Nowadays sustainability and transportation concepts have been incorporated by the authorities and engineers. The indicator of this situation is the introduction of hybrid vehicles into the market. For the consumers, the purchasing process of hybrid vehicles is not easy because of the many alternatives with different brands including different properties. This process is considered a multi criteria problem with multi alternatives. This paper aims to develop a solution methodology for this problem of a company. The proposed methodology integrates the Interval Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy (IVIF) sets and two Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods; Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Multi Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison (MABAC). With the help of IVIF sets, the fuzziness in the structures of the decision problem and decision-making process is overcome. The IVIF AHP evaluation has revealed the importance that consumers attach to the criteria. According to the IVIF AHP results, each of the criteria has a similar weight. According to the IVIF MABAC results, the ranking order of the hybrid vehicle alternatives is specified as A1–A2–A3–A5–A4. The advantage of the integrated IVIF AHP and IVIF MABAC approach is that it helps in evaluating the most suitable alternatives when there is a disagreement about the relative suitability of the criteria and requires less numerical calculations. The results and the comparative analysis conducted in the study also support this situation.
This study proposes a novel method called the “Integrative Reference Point Approach (IRPA)” as an alternative method to existing MCDM methods. The basis of the newly proposed method is the satisfaction function and the reference set approach. Three different applications are performed to verify the validity of the proposed method from the perspective of optimal alternative rankings and sensitivity to changes in criteria weights. All results of comparative and sensitivity analyses show that the novel method is moderately sensitive to changes in criteria weights and compatible with other methods.
Pub. online:26 Mar 2024Type:Research ArticleOpen Access
Journal:Informatica
Volume 36, Issue 1 (2025), pp. 141–174
Abstract
Derivative-free DIRECT-type global optimization algorithms are increasingly favoured for their simplicity and effectiveness in addressing real-world optimization challenges. This review examines their practical applications through a systematic analysis of scientific journals and computational studies. In particular, significant challenges in reproducibility have been identified with practical problems. To address this, we conducted an experimental study using practical problems from reputable CEC libraries, comparing DIRECT-type techniques against their state-of-the-art counterparts. Therefore, this study sheds light on current gaps, opportunities, and future prospects for advanced research in this domain, laying the foundation for replicating and expanding the research findings presented herein.
Journal:Informatica
Volume 34, Issue 3 (2023), pp. 465–489
Abstract
The Best-Worst Method (BWM) is a recently introduced, innovative multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique used to determine criterion weights for selection processes. However, another method is needed to complete the selection of the most preferred alternative. In this research, we propose a group decision-making methodology based on the multiplicative BWM to make this selection. Furthermore, we give new models that allow for groups with different best and worst criteria to exist. This capability is crucial in reconciling the differences among experts from various geographical locations with diverse evaluation perspectives influenced by social and cultural disparities. Our work contributes significantly in three ways: (1) we propose a BWM-based methodology for evaluating alternatives, (2) we present new linear models that facilitate decision-making for groups with different best and worst criteria, and (3) we develop a dissimilarity ratio to quantify the differences in expert opinions. The methodology is illustrated via numerical experiments for a global car company deciding which car model alternative to introduce in its markets.
Pub. online:15 Oct 2020Type:Research ArticleOpen Access
Journal:Informatica
Volume 32, Issue 1 (2021), pp. 119–143
Abstract
The objective of the paper is to introduce a novel approach using the multi-attribute border approximation area comparison (MABAC) approach under intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) to solve the smartphone selection problem with incomplete weights or completely unknown weights. A novel discrimination measure of IFSs is proposed to calculate criteria weights. In view of the fact that the ambiguity is an unavoidable feature of multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems, the proposed approach is an innovative process in the decision-making under uncertain settings. To express the utility and strength of the developed approach for solving problems in the area of MCDM, a smartphone selection problem is demonstrated. To validate the IF-MABAC approach, a comparative discussion is made between the outcomes of the developed and those of the existing methods. The outcomes of analysis demonstrate that the introduced method is well-ordered and effective with the existing ones.