Applications of the analytic hierarchy process to long range planning processes

This paper considers the long range planning process from the point of view both of projecting forward likely or desired changes from the current position to define a possible future state, and of identifying desirable future states and working backwards from those to consider ways in which they could be reached. This process is repeated until consistency between the forward and backward looking processes is achieved. A theory of analytic hierarchies is used to give a formal structure of the process. An application to an actual corporate plan is briefly discussed.