Skip to main content
Log in

A Parallel between Regret Theory and Outranking Methods for Multicriteria Decision Making Under Imprecise Information

  • Published:
Theory and Decision Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Incorporation of the behavioral issues of the decision maker (DM) is among the aspects that each Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) method implicitly or explicitly takes into account. As postulated by regret theory, the feelings of regret and rejoice are among the behavioral issues associated with the entire decision making process. Within the context of MCDM, the DM may feel regret, when the chosen alternative is compared with another one having at least one better criterion value. PROMETHEE II is a widely known MCDM method that makes no explicit incorporation of regret attitude of the DM. In this paper, we elaborate on the applicability of regret theory to MCDM context. In particular, we investigate the findings of regret theory and explore the parallel between regret theory and PROMETHEE II method. Relying on the concepts of regret theory, we demonstrate how a decision that is made using a PROMETHEE II based outranking method conforms to the regret attitude of the DM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acker M.H. (1997) Tempered regrets under total ignorance. Theory and Decision 42: 207–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahn B.S., Park K.S., Han C.H., Kim J.K. (2000) Multi-attribute decision aid under incomplete information and hierarchical structure. European Journal of Operational Research 125: 431–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell D.E. (1982) Regret in decision making under uncertainty. Operations Research 30(4): 961–981

    Google Scholar 

  • Belton V., Stewart T.J. (2002) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: An Integrated Approach. Kluwer, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Brans J.P., Vincke Ph. (1985) A preference ranking organization method. Management Science 31: 647–656

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrizosa E., Conde E., Fernandez F.R., Puerto J. (1995) Multi-criteria analysis with partial information about the weighting coefficients. European Journal of Operational Research 81: 291–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connolly T., Ordonez L.D., Coughlan R. (1997) Regret and responsibility in the evaluation of decision outcomes. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 70(1): 73–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creyer E.H., Ross W.T. (1999) The development and use of a regret experience measure to examine the effects of outcome feedback on regret and subsequent choice. Marketing Letters, 10(4): 379–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dias L.C., Clímaco J.N. (2002) Exploring the consequences of imprecise information in choice problems using ELECTRE. In: Bouyssou D., Jacquet-Lagrèze E., Perny P., Slowinski R., Vanderpooten D., Vincke Ph. (eds). Aiding Decisions with Multiple Criteria-Essays in Honor of Bernard Roy. Kluwer: Boston, pp. 175–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Financial Times, (2007a), Financial Times MBA 2007, The top 100 full-time global MBA programmes, available at URL: http://media.ft.com/businesseducation/pdf/table_mba.pdf

  • Financial Times, (2007b), The Financial Times MBA 2007 rankings, Table Key, available at URL: http://media.ft.com/businesseducation/pdf/table_key_mba.pdf

  • Gilovich T., Medvec V.H. (1995) The experience of regret: what, when, and why. Psychological Review 102: 379–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inman J.J., Dyer J.S., Jia J. (1997) A generalized utility model of disappointment and regret effects on post-choice valuation. Marketing Science 16: 97–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeny R.L., Raiffa H. (1976) Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs. Wiley: New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkwood C.W., SarinR.K. (1985) Ranking with partial information: a method and an application. Operations Research 33(1): 38–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Korhonen P., Wallenius J. (1997) Behavioral issues in MCDM: Neglected research questions. In: Climaco J. (eds). Multicriteria Analysis, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on MCDM. Springer-Verlag: Berlin, pp. 412–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee K.S., Park K.S., Eum Y.S., Park K. (2001) Extended methods for identifying dominance and potential optimality in multi-criteria analysis with imprecise information. European Journal of Operational Research 134: 557–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loomes G., Sugden R. (1982) Regret theory: an alternative theory of rational choice under uncertainty. The Economic Journal 92: 805–824

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loomes G., Sugden R. (1987) Some implications of a more general form of regret theory. Journal of Economic Theory 41: 270–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malakooti B. (1989) Identifying nondominated alternatives with partial information for multiple-objective discrete and linear programming problems. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 19(1): 95–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mareschal B., Brans J.P. (1988) Geometrical representations for MCDA. European Journal of Operational Research 34: 69–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mareschal B., Brans J.P. (1995) The PROMETHEE VI procedure: how to differentiate hard from soft multicriteria problems. Journal of Decision Systems 4: 213–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Marmol A.M., Puerto J., Fernandez F.R. (2002) Sequential incorporation of imprecise information in multiple criteria decision processes. European Journal of Operational Research 137: 123–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miettinen K., Salminen P. (1999) Decision-aid for discrete multiple criteria decision making problems with imprecise data. European Journal of Operational Research 119: 50–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Özerol, G., Karasakal E. (2007) Interactive outranking approaches for multicriteria decision making problems with imprecise Information, Journal of the Operational Research Society (in press).

  • Park K.S., Kim S.H. (1997) Tools for interactive multi-attribute decisionmaking with incompletely identified information. European Journal of Operational Research 98: 111–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomerol J.C., Barba-Romero S. (2000) Multicriteria Decision in Management, Principles and Practice. Kluwer: Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy B. (1991) The outranking approach and the foundations of ELECTRE methods. Theory and Decision 31: 49–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saaty T.L. (1980) The Analytic Hierarchy Process. McGraw-Hill: New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugden R. (1993) An axiomatic foundation for regret theory. Journal of Economic Theory 60: 159–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsiros M. (1998). Effect of regret on post-choice valuation: the case of more than two alternatives. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 76(1): 48–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsiros M., Mittal V. (2000) Regret: a model of its antecedents and consequences in consumer decision making. The Journal of Consumer Research 26(4): 401–417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincke Ph. (1992) Multicriteria Decision-Aid. Wiley: Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber M. (1985) A method for multiattribute decision making with incomplete information. Management Science 31: 1365–1371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeelenberg M. (1999a) Anticipated regret, expected feedback and behavioral decision making. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making 12: 93–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeelenberg M. (1999b) The use of crying over spilled milk: a note on the rationality and functionality of regret. Philosophical Psychology 12(3): 325–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeelenberg M., Pieters R. (2004) Consequences of risk aversion in real life: the case of the Dutch postcode lottery. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 93: 155–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Esra Karasakal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Özerol, G., Karasakal, E. A Parallel between Regret Theory and Outranking Methods for Multicriteria Decision Making Under Imprecise Information. Theory Decis 65, 45–70 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-007-9074-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-007-9074-y

Keywords

Navigation