Incomplete decision contexts: Approximate concept construction,rule acquisition and knowledge reduction

Incomplete decision contexts are a kind of decision formal contexts in which information about the relationship between some objects and attributes is not available or is lost. Knowledge discovery in incomplete decision contexts is of interest because such databases are frequently encountered in the real world. This paper mainly focuses on the issues of approximate concept construction, rule acquisition and knowledge reduction in incomplete decision contexts. We propose a novel method for building the approximate concept lattice of an incomplete context. Then, we present the notion of an approximate decision rule and an approach for extracting non-redundant approximate decision rules from an incomplete decision context. Furthermore, in order to make the rule acquisition easier and the extracted approximate decision rules more compact, a knowledge reduction framework with a reduction procedure for incomplete decision contexts is formulated by constructing a discernibility matrix and its associated Boolean function. Finally, some numerical experiments are conducted to assess the efficiency of the proposed method.     

Scenario-based portfolio selection of investment projects with incomplete probability and utility information

In the selection of investment projects, it is important to account for exogenous uncertainties (such as macroeconomic developments) which may impact the performance of projects. These uncertainties can be addressed by examining how the projects perform across several scenarios; but it may be difficult to assign well-founded probabilities to such scenarios, or to characterize the decision makers’ risk preferences through a uniquely defined utility function. Motivated by these considerations, we develop a portfolio selection framework which (i) uses set inclusion to capture incomplete information about scenario probabilities and utility functions, (ii) identifies all the non-dominated project portfolios in view of this information, and (iii) offers decision support for rejection and selection of projects. The proposed framework enables interactive decision support processes where the implications of additional probability and utility information or further risk constraints are shown in terms of corresponding decision recommendations.     

不同直觉偏好信息下的多属性决策方法

研究了属性值为实数且决策者对属性的偏好信息以直觉判断矩阵或残缺直觉判断矩阵给出的模糊多属性决策问题.首先介绍了直觉判断矩阵、一致性直觉判断矩阵、残缺直觉判断矩阵、一致性残缺直觉判断矩阵等概念,而后分别考虑关于直觉判断矩阵和残缺直觉判断矩阵的多属性决策问题,接着建立了基于直觉判断矩阵和残缺直觉判断矩阵的多属性群决策模型,通过求解这些模型获得属性的权重.进而给出了不同直觉偏好信息下的多属性决策方法.最后通过一个例子说明了该方法的可行性和实用性.     

A robust additive consistency-based method for decision making with triangular fuzzy reciprocal preference relations

To express uncertain information in decision making, triangular fuzzy reciprocal preference relations (TFRPRs) might be adopted by decision makers. Considering consistency of this type of preference relations, this paper defines a new additive consistency concept, which can be seen as an extension of that for reciprocal preference relations. Then, a simple method to calculate the triangular fuzzy priority weight vector is introduced. When TFRPRs are inconsistent, a linear goal programming framework to derive the completely additive consistent TFRPRs is provided. Meanwhile, an improved linear goal programming model is constructed to estimate the missing values in an incomplete TFRPR that can address the situation where ignored objects exist. After that, an algorithm for decision making with TFRPRs is presented. Finally, numerical examples and comparison analysis are offered.     

An integrated model-based interactive approach to FMAGDM with incomplete preference information

Incomplete fuzzy preference relations, incomplete multiplicative preference relations, and incomplete linguistic preference relations are very useful to express decision makers’ incomplete preferences over attributes or alternatives in the process of decision making under fuzzy environments. The aim of this paper is to investigate fuzzy multiple attribute group decision making problems where the attribute values are represented in intuitionistic fuzzy numbers and the information on attribute weights is provided by decision makers by means of one or some of the different preference structures, including weak ranking, strict ranking, difference ranking, multiple ranking, interval numbers, incomplete fuzzy preference relations, incomplete multiplicative preference relations, and incomplete linguistic preference relations. We transform all individual intuitionistic fuzzy decision matrices into the interval decision matrices and construct their expected decision matrices, and then aggregate all these expected decision matrices into a collective one. We establish an integrated model by unifying the collective decision matrix and all the given different structures of incomplete weight preference information, and develop an integrated model-based approach to interacting with the decision makers so as to adjust all the inconsistent incomplete fuzzy preference relations, inconsistent incomplete linguistic preference relations and inconsistent incomplete multiplicative preference relations into the ones with acceptable consistency. The developed approach can derive the attribute weights and the ranking of the alternatives directly from the integrated model, and thus it has the following prominent characteristics: (1) it does not need to construct the complete fuzzy preference relations, complete linguistic preference relations and complete multiplicative preference relations from the incomplete fuzzy preference relations, incomplete linguistic preference relations and incomplete multiplicative preference relations, respectively; (2) it does not need to unify the different structures of incomplete preferences, and thus can simplify the calculation and avoid distorting the given preference information; and (3) it can sufficiently reflect and adjust the subjective desirability of decision makers in the process of interaction. A practical example is also provided to illustrate the developed approach.     

不完备序区间值决策系统中的可信规则获取

以不完备序区间值决策系统为研究对象,其中不仅包含遗漏型未知区间值,而且属性值域为全序集.给出了未知区间值的三种形式及其填充式区间值的定义,引入灰的白化方法用以构建一个新的填充式不完备序白化值决策系统,并讨论其在优势和弱势关系下的可信规则获取.进一步研究了优势和弱势对象的约简以及其决策类的相对约简问题,给出了相应的判定定理与区分函数,为最终从不完备序区间值决策系统中获取最优可信决策规则提供了新的理论基础与操作手段.、     

不完全语言信息下的多准则群决策方法研究

针对决策者所给的自然语言信息缺失判断矩阵,提出了一种基于群体满意度最大的不完全语言信息多准则群决策规划模型.首先分析决策者所给的多准则语言评价信息矩阵,进而通过三角模糊数将多准则语言评价信息矩阵转化为三角模糊数矩阵;其次根据满意度函数构建不完全语言信息多准则群决策规划模型;最后通过实例验证本方法的可行性及有效性.实例表明该方法计算简单,易操作.     

An Extended Model for Establishing Dominance in Multiattribute Decisionmaking

This paper is concerned with the use of incomplete information about utilities and weights in multiattribute decisionmaking. Because of time pressure and/or lack of knowledge, a decision maker may only be able to provide incomplete information which might be expressed as a set of linear inequalities. If the decision maker's information on both weights and utilities is imprecisely identified, then the model for establishing pairwise dominance becomes a non-linear program. A method for obtaining non-dominated alternatives without solving the non-linear program is proposed using a simple weighted-additive function.     

Deriving priority weights from intuitionistic multiplicative preference relations under group decision-making settings

The intuitionistic multiplicative preference relation (IMPR), which takes into account both the ratio degree to which an alternative is preferred to another and the ratio degree to which an alternative is non-preferred to another, is a useful tool for decision makers to elicit their preference information using Saaty’s 1–9 scale. In this paper, we focus on group decision making with IMPRs. First, we analyze the flaws of the consistency definition of an IMPR in previous work and then propose a new definition to overcome the flaws. On this basis, a linear programming-based algorithm is developed to check and improve the consistency of an IMPR. Second, we discuss the relationships between an IMPR and a normalized intuitionistic multiplicative weight vector and develop two approaches to group decision making based on complete and incomplete IMPRs, respectively. Based on the proposed algorithm and approaches, a general framework for group decision making with IMPRs is proposed. Finally, some numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the proposed approaches. The results show that the proposed approaches can deal with group decision-making problems with IMPRs effectively.     

一种基于证据推理的信息不完全的多准则决策方法

针对权系数信息不完全、准则值不确定且不完全的多准则决策问题,提出了一种基于证据推理的方法.该方法通过证据推理算法构造方案的目标函数,结合不完全信息的权系数建立非线性规划模型,使用遗传算法求解模型得到效用值的区间数,从而得到整个方案集的排序.最后以实例表明该方法的有效性和可行性.     

Real-time decision problems: an operational research perspective

This paper is concerned with a class of dynamic and stochastic problems known as real-time decision problems. The objective is to provide responses of a required quality in a continuously evolving environment, within a prescribed time frame, using limited resources and information that is often incomplete or uncertain. Furthermore, the outcome of any particular decision may also be uncertain. This paper provides an overview of this class of problems, reviews the relevant Artificial Intelligence literature, proposes a dynamic programming framework, and assesses the potential usefulness of Operational Research approaches for their solution. Throughout the paper, a vehicle dispatching application illustrates the relevant concepts.     

Introducing validity in fuzzy probability for judicial decision-making

Since the Age of Enlightenment, most philosophers have associated reasoning with the rules of probability and logic. This association has been enhanced over the years and now incorporates the theory of fuzzy logic as a complement to the probability theory, leading to the concept of fuzzy probability. Our insight, here, is integrating the concept of validity into the notion of fuzzy probability within an extended fuzzy logic (FLe) framework keeping with the notion of collective intelligence. In this regard, we propose a novel framework of possibility–probability–validity distribution (PPVD). The proposed distribution is applied to a real world setting of actual judicial cases to examine the role of validity measures in automated judicial decision-making within a fuzzy probabilistic framework. We compute valid fuzzy probability of conviction and acquittal based on different factors. This determines a possible overall hypothesis for the decision of a case, which is valid only to a degree. Validity is computed by aggregating validities of all the involved factors that are obtained from a factor vocabulary based on the empirical data. We then map the combined validity based on the Jaccard similarity measure into linguistic forms, so that a human can understand the results. Then PPVDs that are obtained based on the relevant factors in the given case yield the final valid fuzzy probabilities for conviction and acquittal. Finally, the judge has to make a decision; we therefore provide a numerical measure. Our approach supports the proposed hypothesis within the three-dimensional contexts of probability, possibility, and validity to improve the ability to solve problems with incomplete, unreliable, or ambiguous information to deliver a more reliable decision.     

Updating attribute reduction in incomplete decision systems with the variation of attribute set

In rough set theory, attribute reduction is a challenging problem in the applications in which data with numbers of attributes available. Moreover, due to dynamic characteristics of data collection in decision systems, attribute reduction will change dynamically as attribute set in decision systems varies over time. How to carry out updating attribute reduction by utilizing previous information is an important task that can help to improve the efficiency of knowledge discovery. In view of that attribute reduction algorithms in incomplete decision systems with the variation of attribute set have not yet been discussed so far. This paper focuses on positive region-based attribute reduction algorithm to solve the attribute reduction problem efficiently in the incomplete decision systems with dynamically varying attribute set. We first introduce an incremental manner to calculate the new positive region and tolerance classes. Consequently, based on the calculated positive region and tolerance classes, the corresponding attribute reduction algorithms on how to compute new attribute reduct are put forward respectively when an attribute set is added into and deleted from the incomplete decision systems. Finally, numerical experiments conducted on different data sets from UCI validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithms in incomplete decision systems with the variation of attribute set.     

基于决策者信任水平和组合赋权的不完全偏好复杂大群体应急决策方法

针对属性权重完全未知且专家偏好出现残缺值的复杂大群体应急决策问题,提出了一种新的决策方法。首先,设计了一套基于决策者信任水平的残缺值填充机制,对缺失的偏好信息进行补充。然后,将各方案的大群体偏好信息进行聚类,基于方案信息熵和群体偏好冲突水平构建组合赋权方法,对属性权重进行测算,进而得到各个方案的综合评价值。最后对该方法进行了实例验证,验证结果表明本文提出的方法具有良好的可行性和有效性。     

Robust portfolio modeling with incomplete cost information and project interdependencies

Robust portfolio modeling (RPM) [Liesiö, J., Mild, P., Salo, A., 2007. Preference programming for robust portfolio modeling and project selection. European Journal of Operational Research 181, 1488–1505] supports project portfolio selection in the presence of multiple evaluation criteria and incomplete information. In this paper, we extend RPM to account for project interdependencies, incomplete cost information and variable budget levels. These extensions lead to a multi-objective zero-one linear programming problem with interval-valued objective function coefficients for which all non-dominated solutions are determined by a tailored algorithm. The extended RPM framework permits more comprehensive modeling of portfolio problems and provides support for advanced benefit–cost analyses. It retains the key features of RPM by providing robust project and portfolio recommendations and by identifying projects on which further attention should be focused. The extended framework is illustrated with an example on product release planning.     

应急不完全信息环境下的混合多属性协同决策方法

科学的应急救援协同决策理论方法,不但能使应急管理系统更好地发挥作用,而且能使政府及公众的应急救援行为更加规范和有序.为此,针对应急环境下决策信息不完全的背景,研究构建了一类综合集成网络层次分析法(ANP)、证据理论(D-SEvidence Theory)以及改进的理想点法(TOPSIS)的混合多属性应急协同决策方法.其中ANP用于处理应急救援方案非独立和相互联系的评价指标权重的确立,D-S Theory用于处理不完全信息条件下多个部门对应急救援候选方案的不同评价信息融合,改进的理想点法(TOPSIS)则用于最终候选应急救援方案的排序.研究结果表明,所提出的混合多属性协同决策方法不仅在理论上有所集成创新,而且在实际应用中可以有效解决应急环境下多部门或多环节协同决策问题.     

基于集对分析联系数的信息不完全直觉模糊多属性决策

信息不完全直觉模糊多属性决策是一类不确定性决策问题,其不确定性来自属性权重信息不完全和属性值的直觉模糊数表示.为了系统地刻画直觉模糊多属性决策中的不确定性,避免直觉模糊多属性决策中利用得分函数做决策的片面性和不准确性,可以将信息不完全的权重和直觉模糊数表示的属性值转化成集对分析理论中的联系数,并建立信息不完全直觉模糊多属性决策模型,通过对不确定性进行分析后作出决策.实例应用表明该决策方法具有合理性和可行性.