Abstract. The paper considers major principles of application of the multi-attribute systems to solve legislative tasks. In order to assess dispute resolution methods from economic, social and other points of view, it is necessary to apply methods for assessing solutions according to multiple attributes. All known multi-attribute methods cannot value the atribute weights as one weight of attribute is higher or lower significant than the other attribute. The new step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis method (SWARA) allows including experts, lawyers or dispute parties opinion about significance ratio of the attributes in the process of rational decision determination. SWARA method could be applied in practical implementation of specialised decision support systems and alternative dispute resolution in virtual environment. Starting with principles and established approaches, a problem-structuring methodology was developed which would condition the problem to allow a more thoughtful application of existing decision-making analytic methodologies.Keywords:SWARA, dispute resolution, decision-making, ratio analysis.Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Keršulienė, V.; Zavadskas, E. K.; Turskis, Z. 2010. Selection of rational dispute resolution method by applying new stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA), Journal of Business Economics and Management 11(2): 243-258.

The philosophy of decision making in economics is to assess and select the most preferable solution, implement it and to gain the biggest profit. Important issues such as competitive market, changing technical, political and social environment have a key role in personnel selection. It is the crucial task which determines the company's present and future. Many decisions made cannot be accurately forecast or assessed. Understanding of the multiple criteria method and knowledge to calculate the algorithm of the method allows a decision maker to trust solutions offered by solution support systems to a greater extent. Many individual attributes considered for personnel selection such as organizing ability, creativity, personality, and leadership exhibit vagueness and imprecision. The fuzzy set theory appears as an essential tool to provide a decision framework that incorporates imprecise judgments inherent in the personnel selection process. In this paper, a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) algorithm using the principles of fusion of fuzzy information, additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method with fuzzy numbers (ARAS-F) and step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) technique are integrated. The proposed method is apt to manage information assessed using both linguistic and numerical scales in a decision making problem with a group of information sources. The aggregation process is based on the unification of information by means of fuzzy sets on a basic linguistic term set. The computational procedure of the proposed framework is illustrated through an architect's selection problem. Santrauka Sprendimų priėmimas ekonomikoje pagrįstas galimų sprendinių įvertinimu, tinkamiausio sprendinio atrinkimu, įgyvendinimu ir didžiausio pelno gavimu. Tokie svarbūs klausimai, kaip užsitikrinti vietą konkurencingoje rinkoje, besikeičianti techninė, politinė ir socialinė aplinka, yra vieni svarbiausių parenkant personalą. Tai labai svarbus uždavinys, tiesiogiai veikiantis bendrovės gyvavimą dabar ir ateityje. Daug sprendinių negali būti tiksliai prognozuojami arba įvertinti. Supratimas apie daugiatikslius metodus ir skaičiavimo metodo algoritmo išmanymas yra prielaidos sprendimų priėmėjui pasitikėti sprendiniais, kuriuos pateikia sprendimų priėmimo sistemos. Yra pateikiama daug atskirų rodiklių personalui atrinkti: organizaciniai gebėjimai, kūrybiškumas, asmeninės ir lyderio savybės. Visi šie rodikliai turi vieną bendrą savybę – jie negali būti tiksliai apirėžti. Tokiems uždaviniams spręsti neraiškiųjų aibių teorija gali pateikti sprendimo būdus, kurie įvertina netikslumus, būdingus personalo atrankos procesui. Šiame straipsnyje neraiškusis daugiatikslis sprendimų priėmimo (MCDM) algoritmas, taikant neraiškiosios informacijos sintezės principus, suminį santykinių dydžių vertinimo (ARAS) metodą, kurio reikšmės aprašomos neraiškiaisiais skaičiais (ARAS-F), ir laipsnišką rodiklių svorio santykinių dydžių analizės (SWARA) metodą, yra integruotas. Siūlomas metodas tinkamas informacijai, vertinamai tiek žodžiais, tiek skaitmenimis, išreiškiamoms skalėms, uždaviniui, kurio informacija surenkama iš grupės informacijos šaltinių, apdoroti. Sujungimo procesas grindžiamas informacija, taikant neraiškiųjų aibių teoriją pagrindinėms žodžiais aprašomoms reikšmėms pakeisti. Siūlomo algoritmo taikymas pavaizduotas sprendžiant architekto parinkimo uždavinį.

Groups are generally considered to be more effective as compared to single individuals. The practical implementation of Operation Research methods in group negotiations needs simple contexts and clear cause-and-effect relationships easily discernible by everyone. This paper proposes a multi-criteria group decision-making approach allowing decision makers/experts involved in a negotiation process to better express and defend their preferences in the selection of the best alternative. In the proposed approach, the most appropriate alternative is the alternative with the largest number of appearances in the first position or in ranking lists, or the one determined based on negotiations of decision makers/experts. The proposed ARCAS approach is based on the use of the ARAS method, a new normalization procedure, and the SWARA method. In the proposed approach, each decision maker/expert involved in evaluation has an opportunity to set the preferred level of rating for each criterion used in such evaluation. Finally, a case study is presented in order to highlight the proposed approach. The obtained results confirm the usability and efficiency of the proposed approach.

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Stakeholders carry out construction projects under fast-changing conditions. The conditions can undermine the concept of a stable and prosperous construction plan without an appropriate permit and an active and targeted plan for environmental management. Therefore, the decision maker often faces many challenges of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) when it comes to solving the construction management proper response selection problem for planning delay changes when sustainable environment requirements are essential. Any addition, reduction, or modification of the original project plan is a change to the project and impacts the environment. Change occurrence is a probable issue while projects are implemented. One of the most complex tasks for the project manager is to work correctly and to find the most suitable decisions for the not precisely predetermined future expectations of a change. Therefore, the relevant criteria of values must reflect the uncertain properties of the problem model. Similar problems require fuzzy or grey MCDM methods. The paper introduces a new MCDM approach, which combines four different MCDM methods with grey numbers: the SWARA, TOPSIS-GM, Additive Ratio ASsessment with Grey Numbers (ARAS-G) techniques and Geometric Mean to cover uncertainty and improve the problem-solving model. An analysis of a case study has examined and highlighted four possible alternatives described by eight performance criteria (cost, duration, and some linguistic criteria). Stakeholders determined the best alternative, calculated the efficiency of choice, and practically implemented the best option.

In the preceding decade, economic and social costs brought by financial statement fraud have shaken markets, devastated investment portfolios and reduced confidence in financial reporting. A financial department is special in the way it needs to conform to standards. Many individual attributes considered for the selection of a chief accounting officer, such as organisational skills, personality, leadership etc. This paper focuses on a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) algorithm, which integrates the principles of fusion of fuzzy information, additive ratio assessment method with fuzzy numbers (ARAS-F), fuzzy weighted-product model and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The proposed method is apt to manage information assessed using both linguistic and numerical scales in a decision making problem with a group of information sources. The computational procedure is illustrated through the problem related to the selection of a chief accounting officer.

Sustainable and efficient development is one of the most critical challenges facing modern society if it wants to save the world for future generations. Airports are an integral part of human activity. They need to be adapted to meet current and future sustainable needs and provide useful services to the public, taking into account prospects and requirements. Many performance criteria need to be assessed to address issues that often conflict with each other and have different units of measurement. The importance of the criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of alternatives varies. Besides, the implementation of such decisions has different—not precisely described in advance—effects on the interests of different groups in society. Some criteria are defined using different scales. Stakeholders could only evaluate the implemented project alternatives for efficiency throughout the project life cycle. It is essential to find alternative assessment models and adapt them to the challenges. The use of hybrid group multi-criteria decision-making models is one of the most appropriate ways to model such problems. This article presents a real application of the original model to choose the best second runway alternative of the airport.

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