A fuzzy extension of simplified best-worst method (F-SBWM) and its applications to decision-making problems

Abstract

Today, most of the issues and challenges faced by managers and decision makers are complex and multifaceted. More clearly, due to the developments of technologies, emerging trends in various industries, competitive markets, and rapid and transformative changes in the business environment, managers and decision makers have faced an uncertain environments and issues that cannot be resolved definitively. The use of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods as a practical and decision-supporting tool allows managers to examine decision-making issues in various organizations and industries based on various criteria, alternatives, and objectives and make decisions with greater reliability. The use of fuzzy techniques and concepts in MCDM methods and their mathematical relationships makes it possible to consider complexities and uncertainties in decisions related to various issues and it can lead to better and more realistic decisions. In this paper, the simplified best-worst method (SBWM), which is one of the methods based on pairwise comparisons, has been developed using triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) to propose a fuzzy extension of SBWM (F-SBWM). Triangular fuzzy numbers in different symmetric and asymmetric forms have widely been used in MCDM approaches and pairwise comparisons. It is noteworthy that symmetric numbers are used when we are using equal division of the domain due to an increased ambiguity and lack of information. The proposed approach as a simplified fuzzy MCDM method helps managers and decision makers in various industries to solve decision-making problems under uncertainty without the need for complex calculations, specialized skills, and software packages. To check the feasibility and applicability of the proposed approach, two numerical examples and a computational experiment with real data are presented, and the results are analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, to check the robustness of the results obtained from the proposed approach, sensitivity analysis and comparison of methods have been performed.