Computational Approach to Essential and Nonessential Objective Functions in Linear Multicriteria Optimization

The question of obtaining well–defined criteria for multiple–criteria decision making problems is well known. One of the approaches dealing with this question is the concept of nonessential objective functions. A certain objective function is called nonessential if the set of efficient solutions is the same with or without that objective function. We present two methods for determining nonessential objective functions. A computational implementation is done using a computer algebra system.