The optimal group consensus models for 2-tuple linguistic preference relations

We establish in this paper the optimization model of group consensus of 2-tuple linguistic preferential relations (LPRGCO Model), put forward three kinds of solutions to this model, and discover in it the convergence of group consensus. To detect the LPRGCO Model, we first build two kinds of optimal matrices as standards to measure the group consensus of 2-tuple linguistic preference relations (LPRs). And to analyze consensus deviations, we then adopt three types of measures, namely, the individual degree of consistency regarding alternative decision pairs, the deviational degree of the group consensus regarding alternative decision pairs, and the degree of group consensus regarding the original 2-tuple LPRs. On the basis of the previous analysis we not only construct an optimization model to probe into the deviation of the group consensus of 2-tuple LPRs by minimizing the weighted arithmetic average of deviation degrees of individual consistency, but also point out three feasible solutions to this optimization model: the optimal solution, satisfactory solutions, and non-inferior solutions. Accordingly, we discover different conditions in terms of the three solutions. And hence, we can from the aforementioned discussion draw a conclusion that the deviation of group consensus either decreases or stays invariant as the number of decision makers (DM) increases. To expatiate on the practical value of the model proposed, we will display in this paper numerical examples. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.