Managing Null Entries in Pairwise Comparisons

TL;DR

This paper addresses the challenge of handling missing data in pairwise comparison matrices, proposing methods to recover null entries using transitivity properties to improve decision-making processes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach for managing null entries in pairwise comparisons by leveraging transitivity, extending classical methods to more practical scenarios.

Findings

Null entries can be recovered using transitivity.

Proposed methods improve the robustness of pairwise comparison matrices.

Enhances decision-making when assessments are incomplete.

Abstract

This paper shows how to manage null entries in pairwise comparisons matrices. Although assessments can be imprecise, since subjective criteria are involved, the classical pairwise comparisons theory expects all of them to be available. In practice, some experts may not be able (or available) to provide all assessments. Therefore managing null entries is a necessary extension of the pairwise comparisons method. It is shown that certain null entries can be recovered on the basis of the transitivity property which each pairwise comparisons matrix is expected to satisfy.