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Hierarchical Punishment-Driven Consensus Model for Probabilistic Linguistic Large-Group Decision Making with Application to Global Supplier Selection

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Abstract

Large-group decision making (LGDM) has attracted extensive attention and has been used to model complex decision problems. It is necessary to implement a consensus reaching process (CRP) due to the need to obtain a decision that is acceptable to the majority. The theory of probabilistic linguistic term sets (PLTSs) is very useful in addressing uncertain information in the decision-making process. In this paper, we develop a hierarchical punishment-driven consensus model for LGDM problems in the context of probabilistic linguistic information. The model has three stages. In the first stage, we define probabilistic linguistic large-group decision making. To improve the performance of PLTSs in the CRP, we redefine the rules governing their normalization and operations. In the second stage, the original large group is divided into several small subgroups by hierarchical clustering. In the third stage, we propose three levels of consensus measures and two adjustment strategies to refine the scope of measure and adjustment to the matrix element level. Then, a hierarchical punishment-driven consensus model is established that can provide guidance for adjustment and soften the human supervision of the CRP. Finally, a case study on global supplier selection illustrates the utility and applicability of the model, and a comparison with other linguistic models reveals its advantages.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 71901151); the Major Project for National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Numbers 71991461, 91846301); the Natural Science Foundation of SZU (Grant Number 2019025); and the Special Fund Project of Scientific and Technological Innovation Cultivation for Guangdong University Students in 2019 (Grant Number pdjh2019b0025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Big Data Intelligent Management and Decision, College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Sumin Yu

  2. Business School, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Zhijiao Du

  3. School of Business, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Xuanhua Xu

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  1. Sumin Yu
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  2. Zhijiao Du
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  3. Xuanhua Xu
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Correspondence to Zhijiao Du.

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Yu, S., Du, Z. & Xu, X. Hierarchical Punishment-Driven Consensus Model for Probabilistic Linguistic Large-Group Decision Making with Application to Global Supplier Selection. Group Decis Negot 30, 1343–1372 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10726-020-09681-3

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