A chi-square method for obtaining a priority vector from multiplicative and fuzzy preference relations

Decision makers (DMs)’ preferences on decision alternatives are often characterized by multiplicative or fuzzy preference relations. This paper proposes a chi-square method (CSM) for obtaining a priority vector from multiplicative and fuzzy preference relations. The proposed CSM can be used to obtain a priority vector from either a multiplicative preference relation (i.e. a pairwise comparison matrix) or a fuzzy preference relation or a group of multiplicative preference relations or a group of fuzzy preference relations or their mixtures. Theorems and algorithm about the CSM are developed. Three numerical examples are examined to illustrate the applications of the CSM and its advantages.     

A fuzzy ranking method with range reduction techniques

For ranking alternatives based on pairwise comparisons, current analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methods are difficult to use to generate useful information to assist decision makers in specifying their preferences. This study proposes a novel method incorporating fuzzy preferences and range reduction techniques. Modified from the concept of data envelopment analysis (DEA), the proposed approach is not only capable of treating incomplete preference matrices but also provides reasonable ranges to help decision makers to rank decision alternatives confidently.     

Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process: A logarithmic fuzzy preference programming methodology

Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) proves to be a very useful methodology for multiple criteria decision-making in fuzzy environments, which has found substantial applications in recent years. The vast majority of the applications use a crisp point estimate method such as the extent analysis or the fuzzy preference programming (FPP) based nonlinear method for fuzzy AHP priority derivation. The extent analysis has been revealed to be invalid and the weights derived by this method do not represent the relative importance of decision criteria or alternatives. The FPP-based nonlinear priority method also turns out to be subject to significant drawbacks, one of which is that it may produce multiple, even conflict priority vectors for a fuzzy pairwise comparison matrix, leading to entirely different conclusions. To address these drawbacks and provide a valid yet practical priority method for fuzzy AHP, this paper proposes a logarithmic fuzzy preference programming (LFPP) based methodology for fuzzy AHP priority derivation, which formulates the priorities of a fuzzy pairwise comparison matrix as a logarithmic nonlinear programming and derives crisp priorities from fuzzy pairwise comparison matrices. Numerical examples are tested to show the advantages of the proposed methodology and its potential applications in fuzzy AHP decision-making.     

部分权重信息下对方案有互补偏好的多属性决策法

研究了只有部分权重信息且对方案的偏好信息以模糊互补判断矩阵形式给出的多属性决策问题.首先,基于模糊互补判断矩阵的主观偏好信息,利用转换函数将客观决策信息一致化,建立一个目标规划模型,通过求解该模型得到属性权重,从而利用加性加权法获得各方案的综合属性值,并以此对方案进行排序或择优.提出了一种基于目标规划的多属性决策方法.该方法具有操作简便和易于上机实现的特点.最后,通过实例说明模型及方法的可行性和有效性.     

三角模糊数互补判断矩阵排序的目标规划法

针对决策者以三角模糊数互补判断矩阵形式给出的多目标决策问题.给出三角模糊数加性一致性互补判断矩阵的判定定理.利用该定理基于最小偏差建立一个目标规划模型而解得三角模糊数互补判断矩阵的权重向量,从而使用三角模糊数排序公式对方案排序,提出了基于目标规划的三角模糊数互补判断矩阵排序法.最后,将模型与方法应用于项目投资决策中.     

基于二元联系数距离的不确定语言多属性决策模型

研究了属性权重范围已知,方案主观偏好值为语言变量,决策信息为不确定语言决策矩阵的多属性决策问题.在给出不确定语言变量转换为二元联系数的公式以及二元联系数距离公式的基础上,将方案主观偏好语言评价值转换为二元联系数,将不确定语言决策矩阵转换为二元联系数决策矩阵,从而得到方案的二元联系数综合属性值,通过最小化方案的二元联系数综合属性值和主观偏好值之间距离,建立多目标优化模型,并将其转换为一个单目标规划模型计算出属性权重.然后,通过对方案的二元联系数综合属性值进行不确定性分析,得到各方案的排序总数,利用排序总数对方案进行排序择优.应用实例表明该决策方法可行有效.     

三角模糊偏好下冲突型多属性群决策方法研究

针对三角模糊偏好下冲突型群决策问题,本文提出一种新的决策方法。在冲突消解阶段,用三角模糊数表示决策专家偏好,定义两三角模糊数型偏好矢量间的相似度,通过计算专家对各个方案的偏好矢量与各方案的群偏好矢量间的相似度,以此为基础定义专家的冲突测度。给出阈值和协商机制调控专家的冲突测度,直到所有的专家的冲突测度都小于给定阈值,进入决策阶段。在决策阶段,利用三角模糊数的期望函数确定属性权重,计算各个方案群偏好矢量与理想方案偏好矢量之间的加权相似度,由加权相似度大小排列决策,选出最优方案。最后给出案例应用,利用Matlab画出各方案的冲突测度图,数值结果表明本文方法的可行性及有效性。     

Derivation of intuitionistic fuzzy weights based on intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations

This paper proposes linear goal programming models for deriving intuitionistic fuzzy weights from intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations. Novel definitions are put forward to define additive consistency and weak transitivity for intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations, followed by a study of their corresponding properties. For any given normalized intuitionistic fuzzy weight vector, a transformation formula is furnished to convert the weights into a consistent intuitionistic fuzzy preference relation. For any intuitionistic fuzzy preference relation, a linear goal programming model is developed to obtain its intuitionistic fuzzy weights by minimizing its deviation from the converted consistent intuitionistic fuzzy preference relation. This approach is then extended to group decision-making situations. Three numerical examples are provided to illustrate the validity and applicability of the proposed models.     

偏好信息为模糊互反判断矩阵的模糊多属性决策法

研究只有部分权重信息且决策者对方案的偏好信息以模糊互反判断矩阵形式给出的模糊多属性决策问题。提出了一种基于目标规划模型的模糊多属性决策方法。该法首先基于模糊互反判断矩阵，利用转换函数将决策信息一致化，建立了一个目标规划模型．通过求解该模型确定属性的权重，然后运用加性加权法求出各方案的模糊综合属性值，并利用已有的三角模糊数排序公式求得决策方案的排序。文章最后把该法应用于解决风险投资领域中的项目评估问题。     

Distributed preference relations for multiple attribute decision analysis

In this paper, we propose a new pairwise comparison approach called distributed preference relation (DPR) to simultaneously signify preferred, non-preferred, indifferent, and uncertain degrees of one alternative over another on a set of grades, which is more versatile for elicitation of preference information from a decision maker than multiplicative preference relation, fuzzy preference relation (FPR) and intuitionistic FPR. In a DPR matrix on a set of alternatives, each element is a distribution recording the preferred, non-preferred, indifferent, and uncertain degrees of one alternative over another using a set of grades. To facilitate the comparison of alternatives, we define a score matrix based on a DPR matrix using the given score values of the grades. Its additive consistency is constructed, analysed, and compared with the additive consistency of FPRs between alternatives. A method for comparing two interval numbers is then employed to create a possibility matrix from the score matrix, which can generate a ranking order of alternatives with possibility degrees. A problem of evaluating strategic emerging industries is investigated using the approach to demonstrate the application of a DPR matrix to modelling and analysing a multiple attribute decision analysis problem.     

A new design of the elimination and choice translating reality method for multi-criteria group decision-making in an intuitionistic fuzzy environment

The purpose of this paper is to design a new extension of the ELECTRE, known as the elimination and choice translating reality method, for multi-criteria group decision-making problems based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets. This method is widely utilized when a set of alternatives should be identified and evaluated with respect to a set of conflicting criteria by reflecting decision makers’ (DMs’) preferences. However, handling the exact data and numerical measure is difficult to be precisely focused because the DMs’ judgments are often vague in real-life decision problems and applications. A more realistic and practical approach can be to use linguistic variables expressed in intuitionistic fuzzy numbers instead of numerical data to model DMs’ judgments and to describe the inputs in the ELECTRE method. The proposed intuitionsitic fuzzy ELECTRE utilizes the truth-membership function and non-truth-membership function to indicate the degrees of satisfiability and non-satisfiability of each alternative with respect to each criterion and the relative importance of each criterion, respectively. Then, a new discordance intuitionistic index is introduced, which is extended from the concept of the fuzzy distance measure. Outranking relations are defined by pairwise comparisons and a decision graph is depicted to determine which alternative is preferable, incomparable or indifferent in the intuitionistic fuzzy environment. Finally, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis is employed to further study regarding the impact of threshold values on the final evaluation, and a comparative analysis is demonstrated with an application example in flexible manufacturing systems between the proposed ELECTRE method and the existing intuitionistic fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (IF-TOPSIS) method.     

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.     

Fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making based on positive and negative extreme solutions

To encompass decision data vagueness, many researchers generalized multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods in certain environment into fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) methods under fuzzy environment. In these FMCDM methods, ranking fuzzy numbers based on fuzzy pair-wise comparison is normally essential, but the comparison is a complexity work. To avoid fuzzy pair-wise comparison, we propose a FMCDM method based on positive and negative extreme solutions of alternatives. In the proposed method, two extreme solutions of alternatives are obtained by MAX and MIN operations of fuzzy TOPSIS. Then weakness and strength matrices between alternatives and extreme solutions are derived by a difference function revised from fuzzy preference relation of Lee, and multiplied with weight matrix to be weighted weakness and strength indices. The two weighted indices are respectively transferred into positive and negative indices, and then the two indices integrated into a total performance index. Finally, alternatives can be sorted according to their related performance indices, and FMCDM problems are easily solved, not by fuzzy pair-wise comparison.     

基于模糊语言判断矩阵和FIOWA算子的有限方案决策法

定义一种模糊的导出有序加权平均(FIOWA)算子，给出方案之间比较的模糊语言标度。运用模糊语言标度构造出模糊语言判断矩阵，并提出一种基于模糊语言判断矩阵和FIOWA算子的有限方案决策方法。该法利用FIOWA算子对模糊语言信息进行集结，并利用已有的三角模糊数排序公式求得决策方案的排序。     

权重信息未知对方案有偏好的vague集多指标决策

就指标权重未知,且对方案有偏好的vague集多指标决策问题,提出了通过使决策者的主观偏好值与属性值的相离度最小来建立最优化模型,从而获得指标的权重.通过将vague值转化为模糊值来建立模糊值矩阵,由模糊值矩阵按各指标对应值的大小对方案进行排序,形成多个线性序,进而由线性序来构造模糊优先矩阵,对其进行截割,得到最优方案.最后通过一个实例说明此方法的具体决策过程.     

A method based on similarity measures for interactive group decision-making with intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations

In this paper, we study the group decision-making problem in which the preference information given by experts takes the form of intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations, and the information about experts’ weights is completely unknown. We first utilize the intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging operator to aggregate all individual intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations into a collective intuitionistic fuzzy preference relation. Then, based on the degree of similarity between the individual intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations and the collective one, we develop an approach to determine the experts’ weights. Furthermore, based on intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations, a practical interactive procedure for group decision-making is proposed, in which the similarity measures between the collective preference relation and intuitionistic fuzzy ideal solution are used to rank the given alternatives. Finally, an illustrative numerical example is given to verify the developed approach.     

The extended linear assignment method for multiple criteria decision analysis based on interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets

The theory of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets is useful and beneficial for handling uncertainty and imprecision in multiple criteria decision analysis. In addition, the theory allows for convenient quantification of the equivocal nature of human subjective assessments. In this paper, by extending the traditional linear assignment method, we propose a useful method for solving multiple criteria evaluation problems in the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy context. A ranking procedure consisting of score functions, accuracy functions, membership uncertainty indices, and hesitation uncertainty indices is presented to determine a criterion-wise preference of the alternatives. An extended linear assignment model is then constructed using a modified weighted-rank frequency matrix to determine the priority order of various alternatives. The feasibility and applicability of the proposed method are illustrated with a multiple criteria decision-making problem involving the selection of a bridge construction method. Additionally, a comparative analysis with other methods, including the approach with weighted aggregation operators, the closeness coefficient-based method, and the auxiliary nonlinear programming models, has been conducted for solving the investment company selection problem to validate the effectiveness of the extended linear assignment method.     

Multiperson decision-making based on multiplicative preference relations

A multiperson decision-making problem, where the information about the alternatives provided by the experts can be presented by means of different preference representation structures (preference orderings, utility functions and multiplicative preference relations) is studied. Assuming the multiplicative preference relation as the uniform element of the preference representation, a multiplicative decision model based on fuzzy majority is presented to choose the best alternatives. In this decision model, several transformation functions are obtained to relate preference orderings and utility functions with multiplicative preference relations. The decision model uses the ordered weighted geometric operator to aggregate information and two choice degrees to rank the alternatives, quantifier guided dominance degree and quantifier guided non-dominance degree. The consistency of the model is analysed to prove that it acts coherently.     

Normalizing rank aggregation method for priority of a fuzzy preference relation and its effectiveness

The aim of this paper is to show that the normalizing rank aggregation method can not only be used to derive the priority vector for a multiplicative preference relation, but also for the additive transitive fuzzy preference relation. To do so, a simple functional equation between fuzzy preference’s element and priority weight is derived firstly, then, based on the equation, three methods are proposed to prove that the normalizing rank aggregation method is simple and effective for deriving the priority vector. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the proposed methods.