Multilinear target-based decision analysis with hybrid-information targets and performance levels

Abstract

For several classes of decisions, the use of target-based decision analysis (TBDA) is more appropriate than utility analysis. Recent literature on TBDA mainly focuses on different expression forms of targets and performance levels, and on different types of aggregation operators in terms of multi-attribute preference functions. However, different expression forms are usually introduced separately in literature, which cannot fully support the inherent complexity of problems along with different perception and knowledge levels of decision makers during assessing targets and performance levels. Furthermore, although there are attractive features of multilinear target-based preference functions (MTPFs), its applications are seldom considered because of the complexity of identifying their coefficients. In order to solve these two issues, an integrated approach is proposed for multilinear hybrid-information target-based decision analysis, which can deal with diverse forms of targets and performance levels, and identify the coefficients of MTPFs. First, given targets and performance levels for each attribute being expressed in multiple forms simultaneously, a generalized procedure is proposed to transform different forms into probability distributions, and to measure probability of target achievement for each attribute. Second, a novel procedure to identify the coefficients of MTPFs is proposed. This procedure is based on the multilinear model and 2-additive fuzzy measures, which is based on the equivalence between multilinear model based on fuzzy measures and MTPFs. The approach is applied to a case study involving customer competitive evaluation of smart thermometer patches to demonstrate its feasibility and advantages.