Insights into tolerability constraints in multi-criteria decision making: Description and modeling

摘要

A perfect combination of fact-based and value-based judgments is what multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) issues pursue. Tolerability constraints, an important part of value-based judgments, are easily observable and have drawn attention in theory. However, their practical applications in the MCDM process are still in their infancy. This paper aims to fill the gap between theory and application. A framework for tolerability constraints in the context of non-independent criteria is proposed and operated for the first time. In this framework, global tolerability constraints on the overall decision-making process and local constraints on a single criterion are considered at the same time. Furthermore, mandatory/ sufficient requirements are regarded as different aspects of tolerability constraints. Two cases are given to illustrate the application of the proposed framework. In short, the proposed framework deepens the understanding of MCDM issues and extends its application, especially with respect to tolerability requirements.