THE SUPERMATRIX EIGENPROBLEM: AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PRIORITY VECTORS IN THE ANALYTIC NETWORK PROCESS

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##

Published May 7, 2013
Stan Lipovetsky

Abstract

Continuing the previous articles on interpretation of the solutions obtained in the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and in the Analytic Network Process (ANP) with outer dependence, the current work considers a general ANP problem and shows that the solution for its supermatrix, obtained by raising the supermatrix to powers is equivalent to solving the eigenproblem for this matrix. Thus, the global priority solution for an ANP model is an eigenproblem of its supermatrix, and the principal eigenvector of the supermatrix itself gives the mean priorities for the whole network of the compared items. This approach provides an easy way to describe complex ANP interconnections, and gives an explicit interpretation of the priority results convenient for practical managerial decisions.

http://dx.doi.org/10.13033/ijahp.v5i1.132

How to Cite

Lipovetsky, S. (2013). THE SUPERMATRIX EIGENPROBLEM: AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PRIORITY VECTORS IN THE ANALYTIC NETWORK PROCESS. International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.13033/ijahp.v5i1.132

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Abstract 2317 | PDF Downloads 163

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##

Keywords

Analytic Network Process, Supermatrix Eigenvectors

References
Bar Niv, M., and Lipovetsky, S. (1995). Deciding circular priorities in insolvency situations,
International Journal of Operations and Quantitative Management, 1, 183-195.
Lipovetsky, S. and Conklin, M. (2003). Priority estimations by pair comparisons: AHP,
Thurstone scaling, Bradley-Terry-Luce, and Markov stochastic modeling. Proceedings of
the Joint Statistical Meeting, The American Statistical Association, August 2003, San
Francisco, CA, 2473-2478.
Lipovetsky, S. (2005). Analytic Hierarchy Processing in Chapman-Kolmogorov
equations. International Journal of Operations and Quantitative Management, 11, 219-228.
Lipovetsky, S. (2010). An interpretation of the AHP eigenvector solution for the lay
person. International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, 2, 158-162.
Lipovetsky. S. (2011a). An interpretation of the AHP global priority as the eigenvector
solution of an ANP supermatrix. International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy
Process, 3, 70-78.
Lipovetsky. S. (2011b). Priority eigenvectors in Analytic Hierarchy/Network Processes
with outer dependence between alternatives and criteria. International Journal of the
Analytic Hierarchy Process, 3, 172-179.
Saaty, T.L. (1994). Fundamentals of Decision Making and Priority Theory with the
Analytic Hierarchy Process. Pittsburgh, PA: RWS Publications.
Saaty, T.L. (1996). Decision Making with Dependence and Feedback: The Analytic
Network Process. Pittsburgh, PA: RWS Publications.

Appendix I. Additional bibliography
Gogh, Vincent van, The complete letters, published by the Van Gogh Museum, Letter to
his brother Theo, 1882.
Lipovetsky, S. (1996). The synthetic hierarchy method: an optimizing approach to obtaining
priorities in the AHP. European Journal of Operational Research, 93, 550 - 564.
Lipovetsky, S., Tishler, A., Dvir, D., & Shenhar, A. (1997). The relative importance of
project success dimensions. R&D Management, 27, 97-106.
Lipovetsky, S., & Tishler, A. (1999). Interval estimation of priorities in the AHP. European
Journal of Operational Research, 114, 153-164.
Lipovetsky, S., & Lootsma F. A. (2000). Generalized golden section, repeated bisections,
and aesthetic preference. European Journal of Operational Research, 121, 213-216.
Lipovetsky, S., & Conklin, M. (2001). Dual priority-antipriority Thurstone scales as AHP
eigenvectors. Engineering Simulation, 18, 631-648.
Lipovetsky, S., & Conklin, M. (2002). Robust estimation of priorities in the AHP.
European Journal of Operational Research, 137, 110-122.
Lipovetsky, S. (2008a). Bradley–Terry Choice Probability in Maximum Likelihood and
Eigenproblem Solutions. International J. of Information Technology & Decision Making,
7, 395-405.
Lipovetsky, S. (2008b). Comparison among different patterns of priority vectors
estimation methods. International J. of Mathematical Education in Science and
Technology, 39, 301-311.
Lipovetsky, S. (2009a). Global priority estimation in multiperson decision making.
Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, 140, 77-91.
Lipovetsky, S. (2009b). Optimal hierarchy structures for multi-attribute-criteria decisions.
Journal of Systems Science and Complexity, 22, 228-242.
Magnan, S., Lipovetsky, S. (2010). Key driver analysis with very small samples using the
Analytic Hierarchy Process method. Joint Statistical Meeting, The American Statistical
Association, August 2010, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Saaty, T.L. (1977). A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures.
Mathematical Psychology, 15, 234-281.
Saaty, T.L. (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Saaty, T.L. (2000). Decision Making for Leaders. Pittsburgh, PA: RWS Publications.
Saaty, T.L. (2010). Principia Mathematica Decernendi: Mathematical Principles of
Decision Making: Generalization of the Analytic Network Process to Neural Firing and
Synthesis. Pittsburgh, PA: RWS Publications.
Saaty, T.L., & Kearns, K.P. (1985). Analytical Planning. New York: Pergamon.
Saaty, T.L., & Vargas, L.G. (1994). Decision Making in Economic, Political, Social and
Technological Environment with the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Pittsburgh, PA:RWS
Publications.
Wasil, E.A., & Golden, B.L. (2003). Celebrating 25 years of AHP-based decision
making. Computers and Operations Research, 30, 1419-1420.
Whitaker, R. (2007). Validation examples of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Analytic
Network Process. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 46(7-8), 840-859.
Whitaker, R., (2007). Criticisms of the Analytic Hierarchy Process: Why they often make
no sense. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 46(7-8), 948-961.
Section
Articles