Comparing aggregating methods for constructing the composite environmental index: An objective measure

Based on the concept of "loss of information", this paper presents an objective measure that may be used to compare different aggregating methods for constructing a composite environmental index (CEI). Using the proposed measure, three multiple attribute decision making methods are evaluated and compared through an empirical example and two related simulation studies. The main findings, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed measure, are presented. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.