Ranking decision alternatives by integrated DEA, AHP and Gower plot techniques

Abstract

Data Envelop Analysis (DEA) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) are widely used methods in ranking decision alternatives. However, current DEA models are difficult to discriminate decision-making units through articulating the decision makers' preferences. While AHP and Gower plot models have to specify complete pairwise preferences without providing assisting information. This study develops an iterative method of ranking decision alternatives by integrating DEA, AHP and Gower plot techniques. The developed method first utilizes a modified DEA model to narrow the ranges of a decision maker's preferences. Then, the tentative ranks of the decision alternatives, computed by embedding the decision maker's preferences, are depicted via Gower plots to illustrate the cardinal and ordinal inconsistencies of these preferences. The decision maker then adjusts the preferences iteratively until the inconsistencies are within the tolerance.