Integrated Determination of Objective Criteria Weights in MCDM

TLDR

In multiple‑criteria decision making, criteria weights are crucial yet often subjectively assigned; objective weights, typically derived via entropy, help capture data structure and matrix element importance. The study proposes a new method, IDOCRIW, that integrates entropy and the CILOS criterion‑impact‑loss approach to determine objective criteria weights. IDOCRIW is developed by combining the entropy method with CILOS, which calculates the relative impact loss of a criterion when another criterion is selected as the best.

Abstract

In multiple criteria evaluation, criteria weights are of great importance. In practice, subjective criteria weights determined by specialists/experts are commonly used. The types of elements of a decision matrix also play an important role in the evaluation of alternatives. The objective weights help to estimate the structure of data. The entropy method is widely used for determining the weights (significances) of criteria. A new method of the criterion impact loss, CILOS, is used for determining a relative impact loss experienced by the criterion of an alternative, when another criterion is chosen to be the best. The authors of the paper have combined the best features of the entropy method and the CILOS approach to obtain a new method – Integrated Determination of Objective CRIteria Weights, or (IDOCRIW).