Comparison of prioritization techniques using interhierarchy mappings

This paper discusses a method of comparing different priorization techniques that entails mapping the input data from one system to another. The ranking vectors output by the methods should then be comparable. As an illustration, a method that uses pairwise comparison, e.g. the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) of Saaty, itself viewed as a mapping, is compared with a method using cross impact analysis, the Edinburgh Approach. The problem centres on an appropriate inverse of the process mapping. Although the discussion is restricted to simple bilevel hierarchies, useful insight is provided into the methodologies in general and, in particular, the problem of inverse inconsistency associated with rank reversals. A way in which the theory of AHP might be incorporated into a Differential Hierarchy Process is suggested.