DISTINGUISHING COEFFICIENT DRIVEN SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF GRA MODEL FOR INTELLIGENT DECISIONS: APPLICATION IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Amin Mahmoudi,Saad Ahmed Javed,Sifeng Liu,Xiaopeng Deng

doi:10.3846/tede.2020.11890

Abstract

The Distinguishing Coefficient (ξ) is an important parameter of Grey Relational Analysis (GRA), a flagship multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model of Grey System Theory, an intelligent and multifaceted field developed by Chinese scientists in 1980s. However, the scholars widely assume ξ = 0.5. The current study questions this practice. Also, some scholars have argued that the variation in ξ doesn’t influence the ranking of the factors through GRA. On contrary, the study demonstrates, the variation in ξ can influence the ranking. This has been shown through a case involving primary data concerning the perceived relative importance of Project Management Knowledge Areas (PMKAs). This study is significant for the analysts of uncertain systems, represented by grey or fuzzy systems, who intend to use GRA for intelligent multi-criteria decision making. It encourages ξ – driven sensitivity analysis of GRA model before interpreting the results. The study reveals, by tailoring the value of ξ a point can be achieved where the ranking obtained through GRA can be made most comparable to the other MCDM methods. For comparative analysis of the GRA based results the study deployed three other MCDM techniques; Analytic Hierarchy Process, Best Worst Method and Simple Additive Weighting.

Highlights

Projects are collective and purposeful endeavors driven by advancing collective comprehensions and interpretations of means and ends (Zavadskas et al, 2008)
The results obtained through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Best Worst Method (BWM) approaches are shown in the Tables 3, 4 and 5, respectively
The rankings produced through AHP, SAW and BWM, are exactly same with each method unable to distinguish Project Communications Management (PCmM) and Project Cost Management (PCoM) based on their relative importance

Summary

Introduction

Projects are collective and purposeful endeavors driven by advancing collective comprehensions and interpretations of means and ends (Zavadskas et al, 2008). With ever-increasing competition and uncertainties, more and more organizations are handling organizational issues on project management basis to achieve objectives at fast pace (Bakker, 2010; Winter et al, 2006). Project management was viewed as a threat to established lines of authority and to traditional way of managing organizational tasks, today it is considered a competitive weapon to provide superior quality and services to the clients (Kerzner, 2014). Knowledgeable and competent project managers are usually considered important to successes of projects (Hwang & Ng, 2013; Project Management Institute, 2017) whose ability to balance the project constraints (time, cost, scope, quality, risk, etc.) in achieving project deliverables/objectives is well known in literature (Mahmoudi & Feylizadeh, 2018). In a world where rates of project failures are too high to overlook (Serra, 2017) apprehending the mindset and priorities of these extremely important individuals becomes essential (Javed & Liu, 2017)

Methods

Results

Conclusion