Use Of Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis Research Articles

Choosing the location of the opening cut to expose brown coal deposits – problem solving and decision making with the use of multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

Choosing the location of the opening cut to expose brown coal deposits – problem solving and decision making with the use of multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

PMU43 DISEASE PRIORITISATION MCDA MODEL FOR INFORMING HEALTHCARE PRIORITIES SETTING IN UKRAINE

The study aim was to develop the diseases prioritisation model to inform new public health programmes development and healthcare resource allocation decisions in Ukraine. The MCDA (multiple criteria decision analysis ) model accounted for the following 5 criteria: diseases burden expressed in DALY (data from IHME GBD Compare, 2017 year), clinical value based on ASMR criteria, availability of treatment guidelines, public health impact and social solidarity. Disease scores and respective criteria weights were obtained from members of EC (n=12). Methods and model structure were based on published MCDA methodology (ISPOR Task Force 1,2; LSE). The results were presented for 293 diseases and 5 age groups (<5, 5-19, 20-39, 40-64, >65 years). Detailed results were presented as ranked lists of diseases representing 90% of DALY burden. Model estimated top-3 high priority diseases: neonatal preterm death, lower respiratory infections, neonatal sepsis causing 21.9% of death burden in <5 age group; gastritis and duodenitis, acute and myeloid leukemia and encephalitis causing 4.8% of DALY burden in 5-19 years age group; ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, major depressive disorder causing 27.3% of DALY burden in >20 years age group. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore parametric uncertainty of the the results. MCDA methodology utilising IHME disease burden data inputs can provide useful information for creating a public dialog required to establish healthcare system priorities in countries with limited availability of nationwide epidemiology data. The use of MCDA results should be interpreted with care, as they are subject to bias and subjectivity in assigning the weights and scores in a Delphi panel setting. The scoring criteria have to be methodologically robust, externally validated and assigned by experts trained in MCDA. Sensitivity analysis indicated that resulting disease ranking order was highly sensitive to criteria weights and scores inputs.

Evaluating the Benefits of New Drugs in Health Technology Assessment Using Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: A Case Study on Metastatic Prostate Cancer With the Dental and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Agency (TLV) in Sweden.

Background. Multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) has been identified as a prospective methodology for assisting decision makers in evaluating the benefits of new medicines in health technology assessment (HTA); however, limited empirical evidence exists from real-world applications. Objective. To test in practice a recently developed MCDA methodological framework for HTA, the Advance Value Framework, in a proof-of-concept case study with decision makers. Methods. A multi-attribute value theory methodology was adopted applying the MACBETH questioning protocol through a facilitated decision-analysis modelling approach as part of a decision conference with four experts. Settings. The remit of the Swedish Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (Tandvårds- och läkemedelsförmånsverket [TLV]) was adopted but in addition supplementary value dimensions were considered. Patients. Metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients were considered having received prior chemotherapy. Interventions. Abiraterone, cabazitaxel, and enzalutamide were evaluated as third-line treatments. Measurements. Participants’ value preferences were elicited involving criteria selection, options scoring, criteria weighting, and their aggregation. Results. Eight criteria attributes were finally included in the model relating to therapeutic impact, safety profile, socioeconomic impact, and innovation level with relative importance weights 44.5%, 33.3%, 14.8%, and 7.4% per cluster, respectively. Enzalutamide scored the highest overall weighted preference value score, followed by abiraterone and cabazitaxel. Dividing treatments’ overall weighted preference value scores by their costs derived “costs per unit of value” for ranking the treatments based on value-for-money grounds. Limitations. Study limitations included lack of comparative clinical effects across treatments and the small sample of participants. Conclusion. The Advance Value Framework has the prospects of facilitating the evaluation process in HTA and health care decision making; additional research is recommended to address technical challenges and optimize the use of MCDA for policy making.

Location Study of Solar Thermal Power Plant in the State of Pernambuco Using Geoprocessing Technologies and Multiple-Criteria Analysis

Solar Thermal Technology for the generation of electricity in large scale has been a reality in the world since the 1980s, when the first large-sized solar plants in the United States were introduced. Brazil presents great potential for the development of large-scale projects, although it is noted that the main barriers for the insertion of this technology in Brazilian market are the lack of incentives and goals and associated costs. In a way to contribute to the insertion of solar thermal technology in Brazil, this paper presents a macro-spatial approach, based on the use of Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis and Geoprocessing, for the location of solar thermal power plants. The applied methodology for Pernambuco, located in the Northeast Region of Brazil, considered the implantation of parabolic trough solar power plant of 80 MW, operating only in solar mode, without heat storage. Based on performed analysis, it was confirmed that Pernambuco presents great potential for the installation of solar power plants, especially in the backlands of Pernambuco. Performed validations in the model demonstrate that the methodology attended the objective once the consistence between the assigned weights to the thematic layers, individually, and the final Map of site suitability were evidenced.

Integrating multiple criteria decision analysis in participatory forest planning: Experience from a case study in northern Sweden

Forest planning in a participatory context often involves multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests. A promising approach for handling these complex situations is to integrate participatory planning and multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The objective of this paper is to analyze strengths and weaknesses of such an integrated approach, focusing on how the use of MCDA has influenced the participatory process. The paper outlines a model for a participatory MCDA process with five steps: stakeholder analysis, structuring of the decision problem, generation of alternatives, elicitation of preferences, and ranking of alternatives. This model was applied in a case study of a planning process for the urban forest in Lycksele, Sweden. In interviews with stakeholders, criteria for four different social groups were identified. Stakeholders also identified specific areas important to them and explained what activities the areas were used for and the forest management they wished for there. Existing forest data were combined with information from interviews to create a map in which the urban forest was divided into zones of different management classes. Three alternative strategic forest plans were produced based on the zonal map. The stakeholders stated their preferences individually by the Analytic Hierarchy Process in inquiry forms and a ranking of alternatives and consistency ratios were determined for each stakeholder. Rankings of alternatives were aggregated; first, for each social group using the arithmetic mean, and then an overall aggregated ranking was calculated from the group rankings using the weighted arithmetic mean. The participatory MCDA process in Lycksele is assessed against five social goals: incorporating public values into decisions, improving the substantive quality of decisions, resolving conflict among competing interests, building trust in institutions, and educating and informing the public. The results and assessment of the case study support the integration of participatory planning and MCDA as a viable option for handling complex forest-management situations. Key issues related to the MCDA methodology that need to be explored further were identified: 1) the handling of place-specific criteria, 2) development of alternatives, 3) the aggregation of individual preferences into a common preference, and 4) application and evaluation of the integrated approach in real case studies.

Application of multiple criteria decision analysis in the New Zealand agricultural industry

AbstractAgricultural decisions typically involve multiple criteria, some of which are subjective. Business, environmental, and lifestyle criteria are all important criteria in these decisions. These criteria can be difficult to trade‐off using traditional methods. Multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a formal, quantitative means of evaluating agricultural decisions taking all these factors into account. MCDA for agricultural decisions was evaluated using three applied case studies (use of new processing technology, selection of beef policies, and selection of farm systems in an environmentally sensitive catchment). The case studies all differed in their problem types and decision‐maker requirements. A multi‐attribute value theory approach was used for all the cases. This approach was selected using a descriptive framework which took the method limitations, problem attributes, and decision‐maker requirements into account. The differences between the case studies, the application and the implementation of MCDA, the overall success of the process, and the potential use of MCDA in agriculture going forward are discussed. While MCDA was used to help identify the best decision, the main benefits that the decision makers identified included: learning about the decision, a better understanding of their own and others' perspectives, a structured way to work through the decision, a means to explain the decision, and stimulation of discussion and sharing of ideas. These benefits were particularly important for the group decisions. Participants were not overly concerned with the ranking accuracy. Problems in implementation included an initial lack of commitment to the process, understanding of the process and decision, and ownership of the decision. The limited time decision makers had available contributed to this. The majority of the decision makers liked the MCDA process for these strategic decisions. The quantitative approach and the graphic presentation appealed to them. Hence, simple MCDA approaches may be as effective as more complex ones, and can deliver many of the benefits particularly where the time is limited. There has been interest in the use of MCDA going forward. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Country Selection for New Business Venturing: A Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis

Venturing into international markets has become increasingly common for firms of all sizes. Selecting a country in which to establish a new business venture is a significant and important managerial decision, and requires the evaluation of many criteria. To date, studies that focus on identifying a country for foreign direct investment list the factors one must consider, but the formal use of Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methods has not been revealed in the literature. This article illustrates how the use of MCDA can facilitate the decisionmaking process on which country to venture into.