Monikriteeripäätöksenteko

Monikriteeripäätöksenteko, often abbreviated as MCDM, refers to a collection of techniques and methodologies used to make decisions when multiple, often conflicting, criteria must be considered simultaneously. In real-world scenarios, decisions rarely hinge on a single factor. Instead, they involve trade-offs between various objectives, such as cost, quality, time, environmental impact, or social considerations. MCDM provides a structured approach to navigating this complexity.

The core idea behind MCDM is to systematically evaluate alternatives against a set of predefined criteria. This typically involves assigning weights to each criterion, reflecting their relative importance, and then scoring each alternative on each criterion. Various methods exist for aggregating these scores and weights to arrive at a final ranking or selection of alternatives. Popular MCDM methods include the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and ELECTRE.

MCDM techniques are applied across a wide range of fields. In business, they can be used for project selection, supplier evaluation, or strategic planning. Environmental management utilizes MCDM for assessing policy options or site selection. Engineering employs it for design optimization, and public administration uses it for resource allocation or policy analysis. The choice of a specific MCDM method often depends on the nature of the problem, the number of alternatives and criteria, and the preferences of the decision-makers. The goal is to achieve a transparent and justifiable decision that balances competing interests.