Multi-criteria decision making

Arij Chabrawi and Bruna Pereira de Souza

Chapter 115 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 421-424 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM) evaluates multiple conflicting criteria and considers their different levels of importance, determining the trade-offs among them, in decision-making processes. Also known as Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), although it is a subfield of MCDM, its methods can be divided into three categories: elementary, single synthesizing, and outranking, each one serving different purposes and relying upon a wide variety of mathematical calculations for decision-making support. In the field of sustainability assessment, MCDM has been proven to be a relevant tool to support understanding Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) results, analyzing uncertainties, and sorting out the trade-offs among the environmental, economic, or social impacts. MCDM supports the creation of objective solutions and ranks the possible alternatives in sustainability-driven decision-making processes. Regardless of its consistency, it is important to highlight that aspects such as specific contextual conditions, geographical, human, and temporal factors should also be also considered for an all-encompassing sustainability decision.

Keywords: Multi-criteria Decision Making; Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis; Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment; Trade-offs; Decision-making; And Solutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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