Multiple Criteria Hierarchy Process within ARAS method

Most of the real world problems require consideration of large sets of criteria, so structuring those criteria will facilitate for the DM (Decision Maker) to decompose the main problem into sub-ones and therefore it will reduce its complexity. Moreover, working with a hierarchy structure provides detailed insights on all partial dimensions of the problem, instead of focusing solely on the comprehensive level. In this context, we propose the extension of the classical ARAS (Additive Ratio ASsessment) method to the case of a hierarchy of criteria. The proposed approach is called ARAS-H (Hierarchical Additive Ratio ASsessment) method. Thus, we adopt a bottom up approach to analyze criteria in different levels of the hierarchy. In effect, basing on partial pre-orders obtained at the level of elementary criteria (the lowest level of the hierarchy), we proceed to construct outranking relations at the upper level of the hierarchy via the new proposed ARAS-H outranking method. Within this approach, the DM can analyze the results (the ranking of the alternatives) in a decomposed manner i.e. not only at one level of the hierarchy but also at the intermediate ones. Finally, we present an application of the ARAS-H method to rank websites of tourist destination brands using a hierarchy of four levels.