General results on the decomposition of transitive fuzzy relations

We study the transitivity of fuzzy preference relations, often considered as a fundamental property providing coherence to a decision process. We consider the transitivity of fuzzy relations w.r.t. conjunctors, a general class of binary operations on the unit interval encompassing the class of triangular norms usually considered for this purpose. Having fixed the transitivity of a large preference relation w.r.t. such a conjunctor, we investigate the transitivity of the strict preference and indifference relations of any fuzzy preference structure generated from this large preference relation by means of an (indifference) generator. This study leads to the discovery of two families of conjunctors providing a full characterization of this transitivity. Although the expressions of these conjunctors appear to be quite cumbersome, they reduce to more readily used analytical expressions when we focus our attention on the particular case when the transitivity of the large preference relation is expressed w.r.t. one of the three basic triangular norms (the minimum, the product and the Łukasiewicz triangular norm) while at the same time the generator used for decomposing this large preference relation is also one of these triangular norms. During our discourse, we pay ample attention to the Frank family of triangular norms/copulas.     

A goal programming model for incomplete interval multiplicative preference relations and its application in group decision-making

In decision making problems, there may be the cases where the decision makers express their judgements by using preference relations with incomplete information. Then one of the key issues is how to estimate the missing preference values. In this paper, we introduce an incomplete interval multiplicative preference relation and give the definitions of consistent and acceptable incomplete ones, respectively. Based on the consistency property of interval multiplicative preference relations, a goal programming model is proposed to complement the acceptable incomplete one. A new algorithm of obtaining the priority vector from incomplete interval multiplicative preference relations is given. The goal programming model is further applied to group decision-making (GDM) where the experts evaluate their preferences as acceptable incomplete interval multiplicative preference relations. An interval weighted geometric averaging (IWGA) operator is proposed to aggregate individual preference relations into a social one. Furthermore, the social interval multiplicative preference relation owns acceptable consistency when every individual one is acceptably consistent. Two numerical examples are carried out to show the efficiency of the proposed goal programming model and the algorithms.     

Some double sequence spaces of interval numbers defined by Orlicz function

In this paper we introduce some interval valued double sequence spaces defined by Orlicz function and study different properties of these spaces like inclusion relations, solidity, etc. We establish some inclusion relations among them. Also we introduce the concept of double statistical convergence for interval number sequences and give an inclusion relation between interval valued double sequence spaces.     

Ordered sets with interval representation and (m,n)-Ferrers relation

Semiorders may form the simplest class of ordered sets with a not necessarily transitive indifference relation. Their generalization has given birth to many other classes of ordered sets, each of them characterized by an interval representation, by the properties of its relations or by forbidden configurations. In this paper, we are interested in preference structures having an interval representation. For this purpose, we propose a general framework which makes use of n-point intervals and allows a systematic analysis of such structures. The case of 3-point intervals shows us that our framework generalizes the classification of Fishburn by defining new structures. Especially we define three classes of ordered sets having a non-transitive indifference relation. A simple generalization of these structures provides three ordered sets that we call “d-weak orders”, “d-interval orders” and “triangle orders”. We prove that these structures have an interval representation. We also establish some links between the relational and the forbidden mode by generalizing the definition of a Ferrers relation.     

On the Ferrers dimension of a digraph

The Ferrers dimension of a digraph has been shown to be an extension of the order dimension. By proving a property of (finite) transitive Ferrers digraphs, we give an original proof of this above result and derive Ore's alternative definition of the order dimension. Still, the order dimension is proved to be ‘polynomially equivalent’ to the Ferrers dimension.     

Adjacency matrices of probe interval graphs

In this paper we obtain several characterizations of the adjacency matrix of a probe interval graph. In course of this study we describe an easy method of obtaining interval representation of an interval bigraph from its adjacency matrix. Finally, we note that if we add a loop at every probe vertex of a probe interval graph, then the Ferrers dimension of the corresponding symmetric bipartite graph is at most 3.     

Valued preference-based instantiation of argumentation frameworks with varied strength defeats

A Dung-style argumentation framework aims at representing conflicts among elements called arguments. The basic ingredients of this framework is a set of arguments and a Boolean abstract (i.e., its origin is not known) binary defeat relation. Preference-based argumentation frameworks are instantiations of Dung's framework in which the defeat relation is derived from an attack relation and a preference relation over the arguments. Recently, Dung's framework has been extended in order to consider the strength of the defeat relation, i.e., to quantify the degree to which an argument defeats another argument. In this paper, we instantiate this extended framework by a preference-based argumentation framework with a valued preference relation. As particular cases, the latter can be derived from a weight function over the arguments or a Boolean preference relation. We show under some reasonable conditions that there are “less situations” in which a defense between arguments holds with a valued preference relation compared to a Boolean preference relation. Finally, we provide some conditions that the valued preference relation shall satisfy when it is derived from a weight function.     

Rook Poset Equivalence of Ferrers Boards

A natural construction due to K. Ding yields Schubert varieties from Ferrers boards. The poset structure of the Schubert cells in these varieties is equal to the poset of maximal rook placements on the Ferrers board under the Bruhat order. We determine when two Ferrers boards have isomorphic rook posets. Equivalently, we give an exact categorization of when two Ding Schubert varieties have identical Schubert cell structures. This also produces a complete classification of isomorphism types of lower intervals of 312-avoiding permutations in the Bruhat order.     

区间信度环境下基于偏好熵的随机格序排列方法

针对偏好优劣关系的信度为区间值的决策偏好系统,运用熵理论提出了一种基于区间值分布偏好向量的决策分析方法。首先,将决策者对方案的偏好描述由:优于、劣于、等价和不可比这四种关系拓广为优于、劣于、等价、无法比较但有上确界、无法比较但有下确界、无法比较且有上确界又下确界、不可比七种偏好关系,并结合区间证据的概念和性质给出了决策偏好系统的区间值分布偏好向量与相对熵的概念、性质。然后,构建了基于偏好熵的证据推理非线性优化模型,通过求解模型,并结合优先原则和集结规则将个人偏好集结成群体偏好,给出了该决策方法的具体步骤,举例说明了方法的可行性。     

模糊关系的对偶合成及其在传递性中的应用

引入了模糊关系的一种新的合成：对偶合成。这种新的合成使我们十分容易地刻画反向传递性。利用合成和对偶合成，我们建立了传递性、反向传递性、半传递性和Ferrers性质的若干有趣的等价条件。     

Iterative algorithms for improving consistency of intuitionistic preference relations

Consistency of preference relations is an important research topic in decision making with preference information. The existing research about consistency mainly focuses on multiplicative preference relations, fuzzy preference relations and linguistic preference relations. Intuitionistic preference relations, each of their elements is composed of a membership degree, a non-membership degree and a hesitation degree, can better reflect the very imprecision of preferences of decision makers. There has been little research on consistency of intuitionistic preference relations up to now, and thus, it is necessary to pay attention to this issue. In this paper, we first propose an approach to constructing the consistent (or approximate consistent) intuitionistic preference relation from any intuitionistic preference relation. Then we develop a convergent iterative algorithm to improve the consistency of an intuitionistic preference relation. Moreover, we investigate the consistency of intuitionistic preference relations in group decision making situations, and show that if all individual intuitionistic preference relations are consistent, then the collective intuitionistic preference relation is also consistent. Moreover, we develop a convergent iterative algorithm to improve the consistency of all individual intuitionistic preference relations. The practicability and effectiveness of the developed algorithms is verified through two examples.     

Existence of an upper hemi-continuous and convex-valued demand sub-correspondence

In this paper we show that a strictly open, non-saturated and acyclically convex preference relation admits an extension which is ordered by inclusion (a weaker property than regularity), strictly open, locally non saturated and convex; in turn, this result permits to prove the existence of an upper hemi-continuous and convex-valued demand sub-correspondence. By directly applying standard fixed-point techniques to these sub-correspondences, it is therefore possible to demonstrate the existence of general economic equilibrium even if consumers’ preference relations are not regular.     

On Compatibility of Interval Fuzzy Preference Relations

This paper defines the concept of compatibility degree of two interval fuzzy preference relations, and gives a compatibility index of two interval fuzzy preference relations. It is proven that an interval fuzzy preference relation B and the synthetic interval fuzzy preference relation of interval fuzzy preference relations A ₁,A ₂,...,A _s are of acceptable compatibility under the condition that the interval fuzzy preference relation B and each of the interval fuzzy preference relations A _l,A ₂,...,A _s are of acceptable compatibility, and thus a theoretic basis has been developed for the application of the interval fuzzy preference relations in group decision making.     

A stochastic decision model with vector-valued reward

In this note we consider a non-stationary stochastic decision model with vector-valued reward. Based on Pareto-optimality we define the maximal total reward as a set of vector valued total rewards, which have not a successor with respect to the underlying partially order relation. The principle of optimality is derived. Using the well-known von-Neumann-Morgenstern-property we formulate a Bellman-equation, which consists in a system of iterative set relations.     

On the Description of the Content-Equality by a Relation

In the geometry of polyhedra we understand by an elementary content-functional a real valued, non-negative, finite additive measure on the set of polyhedra which is invariant under isometries. There are close relations between the content-measurement and the relation of equidecomposability. Two polyhedra are called equidecomposable if they are decomposed into pairwise congruent pieces. For an example we consider the set of all polygons in the euclidean plane. It is well known that planar polygons have the same area if and only if they are equidecomposable. In the three-dimensional euclidean space one also can describe the content-equality of polyhedra by a relation. Two polyhedra have the same volume if they are equidecomposable with respect to equiaffine mappings (see [3]). In [4] the concept of an invariant content of polyhedra in a topological Klein space is introduced. Each regular closed quasicompact set ot the space is called polyhedron. Under this supposition two polyhedra have equal contents if they are equivalent by decomposition. The relation “equivalent by decomposition” is closely related to the relation “equidecomposable”.     

Some models for deriving the priority weights from interval fuzzy preference relations

Interval fuzzy preference relation is a useful tool to express decision maker’s uncertain preference information. How to derive the priority weights from an interval fuzzy preference relation is an interesting and important issue in decision making with interval fuzzy preference relation(s). In this paper, some new concepts such as additive consistent interval fuzzy preference relation, multiplicative consistent interval fuzzy preference relation, etc., are defined. Some simple and practical linear programming models for deriving the priority weights from various interval fuzzy preference relations are established, and two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the developed models.     

Note on “Some models for deriving the priority weights from interval fuzzy preference relations”

Deriving accurate interval weights from interval fuzzy preference relations is key to successfully solving decision making problems. Xu and Chen (2008) proposed a number of linear programming models to derive interval weights, but the definitions for the additive consistent interval fuzzy preference relation and the linear programming model still need to be improved. In this paper, a numerical example is given to show how these definitions and models can be improved to increase accuracy. A new additive consistency definition for interval fuzzy preference relations is proposed and novel linear programming models are established to demonstrate the generation of interval weights from an interval fuzzy preference relation.     

On incomplete preference structures

Incomplete preference structures are composed of three relations: preference, indifference and incomparability. We survey some very recent works which model such structures, using interval orders or semi orders. Three approaches are proposed: first, in relation to comparability graph characterization; second, in relation to order dimension theory; and third, representation of the structures on the real line.     

On the non-equivalence of weak and strict preference

It is often claimed that the relations of weak preference and strict preference are symmetrical to each other in the sense that weak preference is complete and transitive if and only if strict preference is asymmetric and negatively transitive. The equivalence proof relies on a definitional connection between them, however, that already implies completeness of weak preference. Weakening the connection in order to avoid this leads to a breakdown of the symmetry which gives reason to accept weak preference as the more fundamental relation.     

Fuzzy preorders: conditional extensions,extensions and their representations

The crisp literature provides characterizations of the preorders that admit a total preorder extension when some pairwise order comparisons are imposed on the extended relation. It is also known that every preorder is the intersection of a collection of total preorders. In this contribution we generalize both approaches to the fuzzy case. We appeal to a construction for deriving the strict preference and the indifference relations from a weak preference relation, that allows to obtain full characterizations in the conditional extension problem. This improves the performance of the construction via generators studied earlier.