Fully fuzzy DEA: a novel additive slacks-based measure model

Abstract

The subject of assessing the relative efficiency of Decision-Making Units (DMUs) has been explored extensively in the literature on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). While typical DEA models require exact and conclusive data, the observed values of the inputs and outputs in real-world problems may be inaccurate or ambiguous. This paper presents a novel fully fuzzy DEA (FFDEA) model based on the additive slacks-based measure (ASBM). FFDEA models imply that all inputs, outputs, and variables, are fuzzy. It is demonstrated how fuzzy ranking and fuzzy arithmetic approaches can be used to handle the trapezoidal fuzzy number assumptions. To solve the fuzzy ASBM model under variable returns-to-scale assumptions, we proposed two different methods, first method use of lexicographic method for solving multi-objective linear programming (MOLP) approach, which provides an efficiency measure and a fuzzy goal operating point for each DMU under assessment. In alternative method, we convert the fuzzy linear fractional programming problems to an equivalent MOLP problem. A case study is provided to illustrate the applicability of the proposed approach for selecting sustainable suppliers, we compare the results with other fuzzy DEA approaches, while shedding light on future research venues.