Prioritizing effective 7Ms to improve production systems performance using fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS (case study)

This paper is aimed to present a fuzzy decision-making approach for prioritizing effective 7Ms to improve production systems performance. In this research systematic approach has been used for organization and production system inputs which named as 7Ms (Management, Manpower, Marketing, Method, Machine, Material, and Money). Linguistic values are used to assess the ratings and weights for 7Ms. These linguistic ratings can be expressed in trapezoidal or triangular fuzzy numbers. Then, a hierarchy multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) model based on fuzzy-sets theory including FAHP and FTOPSIS are applied. The results obtained from AHP, FAHP; FTOPSIS were compared with each other. This research has been conducted on a manufacturing plant however the results can also be used for other types of organizations that are located in a competitive environment.     

Performance evaluation of Turkish cement firms with fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and TOPSIS methods

In today’s competitive environment evaluating firms’ performance properly, is an important issue not only for investors and creditors but also for the firms that are in the same sector. Determining the competitiveness of the firms and evaluating the financial performance of them is also crucial for the sector’s development.The aim of this study is developing a fuzzy model to evaluate the performance of the firms by using financial ratios and at the same time, taking subjective judgments of decision makers into consideration. Proposed approach is based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) methods. FAHP method is used in determining the weights of the criteria by decision makers and then rankings of the firms are determined by TOPSIS method. The proposed method is used for evaluating the performance of the fifteen Turkish cement firms in the Istanbul Stock Exchange by using their financial tables. Then the rankings of the firms are determined according to their results.     

Sustainable supplier selection: A ranking model based on fuzzy inference system

In these days, considering the growth of knowledge about sustainability in enterprise, the sustainable supplier selection would be the central component in the management of a sustainable supply chain. In this paper the sustainable supplier selection criteria and sub-criteria are determined and based on those criteria and sub-criteria a methodology is proposed onto evaluation and ranking of a given set of suppliers. In the evaluation process, decision makers’ opinions on the importance of deciding the criteria and sub-criteria, in addition to their preference of the suppliers’ performance with respect to sub-criteria are considered in linguistic terms. To handle the subjectivity of decision makers’ assessments, fuzzy logic has been applied and a new ranking method on the basis of fuzzy inference system (FIS) is proposed for supplier selection problem. Finally, an illustrative example is utilized to show the feasibility of the proposed method.     

Rating and ranking of multiple-aspect alternatives using fuzzy sets

A method is proposed to deal with multiple-alternative decision problems under uncertainty. It is assumed that all the alternatives in the choice set can be characterized by a number of aspects, and that information is available to assign weights to these aspects and to construct a rating scheme for the various aspects of each alternative. The method basically consists of computing weighted final ratings for each alternative and comparing the weighted final ratings. The uncertainty that is assumed to be inherent in the assessments of the ratings and weights is accounted for by considering each of these variables as fuzzy quantities, characterized by appropriate membership functions. Accordingly, the final evaluation of the alternatives consists of a degree of membership in the fuzzy set of alternatives ranking first. A practical method is given to compute membership functions of fuzzy sets induced by mappings, and applied to the problem at hand. A number of examples are worked out. The method is compared to another one proposed by Kahne who approaches the problem probabilistically.     

Fuzzy performance evaluation in Turkish Banking Sector using Analytic Hierarchy Process and TOPSIS

The performance evaluation of banks has important results for creditors, investors and stakeholders since it determines banks’ capabilities to compete in the sector and has a critical importance for the development of the sector. The aim of this study is to propose a fuzzy multi-criteria decision model to evaluate the performances of banks.The largest five commercial banks of Turkish Banking Sector are examined and these banks are evaluated in terms of several financial and non-financial indicators. Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods are integrated in the proposed model. After the weights for a number of criteria are determined based on the opinions of experts using the FAHP method, these weights are input to the TOPSIS method to rank the banks. The results show that not only financial performance but also non-financial performance should be taken into account in a competitive environment.     

A group decision making framework based on fuzzy VIKOR approach for machine tool selection with linguistic information

Computer numerical control (CNC) machines are used for repetitive, difficult and unsafe manufacturing tasks that require a high degree of accuracy. However, when selecting an appropriate CNC machine, multiple criteria need to be considered by multiple decision makers. In this study, a multi-criteria group decision making (MCGDM) technique based on the fuzzy VIKOR method is developed to solve a CNC machine tool selection problem. Linguistic variables represented by triangular fuzzy numbers are used to reflect decision maker preferences for the criteria importance weights and the performance ratings. After the individual preferences are aggregated or after the separation values are computed, they are then defuzzified. In this paper, two algorithms based on a fuzzy linguistic approach are developed. Based on these two algorithms and the VIKOR method, a general MCGDM framework is proposed. A CNC machine tool selection example illustrates the application of the proposed approach. A comparative study of the two algorithms using the above case study information highlighted the need to combine the ranking results, as both algorithms have distinct characteristics.     

Extension of VIKOR method in intuitionistic fuzzy environment for robot selection

Decision making is the process of finding the best option among the feasible alternatives. In classical multiple-criteria decision making methods, the ratings and the weights of the criteria are known precisely. However, if decision makers are not able to involve uncertainty in the defining of linguistic variables based on fuzzy sets, the intuitionistic fuzzy set theory can do this job very well. In this paper, VIKOR method is extended in intuitionistic fuzzy environment, aiming at solving multiple-criteria decision making problems in which the weights of criteria and ratings of alternatives are taken as triangular intuitionistic fuzzy set. For application and verification, this study presents a robot selection problem for material handling task to verify our proposed method.     

An integrated approach to machine selection problem using fuzzy SMART-fuzzy weighted axiomatic design

In respond to new market requirements and competitive positioning of manufacturing companies selecting optimal machines that are consistent with manufacturing goals is of crucial importance. As it involves multiple conflicting criteria and inherent ambiguity and vagueness, election of a suitable machine can be regarded as a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making problem. In this study, for the first time in the literature, an integrated approach consisting of fuzzy simple multiattribute rating technique (SMART) approach and fuzzy weighted axiomatic design (FWAD) approach is proposed to determining the optimal continuous fluid bed tea dryer for a privately owned tea plant operating in Turkey. The weights of the evaluation criteria are calculated via fuzzy SMART and then FWAD is utilized to rank competing machine alternatives in terms of their overall performance. In the FWAD application phase, five experts have determined functional requirements (FRs) and have rated alternatives. Therefore, individual fuzzy opinions were required to be aggregated in order to set up a group consensus. A group decision analysis, referred to as the least squares distance method is used to aggregating the ratings of FRs and alternatives. It is concluded that the proposed hybrid methodology is a robust decision support tool for ranking machine alternatives under fuzzy environment and furthermore, it can be exploited for other fuzzy decision making problems, as well.     

对方案有偏好的直觉模糊多属性决策方法

对属性权重信息不完全、属性值和决策者对方案的偏好信息均以直觉模糊数表示的多属性决策问题提出一种决策方法。首先根据决策者对方案的偏好信息建立多目标规划模型,求出属性权重,接着利用觉模糊加权算术平均算子求出方案的综合属性值,由直觉模糊数的得分函数和精确函数确定方案的排序,最后通过实例证明了该方法的实用性和有效性。     

A GRA-based intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making method for personnel selection

Due to the increasing competition of globalization, selection of the most appropriate personnel is one of the key factors for an organization’s success.The importance and complexity of the personnel selection problem call for the method combining both subjective and objective assessments rather than just subjective decisions. The aim of this paper is to develop a new method for solving the decision making process. An intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making method with grey relational analysis (GRA) is proposed. Intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging (IFWA) operator is utilized to aggregate individual opinions of decision makers into a group opinion. Intuitionistic fuzzy entropy is used to obtain the entropy weights of the criteria. GRA is applied to the ranking and selection of alternatives. A numerical example for personnel selection is given to illustrate the proposed method finally.     

Development of a decision support system for machining center selection

The machining centers are key resources for manufacturing companies in their dealing with their fierce competitive market environments. However, although selecting the most appropriate machining center is a very important decision for manufacturing companies, the availability of wide-range of types and models makes the selection process a complex and difficult task. In this study, a decision support system (DSS), namely MACSEL, is developed to help the decision makers in their machining center selection decisions. Several issues and applicability of the MACSEL is illustrated with case problems in the paper.Within the developed DSS, to select the feasible set of machining centers fifteen questions are placed in the elimination (pre-selection) module. The developed DSS uses fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) or fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS), which are extended versions of multi-criteria decision making approaches, to rank the feasible machining centers. In the DSS, FAHP is used if a detailed pair-wise weighting of the hierarchically structured criteria is wanted. On the other hand, when a simpler separate weighting of each criterion is be considered as enough, FTOPSIS is used.     

基于直觉梯形模糊TOPSIS的多属性群决策方法

提出一种改进的逼近理想解排序(TOPSIS)方法,即直觉梯形模糊TOPSIS多属性群决策方法。首先,应用直觉梯形模糊数形式表示方案属性偏好和属性权重信息且专家权重完全未知;然后,利用直觉梯形模糊数间距离测度和期望值及直觉梯形模糊加权平均算子来确定决策者权重信息和属性权重信息;进而给出直觉梯形模糊环境下方案优选的算法;最后,通过算例进一步说明了该直觉梯形模糊TOPSIS方法的有效性。     

A method for the evaluation of risk in IT projects

Information technology projects are particularly prone to failure due to their specific characteristics, making risk management become one of the critical elements in IT projects management. That is why several authors have developed risk evaluation methods, some of them based on fuzzy logic. This article proposes a new risk assessment method based in a combination of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and fuzzy inference system (FIS). FIS is used for the integration of the groups of risk factors. These risk factors are the evaluation criteria of a modified FAHP which minimizes the disadvantages of the classic implementation of FAHP in order to obtain a more intuitive and easily adjustable model for multicriteria decision analysis with a lower computational need. The proposed model takes into consideration the different levels of uncertainty, the interrelationship among groups of risk factors, and the possibility of adding or suppressing options without losing the consistency with previous evaluations. The new method is especially suitable for the evaluation of development projects in the area of IT in which multiple interrelated risk factors can be particularly uncertain and imprecise. To implement the evaluation method, a hierarchy of risk factors was implemented. A numerical example is presented with data from three actual cases of IT projects, showing the applicability of the new method, the suitability of the selected taxonomy, and the significance of a few risk factors. Several future lines of work are proposed.     

Development of a fuzzy decision support framework for complex multi‐attribute decision problems: A case study for the selection of skilful basketball players

The selection of skilful players is a complicated process due to the problem criteria consisting of both qualitative and quantitative attributes as well as vague linguistic terms. This study seeks to develop a decision support framework for the selection of candidates eligible to become basketball players through the use of a fuzzy multi‐attribute decision making (MADM) algorithm. The proposed model is based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. The model was employed in the Youth and Sports Center of Mugla, Turkey, with the participation of seven junior basketball players aged between 7 and 14. In the present study, physical fitness measurement values and observation values of technical skills were utilized. FAHP was used to determine the weights of the criteria and the observation values of technical skills by decision makers. Physical fitness measurement values were converted to fuzzy values by using a fuzzy set approach. Subsequently, the overall ranking of the candidate players was determined by the TOPSIS method. Results were compared with human experts’ opinions. It is observed that the developed model is more reliable to be used in decision making. The model architecture and experimental results along with illustrative examples are further demonstrated in the study.     

An Accurate Method for Determining Hesitant Fuzzy Aggregation Operator Weights and Its Application to Project Investment

As a generalization of fuzzy sets, hesitant fuzzy set is a very useful technique to represent decision makers’ hesitancy in decision making. Various hesitant fuzzy weighted operators have been developed to aggregate hesitant fuzzy information, but it seems that there is no investigation on the weighted approach of obtaining their weights, which is decisive for the calculation and comparison of hesitant fuzzy elements (HFEs) in multicriteria group decision making. In this paper, we propose an accurate weighted method (AWM) of monotonicity and proportionality, based on nothing but the score function and the new deviation function. Because of the above properties, AWM may be an accurate and objective technique to calculate the weights of HFEs and aggregation operator. Then, based on this weighted approach, we develop two new hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted aggregation operators, that is, hesitant fuzzy ordered accurate weighted averaging and hesitant fuzzy ordered accurate weighted geometric operators, and study their relationships and properties. In the end, an illustrative project investment problem is used to demonstrate how to apply the proposed weighted approach and to observe the computational consequences resulting from new aggregation operators. This work contributes significantly to improve the hesitant fuzzy theory, and proposes two new hesitant fuzzy aggregation operators.     

Applying fuzzy hierarchy multiple attributes to construct an expert decision making process

The main objective of this paper is to propose an approach within the AHP framework for tackling the uncertainty and imprecision of service evaluations during pre-negotiation stages, where the expert’s comparison judgments are represented as fuzzy triangular numbers. A fuzzy prioritization method, which derives crisp priorities from consistent and inconsistent fuzzy comparison matrices, is described. The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP)-based decision-making method can provide decision makers or buyer a valuable reference for evaluating software quality. A case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Importantly, the proposed scheme can assist decision makers in assessing the feasibility of digital video recorder system to management public space, making it highly applicable for academic and commercial purposes.     

Extension of the ELECTRE method based on interval-valued fuzzy sets

Decision-making is the process of finding the best option among the feasible alternatives. In classical multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, the ratings and the weights of the criteria are known precisely. However, if decision makers cannot reach an agreement on the method of defining linguistic variables based on the fuzzy sets, the interval-valued fuzzy set theory can provide a more accurate modeling. In this paper, the interval-valued fuzzy ELECTRE method is presented aiming at solving MCDM problems in which the weights of criteria are unequal, using interval-valued fuzzy set concepts. For the purpose of proving the validity of the proposed model, we present a numerical example and build a practical maintenance strategy selection problem.     

基于改进直觉模糊熵和信息集成算子的多准则群决策方法

针对直觉模糊环境下准则权重和决策者权重完全未知的群决策问题,提出了一种基于改进直觉模糊熵和信息集成算子的多准则群决策方法.首先,借助直觉模糊数、语言变量法和定量指标值转化公式,将决策者的初始评价准则值规范化;其次,引入改进的直觉模糊熵度量方法确定准则权重和决策者权重;进一步对直觉模糊决策矩阵用直觉模糊加权平均算子和直觉模糊有序加权平均算子进行信息集成,利用新的得分函数对备选方案排序择优.从理论上论证了该方法的可行性,结合算例验证了该方法的有效性.     

A peer IF-TOPSIS based decision support system for packaging machine selection

Selecting the appropriate manufacturing machine is a very important and complex problem for firms which usually have to deal with both qualitative and quantitative criteria and involve different decision makers whose knowledge is often vague and imprecise.This paper proposes a peer-based modification to intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making with TOPSIS method (peer IF-TOPSIS) and applies it to a packaging machine selection problem. Intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging (IFWA) operator has been selected both to obtain the group opinion on the relevance of the single decision makers and to aggregate individual opinions of decision makers for rating the importance of criteria and alternatives.A case study illustrates the application of the modified IF-TOPSIS method in order to select a Vertical Form Fill and Seal (VFFS) for Double Square Bottom Bag (DSBB) machine in food packaging.     

A fuzzy group decision making model with trapezoidal fuzzy preference relations based on compatibility measure and COWGA operator

This paper proposes a fuzzy group decision-making model based on a logarithm compatibility measure with multiplicative trapezoidal fuzzy preference relations (MTFPRs) based on a continuous ordered weighted geometric averaging (COWGA) operator. New concepts are presented to measure deviation between MTFPR and its expected fuzzy preference relation. Then, an iterative algorithm is developed to help individual MTFPR reach acceptable compatibility. To determine the weights of decision makers, an optimal model is constructed using group logarithm compatibility index COWGA operator. Finally, we illustrate an example to show how it works and compare it with the existing methods. The main advantages of the proposed approach are the following: (1) The COWGA operator makes decision making more flexible; (2) an iterative and convergent algorithm is proposed to improve the compatibility of MTFPR; (3) decision makers’ weights in group decision making are determined by an optimal model based on a logarithm compatibility measure.