Simulation-based evaluation of defuzzification-based approaches to fuzzy multiattribute decision making

This paper presents a simulation-based study to evaluate the performance of 12 defuzzification-based approaches for solving the general fuzzy multiattribute decision-making (MADM) problem requiring cardinal ranking of decision alternatives. These approaches are generated based on six defuzzification methods in conjunction with the simple additive weighting (SAW) method and the technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method. The consistency and effectiveness of these approaches are examined in terms of four new objective performance measures, which are based on five evaluation indexes. The simulation result shows that the approaches, which are capable of using all the available information on fuzzy numbers effectively in the defuzzification process, produce more consistent ranking outcomes. In particular, the SAW method with the degree of dominance defuzzification is proved to be the overall best performed approach, which is followed by the SAW method with the area center defuzzification. These findings are of practical significance in real-world settings where the selection of the defuzzification-based approaches is required in solving the general fuzzy MADM problems under specific decision contexts.