A Multiple Objective Optimization-Based Approach to Choicemaking

An approach for choicemaking under certainty, based in part upon multiple objectve optimizatin is presented in this paper. With this approach dearly inferior alternatives are eliminated and subsets of alternatives are determined whih are guaranteed to contain the most preferred alternatives through use of an induced partial order on the set of alternatives. Use of such a relation to order the alternative set partially is reminicent of multiobjective optimization theory (MOOT). Our MOOT based approach is believed behaviorally relevant in that it is interactive and can accommodate a variety of cogitive styles and levels of on-line decisionmaker preference feedback. It does not requir elicitation of all criterion or attribute weights as does the multiple attribute utility theory (MAUT) approch. MAUT is compatible with and can be used to complement and potentially enhance the effectiveness of the approach for value elicitation for choicemaking. Applicadon of the MOOT based approach is illustrated by several examples.