Comparative analysis of the todim method adherence to prospect theory

Prospect Theory provides a broad and solid frame of reference for modeling the decision making of rational agents. In the early 1990s, the structure of Prospect Theory was used to propose a method to aid a multicriteria decision based on the process of paired comparison. The research reported in this article has empirically assessed the adherence of the mathematical model of the original TODIM method, together with its variations available in the literature, to Prospect Theory and compared them with a multicriteria method that does not use that theory. From a comparative analysis, it was realized that the different variations of the TODIM method regarding the incorporation of Prospect Theory’s rationality within the context of Multicriteria Decision Aid still do not bring the benefits of an already consolidated theory to the context of decision-making aid. Thus, it is suggested that further studies be conducted to improve the adherence of Prospect Theory within the structure of the TODIM method, so that the benefits of a consolidated theory of decision lead to better results, notably from the perspective of using the method for the purposes of forecast.

Evaluation of operating conditions of cargo transportation by cabotage in Brazil: A multicriteria approach from the shipowners’ point of view

The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a model to evaluate the operating conditions of cargo transportation by cabotage in Brazil, from the perspective of Brazilian shipping companies operating in this segment. The evaluation model was developed based on the Multicriteria Decision Aid (MCDA) methodology, conceived under the constructivist paradigm and with the participation of a team of experts in cabotage, who built a framework for evaluation of this transportation mode. The global evaluation of the conditions of cargo transportation by cabotage in Brazil, based on this framework, was scored 3.9, - on a scale of zero to ten, - a score considered extremely low for a segment of cargo transportation so important and with such weight to the Brazilian economy. It was concluded that this score reflects the situation of shortage, neglect, and abandonment currently faced by shipping companies that offer cargo transportation services along the Brazilian coast. This work contributes to the construction of a multicriteria evaluation model, which can be replicated for other modes of transportation, with the necessary adjustments.

A net-flow based approach to detect outliers in multicriteria decision problems

Detecting outliers in multicriteria decision aid (MCDA) field is a new research direction that has not been enough explored. This paper tackles this problem by proposing a statistical approach based on PROMETHEE method net-flow. To consider the multicriteria character of the problem, the net-flow of each object is computed by applying PROMETHEE method. According to the normal distribution of the net-flow values, the standard deviation (SD) or interquartile range (IQR) statistical methods are used to detect outliers. To prove its applicability, the proposed approach is evaluated on real life problem.

Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings Using an Interactive Mathematical Programming Approach

Improving energy efficiency in buildings is a major priority and challenge worldwide. The employed measures vary in nature, and the decision analyst, who is typically the architect, the engineer, or the building expert that has undertaken the task to suggest energy efficient solutions, faces a complex decision problem comprising numerous decision variables and multiple, usually competitive objectives. The solution of such multi-objective problems typically involves some sort of objectives aggregation, which reflects the preferences of the involved final decision maker that is the building’s user, occupant, and/or owner. The preferences elicitation, however, is a difficult task, and this paper aims to provide an interactive framework that will allow their consideration in a relatively easy manner. More specifically, a mathematical programming approach is proposed herein, which allows the elicitation and incorporation of the decision maker’s preferences in the decision model via the assessment of his/her utility function with the assistance of the multicriteria decision aid method UTASTAR. To study the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed approach, the case of a simple building is examined as an application example. The study results suggest that the proposed approach is capable of helping the decision analyst to suggest energy measures that satisfy, as much as possible, the decision maker’s preferences, without having to precisely prescribe them beforehand.

Performance evaluation system to support the coordination of bidding processes management in a University Hospital

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to structure a model to support the management of the Coordination of Bidding Processes at the Professor Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago University Hospital of Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Federal University of Santa Catarina). The main purpose is to build, in its manager, knowledge about the management context, allowing the visualization of the aspects deemed as necessary and sufficient to be taken into account in this process. Methodology: The Multicriteria Decision Aid - Constructivist (MCDA-C) methodology is used to structure a specific performance evaluation system considering the particularities of the context and its manager. Thus, the research uses a qualitative approach with primary data collection, in the form of a case study, based on interviews with the manager of the Coordination. Results: The structuring of the system allows the development of a hierarchical structure of value and qualitative performance indicators. The development of performance indicators enables the effectively monitoring of activities developed by the sector, leading to efficient management and better application of public resources. It also allows the visualization of aspects at compromising, market and excellence levels, highlighting the relevant factors for management. Contributions of the Study: The study contributes to filling the demonstrated gap based on the analysis of the literature on the topic. The system is considered to provide the manager with specific information to make decisions and promotes a discussion, not yet found in the literature, regarding the use of constructivist approaches for the bidding sector in a university hospital.

The multicriteria group decision making FlowSort method under uncertainty

Crisp values are insufficient to model real-life situations and imprecise ideas are frequently represented in multicriteria decision aid analysis. In fact, it is difficult to treat the evaluation criteria precisely and to fix exact preferences rating. The triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers succeeded to treat this kind of ambiguity in a great deal of research than other forms of fuzzy representation functions. The field of sorting issues is an active research topic in the multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA). This study extended one of the sorting methods, FLOWSORT, for solving multiple criteria group decision-making problems. This extension described the preferences rating of alternatives as linguistic terms which can be easily expressed in triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. To validate our extension, an illustrative example as well as an empirical comparison with other multi-criteria decision making methods is presented. Keywords: multicriteria group decision making, sorting problematic, intuitionistic fuzzy set, FlowSort method