An interactive fuzzy satisficing method for structured multiobjective linear fractional programs with fuzzy numbers

In this paper, by considering the experts' vague or fuzzy understanding of the nature of the parameters in the problem-formulation process, multiobjective linear fractional programming problems with block angular structure involving fuzzy numbers are formulated. Using the ct-level sets of fuzzy numbers, the corresponding nonfuzzy alpha-multiobjective linear fractional programming problem is introduced. The fuzzy goals of the decision maker for the objective functions are quantified by eliciting the corresponding membership functions including nonlinear ones. Through the introduction of extended Pareto optimality concepts, if the decision maker specifies the degree alpha and the reference membership values, the corresponding extended Pareto optimal solution can be obtained by solving the minimax problems for which the Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition method and Ritter's partitioning procedure are applicable. Then a linear programming-based interactive fuzzy satisficing method with decomposition procedures for deriving a satisficing solution for the decision maker efficiently from an extended Pareto optimal solution set is presented. An illustrative numerical example is provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.