Developing regional cooperation strategies by multi-criteria decision making approaches

Abstract

Based on the regional cooperation policy outlined in the National Land Plan of Japan, this study developed a regional cooperation planning model (RCPM) for use by regional planners and researchers. RCPM includes two sub-models. The first sub-model is the local service evaluation model (LSEM), which employs grey multiple criteria evaluation to assess local services for individual cities, towns and villages. The second sub-model is the cooperative partner assignment model (CPAM), which applies grey multiple objective 0–1 programming to determine optimal cooperative partners for individual cities, towns and villages. Applying RCPM to eastern Taiwan yielded the following conclusions. First, the current division of Living Perimeters in the Eastern Taiwan Region should be adjusted according to the analytical results presented in this study to reach further benefits of cooperation. Second, since RCPM uses grey numbers to display input data and research findings, it provides planning flexibility and resolves uncertainties in practical planning. Finally, the modeling results contribute to cooperative strategy development among neighboring areas in an underdeveloped region.