Introducing a new type of HFSs and its application in solving MAGDM problems

Abstract

Uncertainty has long been explored as an objective and inalienable reality, and then modeled via different theories such as probability theory, fuzzy sets (FSs) theory, vague sets, etc. Hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs) as a generalization of FSs, because of their flexibility and capability, extended and applied in many practical problems very soon. However, the above theories cannot meet all the scientific needs of researchers. For example, in some decision-making problems we encounter predetermined definite data, which have inductive uncertainties. In other words, the numbers themselves are crisp in nature, but are associated with varying degrees of satisfaction or fairness from the perspective of each decision-maker/judge. To this end, in this article, hesitant fuzzy numbers as a generalization of hesitant fuzzy sets will be introduced. Some concepts such as the operation laws, the arithmetic operations, the score function, the variance of hesitant fuzzy numbers, and a way to compare hesitant fuzzy numbers will be proposed. Mean-based aggregation operators of hesitant fuzzy numbers, i.e. hesitant fuzzy weighted arithmetic averaging (HWAA), hesitant fuzzy weighted geometric averaging (HWGA), hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted arithmetic averaging (HOWAA), and hesitant fuzzy ordered weighted geometric averaging (HOWGA) operators have been discussed in this paper, too. These new concepts will be used to model, and solve an uncertain multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM) problem. The proposed method will be illustrated by a numerical example and the validity of the obtained solution will be checked by test criteria.