Carlos A. Bana e Costa

Readings in Multiple Criteria Decision Aid

Introductory Chapter.- Multiple Criteria Decision Aid: An Overview.- I Modelling Decision Situations.- Decision-Aid and Decision-Making.- Action Evaluation and Action Structuring: Different Decision Aid Situations Reviewed Through Two Actual Cases.- Building Criteria: A Prerequisite For MCDA.- Measurement Theory And Decision Aid.- Basic Concepts Of Preference Modelling.- Decision Making In Ill-Structured Environments And With Multiple Criteria.- II The Outranking Approach.- The Outranking Approach And The Foundations Of Electre Methods.- The Construction Of Prescriptions In Outranking Methods.- The Promethee Methods For MCDM The Promcalc, Gaia And Bankadviser Software.- A Pairwise Criterion Comparison Approach: The Mappac And Pragma Methods.- III Value And Utility Theory Approach.- Conjoint Measurement: Theory And Methods.- Multi Criteria Decision Making And The Analytic Hierarchy Process.- Use Of A Simple Multi-Attribute Value Function Incorporating Visual Interactive Sensitivity Analysis For Multiple Criteria Decision Making.- Interactive Assessment Of Preferences Using Holistic Judgments: The Prefcalc System.- An Additive Value Function Technique With A Fuzzy Outranking Relation For Dealing With Poor Intercriteria Preference Information.- Qualitative Multicriteria Methods In The Netherlands.- IV Interactive Multiple Objective Programming.- Interactive Multiple Objective Programming: Concepts, Current Status, And Future Directions.- A Comparison Of Microcomputer Implemented Interactive Molp Methods Based On A Case Study.- The Multiobjective Linear Programming Decision Support System Vig And Its Applications.- A Personal Computer Version Of The MCDA Approach Strange.- Interactive Multifactorial Planning: State Of The Art.- V Group Decision And Negotiation.- An Introduction To Group Decision And Negotiation Support.- Group Decision Making: Methodology And Applications.- Supporting Decision Processes: An Approach And Two Examples.- VI The School Case-Study.- Presentation Of The School Case-Study: Evaluation Of Personnel - How To Rank Officers For Promotion?.- A Report On The Study Of The Portuguese Navy Case.

MACBETH — An Interactive Path Towards the Construction of Cardinal Value Functions

Abstract The application of classical models and techniques for cardinal measurement of values usually requires a person (D) to answer very difficult questions. The MACBETH approach, presented in this paper, proposes a simple questioning procedure to ‘drive’ the interactive quantification of values through pairwise verbal judgements of difference of attractiveness between valuable elements of a set A. Technically, MACBETH uses a chain of four linear programs for assigning numbers to the elements of set A based upon the qualitative judgements expressed by D and to reveal possible sources of incoherence. In practice, this information is to be used as a basis for discussion and learning. MACBETH stands for M easuring A trractiveness by a C ategorical B ased E valuation T ec H nique.

A critical analysis of the eigenvalue method used to derive priorities in AHP

Abstract A lot of research has been devoted to the critical analysis of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), from various perspectives. However, as far as we know, no one has addressed a fundamental problem, discussed in this paper, concerning the meaning of the priority vector derived from the principal eigenvalue method used in AHP. The role of AHP’s consistency ratio is also analysed.

Applications of the MACBETH Approach in the Framework of an Additive Aggregation Model

In measurement theory terminology, MACBETH is an interactive approach for mapping into a real scale the various degrees to which the elements of a finite set possess a property P. The originality of MACBETHs questioning procedure is the possibility of establishing a constructive path towards cardinal measurement in both quantitative and substantive meaningful terms, avoiding the operational problems recognized as a weakness of other procedures. The use of the notion of semantic absolute judgements plays a key role here and the simplicity, interactivity and constructiveness of our approach insert it in the modern paradigms of decision aid. This article illustrates the usefulness of MACBETH as a tool to facilitate decision support, by describing its application in two real public decision situations where we acted as facilitators. Although the cases correspond to quite different decision contexts and problematics and our interventions have addressed diverse issues, they have in common the fact that we conducted both evaluation processes in the framework of an additive multicriteria aggregation procedure. In the first case MACBETH has been used to support the construction of (local) cardinal value functions, while the second illustrates how our approach can serve as a weighting procedure to determine the scaling constants of an additive aggregation model.

The MACBETH Approach: Basic Ideas, Software, and an Application

MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique) is an interactive approach to guide the construction, on a set S of stimuli, of an interval scale which quantifies the attractiveness of the elements of S in the opinion of an evaluator. The aim of this paper is to present the main ideas on which this new decision-aid approach is based, and its software. MACBETH has already been applied in several complex cases. One such case was in the first application of multicriteria analysis to the evaluation of a European structural programme, the Hainaut case, which is used to illustrate the presentation in this paper.

A career choice problem: An example of how to use MACBETH to build a quantitative value model based on qualitative value judgments

Abstract MACBETH (measuring attractiveness by a categorical based evaluation technique) is an approach designed to build a quantitative model of values, developed in a way that enables facilitators to avoid forcing decision makers to produce direct numerical representations of their preferences. MACBETH employs a non-numerical interactive questioning procedure that compares two stimuli at a time, requesting only a qualitative judgment about their difference of attractiveness. As the answers are given, their consistency is verified, and a numerical scale that is representative of the decision maker’s judgments is subsequently generated and discussed. This paper makes use of the MACBETH approach and software to help an individual select his future career from a number of self-imposed possibilities. A comparison is made with the direct numerical technique SMART, previously used with the same intent.

On the Mathematical foundations of MACBETH

MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique) is a multicriteria decision analysis approach that requires only qualitative judgements about differences of value to help an individual or a group quantify the relative attractiveness of options. We present an up-to-date survey of the mathematical foundations of MACBETH. Reference is also made to real-world applications and an extensive bibliography, spanning back to the early 1990’s, is provided.

On the Mathematical Foundation of MACBETH

MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique) is a multicriteria decision analysis approach that requires only qualitative judgements about differences of value to help an individual or a group quantify the relative attractiveness of options. This chapter presents an up-to-date survey of the mathematical foundations of MACBETH. Reference is also made to real-world applications and an extensive bibliography, spanning back to the early 1990’s, is provided.

Facilitating bid evaluation in public call for tenders: a socio-technical approach

A specific multicriteria socio-technical approach to facilitating bid evaluation processes is presented and several issues that warrant its use are discussed. Some real-world interventions in international public call for tenders illustrate practical aspects of structuring criteria and creating a computer-based additive value model in direct interaction with Evaluation Committees responsible for bid evaluation, supported by the approach.

Multicriteria Evaluation of Flood Control Measures: The Case of Ribeira do Livramento

This paper describes the multicriteria process used to evaluate flood control options for the catchment of Livramento creek in the peninsula of Setúbal, in Portugal. In the structuring phase, the environmental, social, and technical dimensions were identified. The MACBETH approach - Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique - was then used to construct a quantitative evaluation model based on qualitative value judgments formulated by a group of experts from different technical and scientific fields. The model enabled the overall benefit associated with each option to be appraised, and extensive sensitivity analyses to be performed.