Data-driven Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making and its Potential Applications

With the complexity of the socio-economic environment, today's decision-making is one of the most notable ventures, whose mission is to decide the best alternative under the numerous known or unknown criteria, such as “purchase of products”, “choice of hotels”, “identification of partners”, “technology adoption”, and so on. However, due to the limited knowledge base of decision makers and the dynamic changes of the objective environment, decision making becomes a very difficult and complex task. To address it completely, the multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods based on the fuzzy set theory and its extensions are developed under the different domains. These methods have tremendous advantages in terms of representation of uncertain information, aggregation of information, and description of decision makers’ preference. However, many current studies have been limited to analysis of the fuzzy MCDM theories, and there are only very limited studies focusing on their applications. Moreover, most application cases are based on virtual simulation data, which limits the practical application of fuzzy MCDM methods. At present, with the development of data mining technologies, decision-making methods combining data mining and fuzzy MCDM are beginning to gain attention. These methods mine structured or unstructured data such as text, audio, and pictures, express the data in the form of fuzzy sets, and analyze the decision-making problems under certain scenarios by using the information aggregation operators and decision criteria. These methods combine data mining with fuzzy sets to form a new research paradigm, namely the data-driven fuzzy MCDM paradigm. This paradigm combines the respective advantages of data mining and fuzzy sets and promotes the application of the fuzzy MCDM method in practice. Therefore, further exploration of the data-driven fuzzy MCDM method is conducive to widely extract data value and enrich the fuzzy set theory; it is particularly valuable in applying the method to guide the actual decision-making. This Special Issue aims to collate original research papers and research articles that report on recent advancements in data-driven fuzzy MCDM methods, techniques, and practical achievements in the broad field

New Challenges in Neutrosophic Theory and Applications

Neutrosophic theory has representatives on all continents and, therefore, it can be said to be a universal theory. On the other hand, according to the three volumes of “The Encyclopedia of Neutrosophic Researchers” (2016, 2018, 2019), plus numerous others not yet included in Encyclopedia book series, about 1200 researchers from 73 countries have applied both the neutrosophic theory and method. Neutrosophic theory was founded by Professor Florentin Smarandache in 1998; it constitutes further generalization of fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy theories. The key distinction between the neutrosophic set/logic and other types of sets/logics lies in the introduction of the degree of indeterminacy/neutrality (I) as an independent component in the neutrosophic set. Thus, neutrosophic theory involves the degree of membership-truth (T), the degree of indeterminacy (I), and the degree of non-membership-falsehood (F). In recent years, the field of neutrosophic set, logic, measure, probability and statistics, precalculus and calculus, etc., and their applications in multiple fields have been extended and applied in various fields, such as communication, management, and information technology. We believe that this book serves as useful guidance for learning about the current progress in neutrosophic theories. In total, 22 studies have been presented and reflect the call of the thematic vision. The contents of each study included in the volume are briefly described as follows. The first contribution, authored by Wadei Al-Omeri and Saeid Jafari, addresses the concept of generalized neutrosophic pre-closed sets and generalized neutrosophic pre-open sets in neutrosophic topological spaces. In the article “Design of Fuzzy Sampling Plan Using the Birnbaum-Saunders Distribution”, the authors Muhammad Zahir Khan, Muhammad Farid Khan, Muhammad Aslam, and Abdur Razzaque Mughal discuss the use of probability distribution function of Birnbaum–Saunders distribution as a proportion of defective items and the acceptance probability in a fuzzy environment. Further, the authors Derya Bakbak, Vakkas Uluc¸ay, and Memet S¸ahin present the “Neutrosophic Soft Expert Multiset and Their Application to Multiple Criteria Decision Making” together with several operations defined for them and their important algebraic properties. In “Neutrosophic Multigroups and Applications”, Vakkas Uluc¸ay and Memet S¸ahin propose an algebraic structure on neutrosophic multisets called neutrosophic multigroups, deriving their basic properties and giving some applications to group theory. Changxing Fan, Jun Ye, Sheng Feng, En Fan, and Keli Hu introduce the “Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method Using Heronian Mean Operators under a Bipolar Neutrosophic Environment” and test the effectiveness of their new methods. Another decision-making study upon an everyday life issue which empowered us to organize the key objective of the industry developing is given in “Neutrosophic Cubic Einstein Hybrid Geometric Aggregation Operators with Application in Prioritization Using Multiple Attribute Decision-Making Method” written by Khaleed Alhazaymeh, Muhammad Gulistan, Majid Khan, and Seifedine Kadry

Using Pythagorean Fuzzy Sets (PFS) in Multiple Criteria Group Decision Making (MCGDM) Methods for Engineering Materials Selection Applications

The process of materials’ selection is very critical during the initial stages of designing manufactured products. Inefficient decision-making outcomes in the material selection process could result in poor quality of products and unnecessary costs. In the last century, numerous materials have been developed for manufacturing mechanical components in different industries. Many of these new materials are similar in their properties and performances, thus creating great challenges for designers and engineers to make accurate selections. Our main objective in this work is to assist decision makers (DMs) within the manufacturing field to evaluate materials alternatives and to select the best alternative for specific manufacturing purposes. In this research, new hybrid fuzzy Multiple Criteria Group Decision Making (MCGDM) methods are proposed for the material selection problem. The proposed methods tackle some challenges that are associated with the material selection decision making process, such as aggregating decision makers’ (DMs) decisions appropriately and modeling uncertainty. In the proposed hybrid models, a novel aggregation approach is developed to convert DMs crisp decisions to Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFS). This approach gives more flexibility to DMs to express their opinions than the traditional fuzzy and intuitionistic sets (IFS). Then, the proposed aggregation approach is integrated with a ranking method to solve the Pythagorean Fuzzy Multi Criteria Decision Making (PFMCGDM) problem and rank the material alternatives. The ranking methods used in the hybrid models are the Pythagorean Fuzzy TOPSIS (The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and Pythagorean Fuzzy COPRAS (COmplex PRoportional Assessment). TOPSIS and COPRAS are selected based on their effectiveness and practicality in dealing with the nature of material selection problems. In the aggregation approach, the Sugeno Fuzzy measure and the Shapley value are used to fairly distribute the DMs weight in the Pythagorean Fuzzy numbers. Additionally, new functions to calculate uncertainty from DMs recommendations are developed using the Takagai-Sugeno approach. The literature reveals some work on these methods, but to our knowledge, there are no published works that integrate the proposed aggregation approach with the selected MCDM ranking methods under the Pythagorean Fuzzy environment for the use in materials selection problems. Furthermore, the proposed methods might be applied, due to its novelty, to any MCDM problem in other areas. A practical validation of the proposed hybrid PFMCGDM methods is investigated through conducting a case study of material selection for high pressure turbine blades in jet engines. The main objectives of the case study were: 1) to investigate the new developed aggregation approach in converting real DMs crisp decisions into Pythagorean fuzzy numbers; 2) to test the applicability of both the hybrid PFMCGDM TOPSIS and the hybrid PFMCGDM COPRAS methods in the field of material selection. In this case study, a group of five DMs, faculty members and graduate students, from the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, were selected to participate as DMs. Their evaluations fulfilled the first objective of the case study. A computer application for material selection was developed to assist designers and engineers in real life problems. A comparative analysis was performed to compare the results of both hybrid MCGDM methods. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to show the robustness and reliability of the outcomes obtained from both methods. It is concluded that using the proposed hybrid PFMCGDM TOPSIS method is more effective and practical in the material selection process than the proposed hybrid PFMCGDM COPRAS method. Additionally, recommendations for further research are suggested

Penghasilan manual rjngkas penggunaan alat Total Station Sokkia Set5f dan Perisian Sdr Mapping & Design untuk automasi ukur topografi

Projek ini dilaksanakan untuk menghasilkan manual ringkas penggunaan alat Total Station Sokkia SET5F dan Perisian SDR Mapping & Design dalam menghasilkan pelan topografi yang lengkap mengikut konsep field to finish. Manual telah dihasilkan dalam dua bentuk iaitu buku dan CD-ROM. Manual ini telah dinilai berdasarkan data yang diperolehi daripada 7 orang responden melalui kaedah Borang Penilaian Manual. Analisis data dilakukan menggunakan perisian SPSS versi 11.0. Hasil analisis skor min menunjukkan kesemua responden bersetuju bahawa manual dalam bentuk buku ini menarik Min ( M ) ^ ^ dan Sisihan Piawai (SD) = .535 tetapi kurang interaktif (M) = 2.29 dan (SD) = 0.488. Berbanding dengan manual dalam format CD-ROM yang mencatat nilai (M) = 3.57 dan (SD) = 0.535 semua responden bersetuju bahawa manual ini mesra pengguna dan lebih interakti

Decision making with Dempster-Shafer belief structure and the OWAWA operator

[EN] A new decision making model that uses the weighted average and the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator in the Dempster-Shafer belief structure is presented. Thus, we are able to represent the decision making problem considering objective and subjective information and the attitudinal character of the decision maker. For doing so, we use the ordered weighted averaging ¿ weighted average (OWAWA) operator. It is an aggregation operator that unifies the weighted average and the OWA in the same formulation. This approach is generalized by using quasi-arithmetic means and group decision making techniques. An application of the new approach in a group decision making problem concerning political management of a country is also developed.We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for valuable comments that have improved the quality of the paper. Support from the Spanish Ministry of Education under project JC2009-00189 , the University of Barcelona (099311) and the European Commission (PIEFGA-2011-300062) is gratefully acknowledgedMerigó, JM.; Engemann, KJ.; Palacios Marqués, D. (2013). Decision making with Dempster-Shafer belief structure and the OWAWA operator. Technological and Economic Development of Economy. 19(sup 1):S100-S118. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2013.869517SS100S11819sup 1Antuchevičienė, J., Zavadskas, E. K., & Zakarevičius, A. (2010). MULTIPLE CRITERIA CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT DECISIONS CONSIDERING RELATIONS BETWEEN CRITERIA / DAUGIATIKSLIAI STATYBOS VALDYMO SPRENDIMAI ATSIŽVELGIANT Į RODIKLIŲ TARPUSAVIO PRIKLAUSOMYBĘ. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 16(1), 109-125. doi:10.3846/tede.2010.07Brauers, W. K. M., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2010). PROJECT MANAGEMENT BY MULTIMOORA AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR TRANSITION ECONOMIES / PROJEKTŲ VADYBA SU MULTIMOORA KAIP PRIEMONĖ PEREINAMOJO LAIKOTARPIO ŪKIAMS. 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Characterization of the ordered weighted averaging operators. IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, 3(2), 236-240. doi:10.1109/91.388176Han, Z., & Liu, P. (2011). A FUZZY MULTI-ATTRIBUTE DECISION-MAKING METHOD UNDER RISK WITH UNKNOWN ATTRIBUTE WEIGHTS / NERAIŠKUSIS MAŽESNĖS RIZIKOS DAUGIATIKSLIS SPRENDIMŲ PRIĖMIMO METODAS SU NEŽINOMAIS PRISKIRIAMAIS REIKŠMINGUMAIS. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 17(2), 246-258. doi:10.3846/20294913.2011.580575Keršulienė, V., Zavadskas, E. K., & Turskis, Z. (2010). SELECTION OF RATIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION METHOD BY APPLYING NEW STEP‐WISE WEIGHT ASSESSMENT RATIO ANALYSIS (SWARA). Journal of Business Economics and Management, 11(2), 243-258. doi:10.3846/jbem.2010.12Liu, P. (2009). MULTI‐ATTRIBUTE DECISION‐MAKING METHOD RESEARCH BASED ON INTERVAL VAGUE SET AND TOPSIS METHOD. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 15(3), 453-463. doi:10.3846/1392-8619.2009.15.453-463Liu, P. (2011). A weighted aggregation operators multi-attribute group decision-making method based on interval-valued trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(1), 1053-1060. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2010.07.144Merigó, J. M. (2011). A unified model between the weighted average and the induced OWA operator. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(9), 11560-11572. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2011.03.034Merigó, J. M. (2012). The probabilistic weighted average and its application in multiperson decision making. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 27(5), 457-476. doi:10.1002/int.21531Merigó, J. M., & Casanovas, M. (2009). Induced aggregation operators in decision making with the Dempster-Shafer belief structure. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 24(8), 934-954. doi:10.1002/int.20368Merigó, J. M., & Casanovas, M. (2010). The uncertain induced quasi-arithmetic OWA operator. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 26(1), 1-24. doi:10.1002/int.20444MERIGÓ, J. M., & CASANOVAS, M. (2011). THE UNCERTAIN GENERALIZED OWA OPERATOR AND ITS APPLICATION TO FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING. International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making, 10(02), 211-230. doi:10.1142/s0219622011004300MERIGÓ, J. M., CASANOVAS, M., & MARTÍNEZ, L. (2010). LINGUISTIC AGGREGATION OPERATORS FOR LINGUISTIC DECISION MAKING BASED ON THE DEMPSTER-SHAFER THEORY OF EVIDENCE. International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, 18(03), 287-304. doi:10.1142/s0218488510006544MERIGO, J., & GILLAFUENTE, A. (2009). The induced generalized OWA operator. Information Sciences, 179(6), 729-741. doi:10.1016/j.ins.2008.11.013Merigó, J. M., & Gil-Lafuente, A. M. (2010). New decision-making techniques and their application in the selection of financial products. Information Sciences, 180(11), 2085-2094. doi:10.1016/j.ins.2010.01.028Merigó, J. M., & Wei, G. (2011). PROBABILISTIC AGGREGATION OPERATORS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN UNCERTAIN MULTI-PERSON DECISION-MAKING / TIKIMYBINIAI SUMAVIMO OPERATORIAI IR JŲ TAIKYMAS PRIIMANT GRUPINIUS SPRENDIMUS NEAPIBRĖŽTOJE APLINKOJE. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 17(2), 335-351. doi:10.3846/20294913.2011.584961Podvezko, V. (2009). Application of AHP technique. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 10(2), 181-189. doi:10.3846/1611-1699.2009.10.181-189Reformat, M., & Yager, R. R. (2007). Building ensemble classifiers using belief functions and OWA operators. Soft Computing, 12(6), 543-558. doi:10.1007/s00500-007-0227-2Srivastava, R. P., & Mock, T. J. (Eds.). (2002). Belief Functions in Business Decisions. Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing. doi:10.1007/978-3-7908-1798-0Torra, V. (1997). The weighted OWA operator. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 12(2), 153-166. doi:10.1002/(sici)1098-111x(199702)12:23.0.co;2-pWei, G.-W. (2011). 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CONTRACTOR SELECTION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS BY APPLYING SAW‐G AND TOPSIS GREY TECHNIQUES. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 11(1), 34-55. doi:10.3846/jbem.2010.03Zeng, S., & Su, W. (2011). Intuitionistic fuzzy ordered weighted distance operator. Knowledge-Based Systems, 24(8), 1224-1232. doi:10.1016/j.knosys.2011.05.013Zhang, X., & Liu, P. (2010). METHOD FOR AGGREGATING TRIANGULAR FUZZY INTUITIONISTIC FUZZY INFORMATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO DECISION MAKING / NUMANOMŲ NEAPIBRĖŽTŲJŲ AIBIŲ TEORIJA IR JOS TAIKYMAS PRIIMANT SPRENDIMUS. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 16(2), 280-290. doi:10.3846/tede.2010.18Zhao, H., Xu, Z., Ni, M., & Liu, S. (2010). Generalized aggregation operators for intuitionistic fuzzy sets. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 25(1), 1-30. doi:10.1002/int.20386Zhou, L.-G., & Chen, H. (2010). Generalized ordered weighted logarithm aggregation operators and their applications to group decision making. 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Uncertain generalized aggregation operators. Expert Systems with Applications, 39(1), 1105-1117. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2011.07.11

Rating and ranking of multiple-aspect alternatives using fuzzy sets

A method is proposed to deal with multiple-alternative decision problems under uncertainty. It is assumed that all the alternatives in the choice set can be characterized by a number of aspects, and that information is available to assign weights to these aspects and to construct a rating scheme for the various aspects of each alternative. The method basically consists of computing weighted final ratings for each alternative and comparing the weighted final ratings. The uncertainty that is assumed to be inherent in the assessments of the ratings and weights is accounted for by considering each of these variables as fuzzy quantities, characterized by appropriate membership functions. Accordingly, the final evaluation of the alternatives consists of a degree of membership in the fuzzy set of alternatives ranking first. A practical method is given to compute membership functions of fuzzy sets induced by mappings, and applied to the problem at hand. A number of examples are worked out. The method is compared to another one proposed by Kahne who approaches the problem probabilistically