Data envelopment analysis based on triangular neutrosophic numbers

Abstract

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is one of the best mathematical techniques to compute the overallperformance of units with some inputs and outputs. The original DEA methods are developed to tackle the informationbased on the crisp number but no ability to handle the indeterminacy, impreciseness, vagueness, inconsistent, andincompleteness information such as triangular neutrosophic numbers (TNNs). This study attempts to establish a newmodel of DEA, where the information on decision-making units is TNNs. Initially, the concept and features of aconventional DEA model and the comparative TNNs are discussed. Besides, some new ranking functions of TNNs arepresented. Furthermore, based on the mentioned ranking functions, an algorithm for solving the new model has beenestablished. A comparison of the new model with an existing method and other kinds of uncertainty tools has beenprovided. In comparison with the existing methods, the significant characteristic of the new model is that it can handlethe triangular neutrosophic information simply and effectively. Finally, the implementation of this strategy for anexample has been applied for various models of DEA.