Case-based reasoning (CBR) is one of the most popular methods used in emergency decision making (EDM). Case retrieval plays a key role in EDM processes based on CBR and usually functions by retrieving similar historical cases using similarity measurements. Decision makers (DMs), thus, choose the most appropriate historical cases. Although uncertainty and fuzziness are present in the EDM process, in-depth research on these issues is still lacking. In this study, a heterogeneous multi-attribute case retrieval method based on group decision making (GDM) with incomplete weight information is developed. First, the case similarities between historical and target cases are calculated, and a set of similar historical cases is constructed. Six formats of case attributes are considered, namely crisp numbers, interval numbers, linguistic variables, intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, single-valued neutrosophic numbers (NNs) and interval-valued NNs. Next, the evaluation information from the DMs is expressed using single-valued NNs. Additionally, the evaluation utilities of similar historical cases are obtained by aggregating the evaluation information. The comprehensive utilities of similar historical cases are obtained using case similarities and evaluation utilities. In this process, the weights of incomplete information are determined by constructing optimization models. Furthermore, the most appropriate similar historical case is selected according to the comprehensive utilities. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated using two examples; its performance is then compared with those of other similar methods to demonstrate its validity and efficacy.
A method for large group decision-making based on evaluation information provided by participators from multiple groups
