Multicriteria decision analysis

When trade-offs exist, no single compound will stand out uniquely as the optimum drug for the market, ranked hrst on all measures of performance. Rather, a set of compounds will be considered that, on current knowledge, span the optimal solution to the problem. These compounds are those for which there is no other compound that offers equivalent performance across all criteria and superior performance in at least one. In multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) terminology, they are known as Pareto-optimal solutions. This concept is illustrated by the two-criteria schematic in Figure 11.3. 

Stewart TJ (1996) Relationships between Data Envelopment Analysis and Multicriteria Decision Analysis. The Journal of the Operational Research Society 47 654-665... 

Wright G, Goodwin P (1999) Future-Focussed Thinking Combining Scenario Planning with Decision Analysis. Journal of Multicriteria Decision Analysis 8 311-321... 

There are two main approaches to informing decisions that take account of economic factors. One is cost benefit assessment (CBA) and the other is multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). It is not the purpose of this document to provide detailed guidance about these techniques, but we offer some comments in the context of standard setting (Text Box C). For a more detailed appreciation of CBA, refer to... 

FIGURE 2.3 Multicriteria decision analysis for assessing options for an environmental standard. 

Hakanen, J., Miettinen, K., Makela, M. and Manninen, J. (2005). On interactive multiobjective optimization with NIMBUS in chemical process design. Journal of Multicriteria Decision Analysis 13, pp. 125-134. 

Conducting a BRA requires applying evaluative judgments on the benefit and risk outcomes. A pure mathematical method is not appropriate, but the use of a formal decision-making process involving decision analysis is suitable for and has been applied to the BRA. As the BRA needs to account for multiple benefit and risk criteria, multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), using a decision-tree model, is appropriate and has been adapted for the BRA to allow for systematic decision making in complex situations. 

Flalog and Manik [12] developed AISMF LCSA through the combination of the E-LCA, LCC, and S-LCA frameworks, incorporated with multistakeholders analysis. The authors used multicriteria decision analysis to obtain the key indicators for LCSA, which were then used as critical variables for agent-based and/or system dynamics (e.g., use of causal loop relationships) modeling to ascertain the final results of sustainability decisions. 

Conversely, this is also one of the weaknesses of the software. As PROSUITE has its own economic and social databases, it only differentiates between European countries and other countries in the world. Therefore the users should expect that results are purely indicative and it could be site specific. Also it is designed to be used in European countries therefore the sustainabihty is assessed in creating a welfare, equity, and healthy environment for European communities (domestic) rather than for the place where the technology/product is appHed. Meanwhile, pathways to sustainabihty vary among regions and countries, and are subjectively dependent on the definition of win and the measure of success. It is expected that further research on multicriteria decision analysis/ multiobjective decision analysis would be conducted to improve the relevance and utihty of the results. 

Linkov, I., Satterstrom, K., Steevens, J., Ferguson, E., Pleus, R., 2007. Multicriteria decision analysis and environmental risk assessment for nanomaterials. Journal of Nanoparticle Research 9, 543-554. 

Greco, S., Matarazzo, B., fe Slowinski, R. 2001. Rough sets theory for multicriteria decision analysis, European Journal of Operational Research 129 1-47. 

Mulliken electronegativity - quantum-chemical descriptors Mulliken population analysis charge descriptors (O atomic charge) multicriteria decision making - chemometrics multigraph -> graph... 

Scarelli, A., and Narnia, C. N. (2002). A multicriteria assignment problem. Journal of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, 11, 65-74. 

Roberto Todeschini is full professor of chemometrics at the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Milano-Bicocca (Milano, Italy), where he constituted the Milano Chemometrics and QSAR Research Group. His main research activities concern chemometrics in all its aspects, QSAR, molecular descriptors, multicriteria decision making, and software development. President of the International Academy of Mathematical Chemistry, president of the Italian Chemometric Society, and ad honorem professor of the University of Azuay (Cuenca, Ecuador), he is author of more than 170 publications in international journals and of the books The Data Analysis Handbook, by I.E. Frank and R. Todeschini, 1994, and Handbook of Molecular Descriptors, by R. Todeschini and V. Consonni, 2000. 

It is somehow paradox, that the good transparency supported by modular scenarios gives the impression that expectations will offer sufficient evaluation results, superfluous the need to model data. Anyway, discrepancies between expected and modelled evaluation results need to be removed, as stakeholders will hardly accept an evaluation result, which extensively disagrees with their expectations. HDT-originated analysis tools such as the antagonistic indicators and the similarity profile proved to be helpful in such conflicts. Thus beyond the application of HDT in the field of multicriteria decision aid (MCDA) the approach might be a helpful tool to mediate the whole decision process. 

The MCDA approach mainly relies on the estimate of the overall BR score in BR assessment, which does not accoimt for the uncertainties associated with sampling variation in the data for the benefit and risk endpoints. In addition, MCDA requires an explicit supply of weights for each criterion. Such weights are not easy to derive and are likely to differ among different decision makers. Stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA) was extended for BRA to deal with these limitations in MCDA (Tervonen et al. 2011). 

It is necessary then the implementation of decision systems that seek to contribute to the process of risk analysis, whether involving questions of technical aspects on evaluation and measurement, aspects of risk management and the influence of the environment in risk situations. Brito Almeida (2009) proposed a multicriteria decision model to rank pipeline sections into a risk hierarchy, considering three risk dimensions human, environmental and finance. 

The multicriteria decision model that bases the proposed DSS is based on the model proposed by Brito Almeida (2009). It is a decision model to ranking pipeline sections through a risk analysis to which such parts are susceptible. 

A multi-criteria decision analysis tool - IDS Multicriteria Assessor is further used to deal with the multi-criteria decision of choosing among several strategies for managing 12 kV MV air insulated switch-disconnectors. The software allows for both quantitative and qualitative information with rmcer-tainties and subjectivity - thus uncertainty in data and imprecision in judgments. 

This article presented an application of multicriteria decision making to improve risk analysis in a situation where several risk dimensions are taken into account. 

Eom SB and Min H (1999) The contributions of multicriteria decision making to the development of decision support systems subspecialities An empirical investigation. Journal of Multi-criteria Decision Analysis 8 239-255. 

ABSTRACT Pipelines are considered one of the safest means of transport of natural gas. However, when an accident occurs, can generate catastrophic consequences in terms of human, environmental and financial aspects. In this context, this paper presents a quantitative analysis, based on the application of a multicriteria decision model for risk assessment in natural gas pipelines, prioritizing pipeline sections according to the risk value obtained. 

How should the client government agency incorporate social and environmental issues in its policy and project decision making Sustainable development Environmental economics Mental models Systems/process analysis Financial and multicriteria decision support techniques. Secondment to a research institute Own study and research Interviews... 

It is possible to terminate an MCDA early we can use it simply to place options before us in an unbiased way, leaving the final decision to policy makers (thus it operates as a multicriteria analysis, MCA). 

Linear function is the best function in analysis and application because it is easy to understand and compute. Because of these traits of linear functions, linear programming is popular and powerful. In this section we shall extend the linear programming with single criterion to that with multiple criteria and multilevel constraints of the resource. Instead of the simplex method with single criterion, we shall discuss the multicriteria (MC) simplex method and the multicriteria multiconstraint-level (MC ) simplex method to help resolve the difiSculty of decision problems. 

Yu, P. L., and Seiford, L. (1981), Multistage Decision Problems with Multicriteria, in Multicriteria Analysis Practical Methods, P. NijKamp and 1. Spronk, Eds, Gower Press, London. 

Quantitative multicriteria analysis defines and applies weighting factors to the environmental profile to permit aggregation of the quantitative part of the inventory table into an unambiguous single score. This score is then used to rate different product alternatives. The advantages with this method are that the decision process is easily reproducible and that product comparison is simplified. The risk is that the method of aggregation may imply a scientific accuracy that not necessarily exists. Qualitative aspects of the impacts can not be included in the obtained score. These must be evaluated separately. 

Qualitative multicriteria analysis is more informal than quantitative analysis. The assessment and rating of different product alternatives is made by an expert panel. The principal advantage of this method is that it is likely to result in a judgement. In addition it allows the inclusion of quantitative aspects in the decision process. However, it is not well suited to comparisons of more than a few products, since the amount of information becomes overwhelming. 

Tervonen T, van Valkenhoef G, Buskens E, Hillege HL, Postmus D. A stochastic multicriteria model for evidence-based decision making in drug benefit-risk analysis. Statistics in Medicine 2011 30(12) 1419-1428. 

Fuzzy multicriteria analysis is used for decision making in a network of procedures that describes a complete electrochemical finishing plant. The decision alternatives result by means of fault tree analysis and neuro-fuzzy reasoning the criteria are categorized as objective and subjective. The training of the technical staff is achieved in a cooperative environment by playing with what if scenarios based on real and simulated data. 

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