Development of TODIM with different types of fuzzy sets: A state-of the-art survey

Abstract

Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is a common method used to solve complex decision-making problems. One such method, TODIM (TOmada de Decisão Iterativa Multicritério), is derived from prospect theory, which considers the psychological behaviors of decision makers (DMs). The perceptions of DMs of the alternatives may be uncertain because, for example, of complex decision-making circumstances or their limited knowledge. Therefore, fuzzy sets (FSs) have been used to describe DMs’ vague perceptions. The combination of TODIM with different types of FSs has developed to deal with different uncertain decision-making problems. We systematically analyze TODIM with different types of FSs to show its state and possible future direction. A bibliometric analysis of existing research on this topic is given, followed by an analysis of the dominance function of TODIM, including how to represent a gain or loss, and how to obtain the original and relative weights. We then describe the combination of TODIM with other methods. Applications of current methods are summarized, and some challenges and possible directions of future research are provided. Fuzzy MCDM with the psychological factors of decision makers will surely receive increased attention from researchers and practitioners in the future.