An outranking method for multi-criteria group decision making using hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic term sets

Abstract

This article proposes an outranking method for group decision-making (GDM) using hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic term sets (HIFLTSs). By means of HIFLTSs, the flexibility in generating evaluation information under uncertainty can be achieved to a larger extent than intuitionistic fuzzy set s (IFSs) or hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets (HFLSs). Based on intuitionistic fuzzy support function (IFSF), intuitionistic fuzzy risk function (IFRF) and intuitionistic fuzzy credibility function (IFCF), the net outranking flow index (NOFI) of each alternative are calculated which represents the net outranking character of an alternative over the other. The linguistic scale functions (LSFs) are employed in this paper to conduct the transformation between qualitative information and quantitative data. Finally, an outranking approach is constructed for ranking alternatives in multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) problems, and the approach is demonstrated using a numerical example.