods and their correctness were tested while prioritizing the alternative options to achieve energy efficient and less polluting transport system in Delhi It was observed that among all group aggregation methods, geometric mean method (GMM) - the most widely adopted GA method of AHP - showed poor performance and failed to satisfy the most popular pareto optimality and non-dictatorship axiom raising questions on its validity as GA method adopted in AHP. All other group aggregation methods viz. weighted arithmetic mean method with varying weights and equal weights (WAMM, WeAMM) and arithmetic mean of individual priorities (AMM) resulted in concurring results with the individual member priorities. This study demonstrates that WeAMM resulted in better aggregation of individual priorities compared to WAMM. Comparative analysis between individual and group priorities demonstrates that the arithmetic mean (AMM) of priorities by individual members of the group showed minimum deviation from the group consensus making it the most suitable and simple method to aggregate individual preferences to arrive at a group consensus.AHP, decision making, GMM, group aggregation, transportation, WAMM

Application of analytic hierarchy process to prioritize urban transport options: Comparative analysis of group aggregation methods

The present study presents a comparative analysis of different group aggregation methods adopted in AHP by testing them against social choice axioms with a case study of Delhi transport system. The group aggregation (GA) methods and their correctness were tested while prioritizing the alternative options to achieve energy efficient and less polluting transport system in Delhi. It was observed that among all group aggregation methods, geometric mean method (GMM) - the most widely adopted GA method of AHP - showed poor performance and failed to satisfy the most popular "pareto optimality and non-dictatorship axiom" raising questions on its validity as GA method adopted in AHP. All other group aggregation methods viz. weighted arithmetic mean method with varying weights and equal weights (WAMM, WeAMM) and arithmetic mean of individual priorities (AMM) resulted in concurring results with the individual member priorities. This study demonstrates that WeAMM resulted in better aggregation of individual priorities compared to WAMM. Comparative analysis between individual and group priorities demonstrates that the arithmetic mean (AMM) of priorities by individual members of the group showed minimum deviation from the group consensus making it the most suitable and simple method to aggregate individual preferences to arrive at a group consensus.AHP, decision making, GMM, group aggregation, transportation, WAMM

Evaluation of e-learning web sites using fuzzy axiomatic design based approach

High quality web site has been generally recognized as a critical enabler to conduct online business. Numerous studies exist in the literature to measure the business performance in relation to web site quality. In this paper, an axiomatic design based approach for fuzzy group decision making is adopted to evaluate the quality of e-learning web sites. Another multi-criteria decision making technique, namely fuzzy TOPSIS, is applied in order to validate the outcome. The methodology proposed in this paper has the advantage of incorporating requirements and enabling reductions in the problem size, as compared to fuzzy TOPSIS. A case study focusing on Turkish e-learning websites is presented, and based on the empirical findings, managerial implications and recommendations for future research are offered

WHY FUZZY ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS APPROACH FOR TRANSPORT PROBLEMS?

The evaluation of transport projects has become increasingly complex. Different aspects have to be taken into account and the consequences of the problems are usually far reaching and the different policy alternatives are numerous and difficult to predict. Several pressure or action groups have also emerged causing an even more complex decision making process. The use of multi criteria analysis for the evaluation of transport projects has increased due to this increasing complexity of the problem situation. At the same time, the importance of stakeholders within this evaluation process should have been recognized. Researches on transport projects are generally carried out to provide information to policymakers that have to operate within restrictive parameters (political, economical, social, etc…). Researchers should therefore take greater account of the different priorities of stakeholders such as policymakers, private enterprises and households. These stakeholders should be incorporated explicitly in the evaluation process. The Analytic Hierarchy Process is one of the Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making methods. It can be applied in a very broad range of applications of decision problems. Logistics, urban planning, public politics, marketing, finance, education, economics are a part of this wide application area. In transport subjects it can be used for the evaluation of transport policy measures or decision making problems. Due to its wide range application area, it has been an exciting research subject for many different field researchers. The aim of this paper is to introduce AHP method and to offer how to benefit it for the preference of urban planners in transport problems. This paper is composed of two main parts. First part consists of the literature survey regarding with the AHP and its application areas. The advantage of methods had been mentioned. Second part focuses on a sample application of AHP technique. The study uses AHP technique to determine the selection criteria in the transhipment port selection decision-making process. Keywords: Analytic Hierarchy Process, Multi criteria analysis, Transshipment port selection.

Višekriterijska evaluacija pametnih performansi europskih gradova: gospodarski, socijalni i okolišni aspekti

The purpose of the paper is to provide the ranking of Central and Eastern European cities, based on various elements of cities’ smart performance. Our analysis enables the evaluation of social, economic and environmental aspects of urban life that represent the determinants of cities’ competitive profiles and consequently, the positions on the ranking lists. The research is based on the data on perceptions of citizens on different aspects of urban quality, provided by the Eurostat’s Urban Audit Perception Survey. For the assessment of various hierarchically structured indicators of cities’ smart performance, a multi-criteria analysis model is developed, combining the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) for determining the relative importance of criteria and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method of ranking. The main finding of the paper implies that direct perceptions of citizens on the overall life satisfaction in the analyzed European cities are not influenced by their smart performance. The comparison of ranks obtained by the constructed multi-criteria model and perceived satisfaction of life indicates a rather weak relation.Svrha rada je rangirati gradove srednje i istočne Europe na temelju različitih elemenata pametnih performansi gradova. Ova analiza omogućuje procjenu društvenih, ekonomskih i ekoloških aspekata urbanog života, koji predstavljaju odrednice konkurentnosti gradova, a time i pozicije na rang listi. Istraživanje se temelji na podacima o percepciji građana o različitim aspektima urbane kvalitete, koje pruža Eurostatova baza Urban Audit Perception Survey. Za procjenu raznih hijerarhijski strukturiranih pokazatelja pametnih performansi gradova, razvijen je višekriterijski model analize koji kombinira metodu Analitički hijerarhijski proces (Analytic Hierarchy Process – AHP) za određivanje relativne važnosti kriterija i TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) metodu rangiranja. Glavni nalaz rada sugerira da izravna percepcija građana o cjelokupnom životnom zadovoljstvu u analiziranim europskim gradovima nije uvjetovana “pametnim” performansama gradova. Usporedba poretka dobivenih konstruiranim višekriterijskim modelom i percipiranog zadovoljstva života ukazuje na njihov prilično slab odno

The rank reversal problem in multi-criteria decision making : a literature review

Despite the importance of multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for constructing effective decision models, there are many criticisms due to the occurrence of a problem called rank reversal. Nevertheless, there is a lack of a systematic literature review on this important subject which involves different methods. This study reviews the pertinent literature on rank reversal, based on 130 related articles published from 1980 to 2015 in international journals, which were gathered and analyzed according to the following perspectives: multicriteria technique, year and journal in which the papers were published, co-authorship network, rank reversal types, and research goal. Thus our survey provides recommendations for future research, besides useful information and knowledge regarding rank reversal in the MCDM field

A comparative study on decision-making methodology

Decision making (DM), the process of determining and selecting alternative decisions based on information and the preferences of decision makers (DMs), plays a significant role in our daily personal and professional lives. Many DM methods have been developed to assist DMs in their unique type of decision process. In this thesis, DM methods associated with two types of DM processes are studied: Decision-making under uncertainty (DMUU) and Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). DMUU is making a decision when there are many unknowns or uncertainties about the kinds of states of nature (a complete description of the external factors) that could occur in the future to alter the outcome of a decision. DMUU has two subcategories: decision-making under strict uncertainty (DMUSU) and decision-making under risk (DMUR). Five classic DMUSU methods are Laplace’s insufficient reason principle, Wald’s Maximin, Savage’s Minimax regret, Hurwicz’s pessimism-optimism index criterion and Starr’s domain criterion. Furthermore, based on a review of the relation between a two-player game in game theory and DMUSU, Nash equilibrium is considered a method for approaching DMUSU as well. The well-known DMUR DM methods are expected monetary value, expected opportunity loss, most probable states of nature and expected utility. MCDM is a sub-discipline of operations research, where DMs evaluate multiple conflicting criteria in order to find a compromise solution subject to all the criteria. Numerous MCDM methods exist nowadays. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the ELimination et Choix Traduisant la REalité (ELECTRE), the Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) are the most employed of all the various MCDM methods. This PhD work focuses on presenting a comparative study of DM methods theoretically and evaluating the performance of different methods on a single decision problem. This contribution can guide DMs in gathering the relative objective and subjective information, structuring the decision problem and selecting the right DM method to make the decision that suits not only their subjective preferences, but also the objective facts. The case study used here is the selection of a sewer network construction plan. It is a representative and complex practical decision problem that requires the quality, life-cycle maintenance and performance of the selected sewer system to meet long-term planning for future climate changes and urban development. La prise de décision (DM), un processus de détermination et de sélection de décisions alternatives en fonction des informations et des préférences des décideurs (DM), apparaît largement dans notre vie personnelle et professionnelle quotidienne. Un grand nombre de méthodes DM ont été développées pour aider les DM dans leur type unique de processus de décision. Dans cette thèse, les méthodes DM associées à deux types de processus DM sont étudiées : la prise de décision sous incertitude (DMUU) et la prise de décision multicritère (MCDM). La DMUU doit prendre la décision lorsqu'il existe de nombreuses inconnues ou incertitudes sur le type d'états de la nature (une description complète des facteurs externes) qui pourraient se produire à l'avenir pour modifier le résultat d'une décision. La DMUU comprend deux sous-catégories : la prise de décision sous incertitude stricte (DMUSU) et la prise de décision sous risque (DMUR). Cinq méthodes classiques de DM pour DMUSU sont le principe de raison insuffisante de Laplace, le Waldimin Maximin, le regret Savage Minimax, le critère d'index pessimisme-optimisme de Hurwitz et le critère de domaine de Starr. En outre, l'examen de la relation entre un jeu à deux joueurs dans la théorie des jeux et l'équilibre DMUSU et Nash Equilibrium est également considéré comme l'une des méthodes pour résoudre le DMUSU. Les méthodes DM bien connues de DMUR sont la valeur monétaire attendue, la perte d'opportunité attendue, les états de nature les plus probables et l'utilité attendue. Le MCDM est une sous-discipline de la recherche opérationnelle, où les DM évaluent plusieurs critères conflictuels afin de trouver la solution compromise soumise à tous les critères. Un certain nombre de méthodes DM pour MCDM sont présentes de nos jours. Le processus de hiérarchie analytique (AHP), l'élimination et le choix traduisant la réalité (ELECTRE), les méthodes d'organisation du classement des préférences pour les évaluations d'enrichissement (PROMETHEE) et la technique de préférence par ordre de similitude et de solution idéale (TOPSIS) sont les plus choisies et utilisées des méthodes parmi toutes les différentes méthodes MCDM. Ce travail de thèse se concentre sur la présentation théorique d'une étude comparative des méthodes DM et l'évaluation des performances de différentes méthodes avec un problème de décision particulier. Cette contribution peut guider les DM à rassembler les informations relatives objectives et subjectives, à structurer le problème de décision et à sélectionner la bonne méthode de DM pour prendre la décision qui convient non seulement à leurs préférences subjectives, mais aussi aux faits objectifs. L'étude de cas utilisée ici est la sélection du plan de construction du réseau d'égouts. Il s'agit d'un problème de décision pratique représentatif et complexe qui nécessite la qualité, l'entretien du cycle de vie et les performances du réseau d'égouts sélectionné pour répondre à la planification à long terme des futurs changements climatiques et du développement urbain