An exploration of issues and limitations in current methods of TOPSIS and fuzzy TOPSIS

摘要

Multi Criteria Decision Making is a challenging but vital process for organizations. One of the best-known techniques to support Multi-Criteria Decision Making is the `Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution' (TOPSIS) approach. In recent years, a variety of extensions, including fuzzy extensions of TOPSIS have been proposed. Besides the many variations of standard TOPSIS, one family of extensions employing fuzzy sets is referred to as fuzzy TOPSIS (FTOPSIS). One challenge that has arisen is that it is not straightforward to choose between the multiple variants of TOPSIS existing today. Previously, none of the papers that have compared the key differences between standard and fuzzy TOPSIS have fully explored each of the step-wise stages. In this paper, we now provide a detailed comparison of these key stages in a systematic stepwise manner, clearly highlighting differences. We also identify and discuss the limitations, issues and challenges which exist in the present FTOPSIS method. The crucial and main issues are identified as relating to concepts of reliability, truth and meaning. Having identified these conceptual issues, we then go on to highlight what we argue to be the main issue, that of reliability, to discuss further. We proceed to present a potential solution and propose a framework to address the issue. This study will provide guidelines to researchers in this field and to provide potential pathways to further solutions, which have the capacity to advance the area of FTOPSIS as a whole.