Classifying Decision Strategies in Multi-Attribute Decision-Making: A Multi-Dimensional Scaling and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of Simulation Data

Kazuhisa Takemura (), Yuki Tamari and Takashi Ideno
Additional contact information
Kazuhisa Takemura: Center for Decision Research, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8644, Japan
Yuki Tamari: Center for Decision Research, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8644, Japan
Takashi Ideno: Center for Decision Research, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8644, Japan

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: Previous studies on decision strategies in multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) have primarily relied on computational simulations to assess strategy performance under varying conditions, with particular emphasis on comparisons to the weighted additive rule (WAD) and on evaluations of the cognitive effort required. In contrast, considerably less attention has been devoted to examining the consistency of decision outcomes across different strategies or to developing a systematic classification of strategies based on outcome similarity. To address this gap, the present study investigates the characteristics of decision strategies by analyzing the concordance rates of choices made under identical conditions, along with measures of decision accuracy and information-processing effort. We conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis and applied multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) to a choice concordance matrix derived from simulations using the Mersenne Twister method. In addition, linear multiple regression analyses were performed using the MDS coordinates as predictors of both decision accuracy and cognitive effort. The cluster analysis revealed a primary bifurcation between two major groups: one centered around the Disjunctive (DIS) rule, and another encompassing compensatory strategies such as WAD. Notably, although the Lexicographic (LEX) rule is traditionally considered non-compensatory, it exhibited high similarity in choice patterns to compensatory strategies when assessed via concordance rates. In contrast, DIS-based strategies produced markedly distinct choice patterns.

Keywords: multi-attribute decision-making; decision strategies; decision heuristics; multi-dimensional scaling; choice behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/17/2778/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/17/2778/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:13:y:2025:i:17:p:2778-:d:1736933

Access Statistics for this article

Mathematics is currently edited by Ms. Emma He

More articles in Mathematics from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().