Showing papers by "Thomas L. Saaty published in 2004"
TL;DR: In this paper, the first part of an introduction to multicriteria decision making using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its generalization, Analytic Network Process (ANP) is presented.
Abstract: This is the first part of an introduction to multicriteria decision making using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its generalization, the Analytic Network Process (ANP). The discussion involves individual and group decisions both with the independence of the criteria from the alternatives as in the AHP and also with dependence and feedback in the entire decision structure as in the ANP. This part explains the Analytic Hierarchy Process, with examples, and presents in some detail the mathematical foundations. An exposition of the Analytic Network Process and its applications will appear in later issues of this journal.
1,176 citations
TL;DR: The Analytic Network Process (ANP) as discussed by the authors is a multicriteria theory of measurement used to derive relative priority scales of absolute numbers from individual judgments (or from actual measurements normalized to a relative form).
Abstract: The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is a multicriteria theory of measurement used to derive relative priority scales of absolute numbers from individual judgments (or from actual measurements normalized to a relative form) that also belong to a fundamental scale of absolute numbers. These judgments represent the relative influence, of one of two elements over the other in a pairwise comparison process on a third element in the system, with respect to an underlying control criterion. Through its supermatrix, whose entries are themselves matrices of column priorities, the ANP synthesizes the outcome of dependence and feedback within and between clusters of elements. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with its independence assumptions on upper levels from lower levels and the independence of the elements in a level is a special case of the ANP. The ANP is an essential tool for articulating our understanding of a decision problem. One had to overcome the limitation of linear hierarchic structures and their mathematical consequences. This part on the ANP summarizes and illustrates the basic concepts of the ANP and shows how informed intuitive judgments can lead to real life answers that are matched by actual measurements in the real world (for example, relative dollar values) as illustrated in market share examples that rely on judgments and not on numerical data.
483 citations
TL;DR: William Stanley Jevons (1835-1882) was a highly respected and influential economist and statistician of his time as mentioned in this paper argued in his book, Investigations in Currency and Finance, the economy underwent a series of commercial crises, which he traced back to the eighteenth century
303 citations
TL;DR: This paper summarizes and illustrates basic complex decisions involving several control criteria under each of the BOCR merits.
Abstract: The general theory of the ANP enables one to deal with the benefits, opportunities, costs, and risks (the BOCR merits) of a decision, by introducing the notion of negative priorities for C and R along with the rating (not comparison) of the top priority alternative synthesized for each of the four merits in terms of strategic criteria to enable one to combine the four B, O, C, and R values of each alternative into a single outcome. Strategic criteria are very basic criteria individuals and groups use to assess whether they should make any of the many decisions they face in their daily operations. They do not depend on any particular decision for their priorities but are assessed in terms of the goals and values of the individual or organization. Synthesis is made with two formulas, one multiplicative and one additive subtractive that can give rise to negative overall priorities. This paper summarizes and illustrates basic complex decisions involving several control criteria under each of the BOCR merits.
297 citations
TL;DR: The discrete mathematics of conscious decisions is generalized to the continuous case and developed in some depth to apply to the synthesis of firings in the brain.
Abstract: In contrast with conscious decision-making, there are numerous subconscious decisions that we make without thinking about them. Some are biological and are made by different parts of our body to keep it alive and functioning normally. Others are a result of repetition and training that we can then do without thinking about them. The mathematics of conscious decisions with the Analytic Hierarchy and Network Processes is discrete, and has been discussed in the first three parts published on the subject. The mathematics of subconscious decisions is continuous. Here, we generalize the discrete mathematics of conscious decisions to the continuous case and develop it in some depth to apply to the synthesis of firings in the brain.
8 citations