Mehrziel

Mehrziel is a German term used in decision making and optimization to denote the consideration and management of multiple goals. The word combines mehr (more) and Ziel (goal) and reflects an approach oriented toward balancing several objectives rather than optimizing a single criterion.

In practice, Mehrziel concepts appear in management science, economics, urban planning, environmental policy, and ethics. They address situations where stakeholders require simultaneous improvements in several dimensions, such as cost, quality, time, and impact.

Methods commonly associated with Mehrziel decision making include multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), goal programming, and other multi-objective optimization techniques. These approaches identify trade-offs, summarize alternatives on multiple criteria, and seek solutions that are Pareto-efficient, meaning that no objective can be improved without worsening another.

Decision-makers may apply weights, set aspiration levels, employ lexicographic rules, or choose compromise solutions to select preferred outcomes. The Mehrziel perspective emphasizes stakeholder diversity, fairness, and sustainability by acknowledging that different goals may carry different importance to different groups.

Example: a city planning project may aim to minimize cost, minimize project duration, reduce environmental impact, and maximize social benefit. The resulting analysis highlights the trade-offs and helps policymakers choose a feasible, acceptable plan.

See also: multi-criteria decision analysis, Pareto efficiency, multi-objective optimization, goal programming.