Decision Aids for Selection Problems

One of the most important tasks faced by decision-makers in business and government is that of selection. Selection problems are challenging in that they require the balancing of multiple, often conflicting, criteria. In recent years, a number of interesting decision aids have become available to assist in such decisions.
The aim of this book is to provide a comparative survey of many of the decision aids currently available. The first chapters present general ideas which underpin the methodologies used to design these aids. Subsequent chapters then focus on specific decision aids and demonstrate some of the software which implement these ideas. A final chapter provides a comparative analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.

1 Introduction.- Multiple Criteria Decision Making.- Value.- Software Sources.- References.- 2 Developing Criteria Hierarchies.- Hierarchies.- Attributes.- Hierarchy Development Process.- Suggestions for Cases where Preferential Independence is Absent.- Energy Hierarchies.- Conclusions.- References.- 3 Multiattribute Utility Theory.- Case: Nuclear Depository Siting.- Multiattribute Utility Theory.- Tradeoff Analysis.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection.- House Selection.- Conclusions.- References.- 4 Smart.- The SMART Technique.- Independence.- Nuclear Dump Site Example.- House Selection Example.- SMARTS.- Nuclear Site Selection with SMARTS.- SMARTER.- House Selection Example Using SMARTER.- Summary.- References.- 5 The Analytic Hierarchy Process.- Description of AHP.- Hierarchy Development.- Subjective Pairwise Comparisons.- Calculation of Implied Weights.- Consistency Measure.- Synthesis.- Calculations for the Nuclear Waste Disposal Siting Problem.- Calculations for the Housing Selection Decision.- Real-World Applications of AHP.- Computer Support for AHP.- Summary.- Appendix: Calculation of Maximum Eigen Value and Eigenvector.- References.- 6 Geometric Mean Technique.- Geometric Mean Solution.- REMBRANDT.- Nuclear Disposal Site Selection Problem.- House Selection Calculations.- References.- 7 Preference Cones.- Procedure.- Basing Objective on Current Best Choice.- Basing Objective on Worst Choice to Date.- Adjacency Formulation.- Cellular Manufacturing Example.- Basing Objective on Current Best Choice.- Basing Objective on Worst Choice to Date.- Automation Example.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection.- Conclusions.- References.- 8 Outranking Methods.- ELECTRE.- Cellular Manufacturing Example.- Automation Example.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection — ELECTRE II.- PROMETHEE.- GAIAOutput.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection—PROMETHEE.- Applications of Outranking Methods.- Conclusions.- References.- 9 Zapros.- Demonstration Model.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection.- House Selection.- Conclusions.- References.- Appendix: Input Files.- 10 Aspiration-Level Interactive Model.- Methodology.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection.- Cellular Manufacturing Example.- Summary.- References.- 11 Visual Interactive Method.- VIMDA Overview.- VIMDA Procedure.- Nuclear Dump Site Selection.- Cellular Manufacturing Example.- Summary.- References.- 12 Models with Uncertain Estimates.- ARIADNE.- Parking Example.- Nuclear Waste Disposal Siting Problem.- Uncertain Value Contributions.- House Buying Example.- HIPRE 3+.- Parking Example.- Nuclear Dump Site Example.- Summary.- References.- 13 Comparisons.- Task Type.- Task Dimensionality.- Task Uniqueness.- Decision Maker Cognitive Effort.- Human Subject Responses.- Aid to Decision Maker Learning.- Synthesis.- Conclusion.- References.- Author Index.- Topic Index.