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A novel similarity-based consensus model for probabilistic linguistic sets and its application in multi-attribute large-scale group decision making

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Abstract

This paper proposes an improved similarity-based consensus model for large-scale group decision making problem with probabilistic linguistic information. First, we develop a new hesitancy similarity measure for probabilistic linguistic element by considering its probability and scale. The expectation similarity is defined based on the distance measure of the probabilistic linguistic elements. Then a comprehensive similarity measure is constructed by combining the expectation similarity and hesitancy similarity, its desirable properties are discussed in details, which overcomes some limitations of the existing similarity measures. Second, the consensus model is presented which incorporates a similarity-based fuzzy clustering method and feedback mechanism. The clustering method is to classify the large-scale participates into small subgroups, which can facilitate the decision making process. The feedback mechanism is to improve the collective consensus level. Third, a programming model is constructed to determine the weights of attributes. As the decision making environment changes, the weights of attributes change dynamically, which is more reasonable and objective than fixed weights. Finally, the extended TOPSIS method is applied to analyze a case study concerning credit system evaluation. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by comparison analysis and sensitivity analysis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (61573266) and Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi (Program No.2021JM-133) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.YJS2107).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xidian University, Xi’an, 710071, People’s Republic of China

    Yuanyuan Liu & Youlong Yang

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  1. Yuanyuan Liu
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  2. Youlong Yang
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Correspondence to Youlong Yang.

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Communicated by Anibal Tavares de Azevedo.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 6 Evaluation information of experts
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Table 7 Aggregated information of all experts
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Table 8 Updated aggregated information of all experts
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Liu, Y., Yang, Y. A novel similarity-based consensus model for probabilistic linguistic sets and its application in multi-attribute large-scale group decision making. Comp. Appl. Math. 41, 97 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40314-021-01684-3

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