A novel sorting method topsis-sort: an application for tehran environmental quality evaluation

Abstract

Many real-life problems are multi-objective by nature that requires evaluation of more than one criterion, therefore MCDM has become an important issue. In recent years, many MCDM methods have been developed; the existing approaches have been improved and extended. Multi criteria decision analysis has been regarded as a suitable set of methods to perform sustainability evaluations. Among numerous MCDM methods developed to solve real-life decision problems, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) continues to work satisfactorily in diverse application areas. In this paper, a novel sorting method (TOPSIS-Sort) based on the classic TOPSIS method is presented. In the TOPSIS-Sort approach an outranking relation is used for sorting purposes. The proposed approach uses characteristic profi les for defi ning the classes and outranking relation as the preference model. Application of the proposed approach is demonstrated by classifying 22 districts of Tehran into five classes (but none of the districts fits into Classes 4 and 5), representing areas with different levels of environmental quality. An analysis and assessment of the environmental conditions in Tehran helps to identify the districts with the poor environmental quality. Priority should be given to these areas to maintain and improve the quality of environment. The results obtained by the TOPSIS-Sort give credence to its success, because the results of sorting confirm our and specialists’ evaluation of the districts. This research provides appropriate results with respect to the development of sorting models in the form of outranking relations. The model, proposed by this study, is applicable to the other outranking methods such as ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, etc.