Dynamic Analytic Hierarchy Process: AHP method adapted to a changing environment

Abstract

This paper describes the Analytic Hierarchy Process as a tool that can facilitate decisionmaking related to some of the critical aspects in maintenance or after-sales area, permitting the alignment of actions with the business' objectives. Actual situations evidence how adopted decisions can change the boundary conditions of the system where the AHP is being applied. Therefore, this research is intended to provide a dynamic view of the AHP method, considering the alternatives as temporary variables and obtaining finally not only one good choice for a specific moment but a range of decisions which present different trends with the time. With this purpose this paper starts with a short literature review and the general characteristics of the AHP method. Afterwards, the paper presents the problematic that appears frequently in actual situations which justify the development of this research. Once described the uncertainty appeared after the AHP implementation, the proposed methodology called DAHP (Dynamic Analytic Hierarchy Process) is presented. Finally, this paper concludes with the main points of the research suggesting applications and further extensions.