A new multi-criteria decision making approach based on wins in league to avoid rank reversal: A case study on prioritizing environmental deterioration strategies in arid urban areas

In the present study, a novel approach based on multi-criteria analysis was proposed to prioritize PM mitigation strategies from economic, environmental and social aspects. Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are suitable tools for prioritizing strategies on various topics. However, it has been observed that adding/removing strategies has led to a change in preference which is called rank reversal. The present study was aimed with three objectives: (i) evaluating the rank reversal phenomenon in MCDM methods frequently used in environmental topics, (ii) introducing a novel approach based on wins in league (WIL) in order to reduce the rank reversal in MCDM methods and (iii) a new application of this method in prioritizing PM mitigation strategies in arid urban areas. Qualitative results showed that in studies in the field of environment, the rank reversal has occurred frequently in classical MCDM methods but its occurrence was prevented in the proposed method. Quantitative evaluation also showed that the probability of rank reversal occurrence in Technique For Order Performance By Similarity To Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Additive Ratio ASsessment (ARAS), Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS), Evaluation Based On Distance From Average Solution (EDAS), Combinative Distance-Based Assessment (CODAS) and Measurement Alternatives and Ranking According to Compromise Solution (MARCOS) methods was 36.4%, 32.8%, 21.2%, 31.6%, 36.1% and 29.9%, respectively. However, the probability of rank reversal occurrence in the proposed approach was almost 90% less than classical MCDM methods. Evaluation of PM mitigation strategies in arid urban areas has also shown that urban green belt plan is the most appropriate strategy.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel approach based on multi-criteria analysis was proposed to prioritize PM mitigation strategies. It was found that rank reversal frequently occurred in classical MCDM methods used in environmental research, but this phenomenon was prevented in the proposed method. The evaluation of different methods showed that the proposed approach had a significantly lower probability of rank reversal compared to classical MCDM methods. Furthermore, the evaluation of PM mitigation strategies in arid urban areas demonstrated that the urban green belt plan was the most suitable strategy.