Alternative queuing method for multiple criteria decision making with hybrid fuzzy and ranking information

Multiple criteria decision making (MCDM), concerning the selection of the most optimal alternative(s), is an essential activity in various fields of management science. In many practical MCDM problems, it is common that there are different types of fuzzy evaluation information as well as ranking information on candidate alternatives with respect to different criteria. In this paper, we propose an alternative queuing method (AQM) to deal with this kind of hybrid fuzzy MCDM problems. Firstly, we develop an algorithm of the AQM to solve the hybrid fuzzy MCDM problems in which the criteria weights are completely known. Secondly, we propose a satisfaction degree based method to derive the criteria weights for the hybrid fuzzy MCDM problems in which the weight information is partly known, and then use the developed algorithm to further solve this kind of problems. Thirdly, we propose a least square method to derive the criteria weights for the hybrid fuzzy MCDM problems in which the weight information is completely unknown. Finally, we apply the AQM to select the optimal treatment technology for disposing the outspent or old medical apparatuses and instruments in West China Hospital. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.