Fuzzy dynamic programming approach to hybrid multiobjective multistage decision-making problems

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new fuzzy dynamic programming app roach for solving hybrid multiobjective multistage decision-making problems . We first present a methodology of fuzzy evaluation and fuzzy optimization for hybrid multiobjective systems, in which the qualitative and quantitati ve objectives are synthetically considered. The qualitative objectives are evaluated by decision-makers with linguistic variables and the quantitative objectives are converted into proper dimensionless indices. After getting the marginal evaluations for each objective, a new aggregation method based on the principle of fuzzy pattern recognition is developed to get a global evaluation for all objectives. With the global evaluation obtained, a fuzz y optimization process is performed. Then we present a dynamic optimization algorithm by incorporating the fuzzy optimization process with the convent ional dynamic programming technique to solve hybrid multiobjective multista ge decision-making problems. A. characteristic feature of the approach prop osed is that various objectives are synthetically considered by the fuzzy s ystematic technique instead of the frequently employed weighted average met hod. Finally, an illustrative example is also given to clarify the develope d approach and to demonstrate its effectiveness. (C) 2001 Published by Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.