Article ID: | iaor20135470 |
Volume: | 65 |
Issue: | 1 |
Start Page Number: | 141 |
End Page Number: | 150 |
Publication Date: | Jan 2014 |
Journal: | Journal of the Operational Research Society |
Authors: | Chang C-T |
Keywords: | fuzzy programming, product classification |
This study proposes a fuzzy programming method for Internet product classification in which many realistic membership functions (ie, increasing, decreasing, triangular and piecewise linear functions) are used for easy classification. A new concept–binary behaviour–is introduced to represent the product classification problem involving the achievement of fuzzy goals, some of which are achieved and some of which are not. That is, some attributes dominate other attributes that are often found in real problems. In addition, achievement functions are provided to solve a multi‐objective decision‐making problem in which the utility values are increased as much as possible, to suit real‐world situations. Finally, to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed methods, numerical examples are also included.