A New Fuzzy Strength-Weakness Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach. Application to the Distribution Centers Selection Problem

A new fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (fuzzy MCDM) method is offered for reducing or eliminating the degree of data imprecision and inexactness in multi-criteria and group decision-making problems. The elements of decision matrix of the approach - the evaluations of alternatives with respect to criteria and the weights of criteria are represented by fuzzy terms of the linguistic variable, namely in their semantic forms by triangular fuzzy numbers. The decision matrix is transformed into a new type of binary relationship of preferences, from which absolute and conditional strength and weakness indexes of the alternatives are defined. For a given alternative the conditional strength index indicates the degree of strength of dominance of a criterion relative to other criteria. The conditional weakness index indicates the degree of weakness of dominance of a given criterion for a given alternative relative to other criteria. Absolute strength and weakness indexes are obtained from conditional strength and weakness indexes. In decision-making, the absolute strength index indicates the preference of a given alternative over other alternatives, while the absolute weakness index indicates the non-preferability of a given alternative over other alternatives. Alternatives are ranked by the weighted coefficients of these two components. Choosing the location of distribution centers is a critical issue in logistics decision-making. A new approach is used in ranking the alternatives for this problem.