Revisiting Fuzzy and Linguistic Decision Making: Scenarios and Challenges for Making Wiser Decisions in a Better Way

Abstract

This paper provides a brief tour through the main fuzzy and linguistic decision-making trends, studies, methodologies and models developed in the last 50 years. Fuzzy and linguistic decision-making approaches allow to address complex real-world decision problems where humans exhibit vagueness, imprecision and/or use natural language to assess decision alternatives, criteria, etc. The aim of this paper is threefold. Firstly, the main fuzzy set theory and computing with words based representation paradigms of decision information, with their different levels of expressive richness and complexity, are reviewed. Secondly, three core decision-making frameworks are examined:(1) multi-criteria decision-making, (2) group consensus-driven decision-making, and (3) multi-person multi-criteria decisionmaking. Thirdly, the paper discusses new complex decisionmaking frameworks that have emerged in recent years, where decisions are guided by the "wisdom of the crowd": their associated challenges are highlighted and considerations on much needed key guidelines for future research in the field are provided.

Ordering Artificial Intelligence Based Recommendations to Tackle the SDGs with a Decision-Making Model Based on Surveys

“…There are several aspects to take into account in a decision process to choose the best alternative from a set of them. One of this aspects is how the preferences information is expressed [12]. Several options can be found in the literature as preference orderings (the alternatives are ranked according to their goodness) [13], utility functions (each alternative is given an utility evaluation using a particular scale) [14] or preference relations, where each pair on the set of alternatives are compared one against the other [15,16].…”

A Granular Consensus Model Based on Intuitionistic Reciprocal Preference Relations and Minimum Adjustment for Multi-Criteria Group Decision Making

“…The individuals' assessments on the alternatives usually represent the preference degree of one alternative over other one for a particular criterion or the degree up to which an alternative satisfies a given criterion. Any case, a particular representation domain must be chosen to characterize the assessments [17]. In particular, fuzzy set theory has been used in the resolution of decision making processes as they are cognitive processes in which participate individuals (humans) [4].…”

A New Approach to Group Multi-Objective Optimization under Imperfect Information and Its Application to Project Portfolio Optimization

“…Since GDM is a process carried out by humans, fuzzy set-based methods, with their ability to model vagueness of human judgments and preferences, are especially suitable to address such problems. For a recent paper that revisits fuzzy and linguistic decision-making, the reader is referred to [5]. Some other modern challenges faced by researchers in GDM are: (i) large-scale problems (LSGDM) involving more than twenty decision-makers (e.g., [6,7]); and (ii) manipulation and group dictatorship (e.g., [8]).…”

“…Frequently, the SP consists of two phases: (A) aggregation of preferences, beliefs, and judgments from the members; and (B) use of these preferences, beliefs, and judgments, that were aggregated collectively, to find a solution which should correspond, as much as possible, to the aggregated group opinions [9,14]. In this paper, our interest is limited to problems in which the decision alternatives are described by multiple criteria, the so-called multi-person-multi-criteria decision making [5]. Here, the aggregation of the group member's preferences on conflicting criteria plays a crucial role in identifying an acceptable collective agreement.…”

“…Under imperfect information, the consensus search process is even more difficult and relevant since the diverse perceptions from the DMs and different levels of conservatism should be aggregated and, if possible, agreed. 5.…”