Agricultural Tractor Selection: A Hybrid and Multi-Attribute Approach

Abstract

Usually, agricultural tractor investments are assessed using traditional economic techniques that only involve financial attributes, resulting in reductionist evaluations. However, tractors have qualitative and quantitative attributes that must be simultaneously integrated into the evaluation process. This article reports a hybrid and multi-attribute approach to assessing a set of agricultural tractors based on AHP-TOPSIS. To identify the attributes in the model, a survey including eighteen attributes was given to agricultural machinery salesmen and farmers for determining their importance. The list of attributes was presented to a decision group for a case of study, and their importance was estimated using AHP and integrated into the TOPSIS technique. In this case, one tractor was selected from a set of six alternatives, integrating six attributes in the model: initial cost, annual maintenance cost, liters of diesel per hour, safety of the operator, maintainability and after-sale customer service offered by the supplier. Based on the results obtained, the model can be considered easy to apply and to have good acceptance among farmers and salesmen, as there are no special software requirements for the application.

The proposition of factors for analysis of the maintenance of agricultural tractors from a systematic bibliographic review

“…It is perceived that planning a series of factors to assist in optimizing the maintenance of agricultural tractors is a complex task. In the literature, it is possible to find different researchers that aim to facilitate the decision making of tractor purchases (MEHTA; SINGH; SELVAN, 2011;AMINI;ASSODAR, 2016;GARCÍA-ALCARAZ et al, 2016). However, for the management of agricultural tractors, with emphasis on the complete optimization of their maintenance, there is a lack of studies (POOZESH et al, 2012;SOPEGNO et al, 2016;AL-SUHAIBANI;WAHBY, 2017).…”

Determination of the most appropriate fertilizing method for apple trees using multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) approaches

“…Grisso et al (2014) used tractor test data for selecting farm tractors. García-Alcaraz et al (2016) proposed a hybrid and multi-attribute approach to assess a set of agricultural tractors based on AHP and TOPSIS methods. Bol and Mohammed (2005) developed a mathematical model for farm machinery selection.…”

“…Results showed that rice has a higher priority compared to wheat and rapeseed, but the FAHP method showed more precision and reliability for the final prioritization of crops compared to the AHP method. AHP and TOPSIS methods were also used to select the appropriate tractor by García-Alcaraz et al (2016). To this end, 18 sales specialists and farmers were selected; their priorities were identified; some criteria, including the initial price, annual costs, fuel consumption, operator safety, and after-sales service, were selected.…”

“…AHP and TOPSIS methods were also used to select the appropriate tractor by García‐Alcaraz et al. ( 2016 ). To this end, 18 sales specialists and farmers were selected; their priorities were identified; some criteria, including the initial price, annual costs, fuel consumption, operator safety, and after‐sales service, were selected.…”

A comparative study for the agricultural tractor selection problem

“…Grisso et al (2014) used tractor test data for selecting farm tractors. García-Alcaraz et al (2016) proposed hybrid and multi-attribute approach to assess a set of agricultural tractors based on Analytic Hierarch Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. Bol and Mohammed (2005) developed a mathematical model for farm machinery selection.…”