An intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making for developing cause and effect criteria of subcontractors selection

Abstract

The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method has been applied to solve numerous multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems where crisp numbers are utilized in defining linguistic evaluation. Previous literature sug-gests that the intuitionistic fuzzy DEMATEL (IF-DEMATEL) can offer a new decision-making method in solving MCDM problems where intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) are utilized in defining linguistic evaluation. This paper aims to develop a cause–effect diagram of subcontractor selection using a modified IF-DEMATEL method. In this paper, three modifications are made to the IF-DEMATEL method. Two memberships of IFSs, relative weights of experts, and a transformation equation are the elements introduced to the IF-DEMATEL. The linguistic variables that defined in IFSs are meant to capture wide arrays of uncertain and fuzzy information in solving MCDM problems. Furthermore, the modified IF-DEMATEL is applied it to a subcontractors’ selection problem where groups of cause and effect criteria are segregated. A group of experts’ opinions were sought to provide linguistic evaluations regarding the degree of influence between criteria in subcontractors’ selection. The results show that four criteria are identified as cause criteria while six other criteria are identified as effect criteria. The results also suggest that the criteria “experience” is the main cause that influence the selection of subcontractors. The identification of cause and effect criteria would be a great significance for practical implementation of subcontractors’ selection.