Sustainable supplier selection in healthcare industries using a new MCDM method: Measurement of alternatives and ranking according to COmpromise solution (MARCOS)

Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) is considered as an effective method for the identification of cause-effect chain components of a complex system. It deals with evaluating interdependent relationships among factors and finding the critical ones through a visual structural model. Over the recent decade, a large number of studies have been done on the application of DEMATEL and many different variants have been put forward in the literature. The objective of this study is to review systematically the methodologies and applications of the DEMATEL technique. We reviewed a total of 346 papers published from 2006 to 2016 in the international journals. According to the approaches used, these publications are grouped into five categories: classical DEMATEL, fuzzy DEMATEL, grey DEMATEL, analytical network process- (ANP-) DEMATEL, and other DEMATEL. All papers with respect to each category are summarized and analyzed, pointing out their implementing procedures, real applications, and crucial findings. This systematic and comprehensive review holds valuable insights for researchers and practitioners into using the DEMATEL in terms of indicating current research trends and potential directions for further research.

/pdf/dematel-technique-a-systematic-review-of-the-state-of-the-1p9nnc0aaq.pdf

DEMATEL Technique: A Systematic Review of the State-of-the-Art Literature on Methodologies and Applications

In this paper, a new multi-criteria problem solving method—the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM)—is proposed. The model implies the definition of two groups of constraints that need to satisfy the optimal values of weight coefficients. The first group of constraints is the condition that the relations of the weight coefficients of criteria should be equal to the comparative priorities of the criteria. The second group of constraints is defined on the basis of the conditions of mathematical transitivity. After defining the constraints and solving the model, in addition to optimal weight values, a deviation from full consistency (DFC) is obtained. The degree of DFC is the deviation value of the obtained weight coefficients from the estimated comparative priorities of the criteria. In addition, DFC is also the reliability confirmation of the obtained weights of criteria. In order to illustrate the proposed model and evaluate its performance, FUCOM was tested on several numerical examples from the literature. The model validation was performed by comparing it with the other subjective models (the Best Worst Method (BWM) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)), based on the pairwise comparisons of the criteria and the validation of the results by using DFC. The results show that FUCOM provides better results than the BWM and AHP methods, when the relation between consistency and the required number of the comparisons of the criteria are taken into consideration. The main advantages of FUCOM in relation to the existing multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are as follows: (1) a significantly smaller number of pairwise comparisons (only n − 1), (2) a consistent pairwise comparison of criteria, and (3) the calculation of the reliable values of criteria weight coefficients, which contribute to rational judgment.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/10/9/393/pdf

A New Model for Determining Weight Coefficients of Criteria in MCDM Models: Full Consistency Method (FUCOM)

In this paper, we define the Choquet integral operator for Pythagorean fuzzy aggregation operators, such as Pythagorean fuzzy Choquet integral average PFCIA operator and Pythagorean fuzzy Choquet integral geometric PFCIG operator. The operators not only consider the importance of the elements or their ordered positions but also can reflect the correlations among the elements or their ordered positions. It is worth pointing out that most of the existing Pythagorean fuzzy aggregation operators are special cases of our operators. Meanwhile, some basic properties are discussed in detail. Later, we propose two approaches to multiple attribute group decision making with attributes involving dependent and independent by the PFCIA operator and multi-attributive border approximation area comparison MABAC in Pythagorean fuzzy environment. Finally, two illustrative examples have also been taken in the present study to verify the developed approaches and to demonstrate their practicality and effectiveness.

Pythagorean Fuzzy Choquet Integral Based MABAC Method for Multiple Attribute Group Decision Making

After the first paper regarding the Best Worst Method (BWM) was published in Omega in 2015 (J. Rezaei, Best-worst multi-criteria decision-making method, Omega 53 (2015) 49–57), it has attracted many scholars’ attention due to the efficiency of this method in reducing the times of pairwise comparisons and the good performance in maintaining consistency between judgments. Lots of researches related to this method have been published over the past several years. This paper concentrates on the state-of-the-art survey of the BWM based on the in-depth analysis over the publications concerning this method published from 2015 to 26th, January 2019. This paper intends to answer five questions about the BWM: (1) How does this method perform in bibliometric analysis? (2) Why to propose this method and what is it? (3) Which integrations that the BWM were focused on and which areas did they apply to? (4) What extensions of this method were investigated? (5) What are the challenges and future research directions regarding this method? In view of the fact that the research on this method is still in infancy, this paper has guiding significance for the later research related to the BWM. From the theoretical point of view, the reasonable value of consistency ratio, the inconsistency improving methods, the uncertain extensions of the BWM and the techniques for solving multi-optimality model in the BWM are good research issues that need to be further investigated in the future. From the perspective of application, the software packages for this method, the various integrations of this method, the wider application areas, and the international cooperation on this method are good topics to consider.

The state-of-the-art survey on integrations and applications of the best worst method in decision making: Why, what, what for and what's next?

Application of a new MCDA technique called MABAC.The MABAC sensitivity analysis.Five other MCDA techniques were tested under the same conditions.The MABAC showed stability and other techniques. This paper presents the application of the new DEMATEL-MABAC model in the process of making investment decisions on the acquisition of manipulative transport (Forklifts) in logistics centers. The DEMATEL method was used to obtain the weight coefficients of criteria, on the basis of which the alternatives were evaluated. The selection of criteria for evaluating Forklifts was based on an analysis of available literature. The evaluation and selection of Forklifts was carried out using a new multi-criteria method - the MABAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison) method. This paper presents a practical application and a sensitivity analysis of the MABAC method. The sensitivity analysis was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, a stability analysis was carried out on the solution reached by the MABAC method, depending on changes made to the weights of the criteria. In the second and third stages, a consistency analysis of the results from the MABAC method was carried out depending on both the changes in the measurement units in which the values of individual criteria are presented and on the formulation of the criteria. The SAW, COPRAS, TOPSIS, MOORA and VIKOR methods were tested under the same conditions. Based on the results obtained, it was shown that the SAW, COPRAS, TOPSIS, MOORA and VIKOR methods do not meet one or more of the conditions set, while the MABAC method showed stability (consistency) in its solutions. Through the research presented in this paper, it is shown that the new MABAC method of multi-criteria decision-making is a useful and reliable tool for rational decision-making.

The selection of transport and handling resources in logistics centers using Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC)

This paper presents a new approach for the treatment of uncertainty which is based on interval-valued fuzzy-rough numbers (IVFRN). It is shown that by integrating the rough approach with the traditional fuzzy approach, the subjectivity that exists when defining the borders of fuzzy sets is eliminated. IVFRN make decision making possible using only the internal knowledge in the operative data available to the decision makers. In this way objective uncertainties are used and there is no need to rely on models of assumptions. Instead of different external parameters in the application of IVFRN, the structure of the given data is used. On this basis an original multi-criteria model was developed based on an IVFRN approach. In this multi-criteria model the traditional steps of the BWM (Best–Worst method) and MABAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison) methods are modified. The model was tested and validated on a study of the optimal selection of fire fighting helicopters. Testing demonstrated that the model based on IVFRN enabled more objective expert evaluation of the criteria in comparison with traditional fuzzy and rough approaches. A sensitivity analysis of the IVFRN BWM-MABAC model was carried out by means of 57 scenarios, the results of which showed a high degree of stability. The results of the IVFRN model were validated by comparing them with the results of the fuzzy and rough extension of the MABAC, COPRAS and VIKOR models.

Modification of the Best–Worst and MABAC methods: A novel approach based on interval-valued fuzzy-rough numbers

The rationalization of logistics activities and processes is very important in the business and efficiency of every company. In this respect, transportation as a subsystem of logistics, whether internal or external, is potentially a huge area for achieving significant savings. In this paper, the emphasis is placed upon the internal transport logistics of a paper manufacturing company. It is necessary to rationalize the movement of vehicles in the company’s internal transport, that is, for the majority of the transport to be transferred to rail transport, because the company already has an industrial track installed in its premises. To do this, it is necessary to purchase at least two used wagons. The problem is formulated as a multi-criteria decision model with eight criteria and eight alternatives. The paper presents a new approach based on a combination of the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method and rough numbers, which is used for ranking the potential solutions and selecting the most suitable one. The rough Best–Worst Method (BWM) was used to determine the weight values of the criteria. The results obtained using a combination of these two methods in their rough form were verified by means of a sensitivity analysis consisting of a change in the weight criteria and comparison with the following methods in their conventional and rough forms: the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Ordering Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and MultiAttributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC). The results show very high stability of the model and ranks that are the same or similar in different scenarios.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/9/11/264/pdf

The Selection of Wagons for the Internal Transport of a Logistics Company: A Novel Approach Based on Rough BWM and Rough SAW Methods

The Best Worst Method (BWM) represents a powerful tool for multi-criteria decision-making and defining criteria weight coefficients. However, while solving real-world problems, there are specific multi-criteria problems where several criteria exert the same influence on decision-making. In such situations, the traditional postulates of the BWM imply the defining of one best criterion and one worst criterion from within a set of observed criteria. In this paper, an improvement of the traditional BWM that eliminates this problem is presented. The improved BWM (BWM-I) offers the possibility for decision-makers to express their preferences even in cases where there is more than one best and worst criterion. The development enables the following: (1) the BWM-I enables us to express experts’ preferences irrespective of the number of the best/worst criteria in a set of evaluation criteria; (2) the application of the BWM-I reduces the possibility of making a mistake while comparing pairs of criteria, which increases the reliability of the results; and (3) the BWM-I is characterized by its flexibility, which is expressed through the possibility of the realistic processing of experts’ preferences irrespective of the number of the criteria that have the same significance and the possibility of the transformation of the BWM-I into the traditional BWM (should there be a unique best/worst criterion). To present the applicability of the BWM-I, it was applied to defining the weight coefficients of the criteria in the field of renewable energy and their ranking.

/pdf/application-of-improved-best-worst-method-bwm-in-real-world-4ghp2w230u.pdf

Application of Improved Best Worst Method (BWM) in Real-World Problems

Healthcare waste (HCW) management is a complex and challenging problem. It is one of the priorities in health. An increase in the number of the health services provided leads to an increase in the amount of HCW, which has particularly been noticeable in recent years. Since this is the waste that may pose a risk to humans and the environment, it is necessary to ensure an adequate treatment of the same. HCW management is particularly important in developing countries, due to inappropriate disposal methods, underfunding and a lack of the infrastructure. In order to achieve the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of this area, HCW should be minimized through an adequate treatment of the same. The Public Enterprise Zdravstvo Brcko (Brcko Health System) has intensively been addressing the HCW management issue. They have decided to upgrade the HCW system by purchasing a new infectious waste treatment facility. The paper is aimed at creating a new original integrated multicriteria decision-making model based on D numbers for processing fuzzy linguistic information. This model will serve to support management in the procurement of the mentioned facility. The model integrates the benefits of different approaches and theories. An initial model was formed, consisting of the six potential solutions evaluated based on the 18 criteria classified into the following four groups: social, environmental, economic and technological. Four experts in this field evaluated the criteria and potential solutions. Then, a new Best-Worst Method based on D numbers (BWM-D) was applied in order to determine the significance of the criteria. After that, a Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison Based on D numbers (MABAC-D) was developed and applied so as to evaluate and select an infectious waste treatment facility. The results have shown that the alternative A1 gives the best results, whereas the alternative A5 shows the worst results. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to validate the obtained results. In this part of the paper, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS-D) and VIsekriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisnog Resenja (VIKOR-D) were developed in order to validate the results. When procuring a new Contagious Waste Treatment System, the characteristics of the available devices need be perceived and all the criteria need be taken into account in order to provide a device which will solve the HCW problem in the best way. This paper has shown how D numbers can be used when making a selection of an HCW management device, and also how all the characteristics of such a device can be perceived and how the device demonstrating the best characteristics can be selected.

Goran Ćirović

Papers

The selection of transport and handling resources in logistics centers using Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC)

Modification of the Best–Worst and MABAC methods: A novel approach based on interval-valued fuzzy-rough numbers

The Selection of Wagons for the Internal Transport of a Logistics Company: A Novel Approach Based on Rough BWM and Rough SAW Methods

Application of Improved Best Worst Method (BWM) in Real-World Problems

A new intelligent MCDM model for HCW management: The integrated BWM–MABAC model based on D numbers