Jennifer Salau^*, Lena Friedrich, Irena Czycholl, Joachim Krieter

Show more
Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Show less

Abstract: Multi-criteria decision analysis deals with decision problems in which multiple criteria need to be considered. The criteria might be measured on different scales so that comparability is difficult. One approach to help the user to organize the problem and to reflect on his or her assessment on the decision is Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation TecHnique (MACBETH). Here the user needs to provide qualitative judgment about differences of attractiveness regarding pairs of options. MACBETH was implemented in the M-MACBETH software using the additive aggregation model. The present article introduces the software tool “AniFair” which combines the MACBETH approach with the Choquet integral as an aggregation function, because the Choquet integral enables the modeling of interaction between criteria. With the Choquet integral, the user can define constraints on the relative importance of criteria (Shapley value) and the interaction between criteria. In contrast to M-MACBETH, with every instance of “AniFair” the user is made available at least two aggregation level. “AniFair” provides Graphical User Interfaces for the entering of information. The software tool is introduced via an example from the Welfare Quality Assessment protocol for pigs. With this, “AniFair” is applied to real data that were collected from thirteen farms in Northern Germany by an animal welfare expert. The “AniFair” results enabled a division of the farms into five groups of comparable performance concerning the welfare principle “Good feeding”. Hereby, the results differed in how much the interaction between criteria contributed to the Choquet integral values. The shares varied from 5% to 55%. With this, the vulnerability of aggregation results towards relative importance of and interaction between criteria was stressed, as changes in the ranking due to the definition of constraints could be shown. All results were exported to human readable txt or csv files for further analyses, and advice could be given to the farmers on how to improve their welfare situation.

Keywords: Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, MACBETH, Choquet Integral, GUI Software Tool, Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol for Pigs

Cite this paper: Salau, J. , Friedrich, L. , Czycholl, I. and Krieter, J. (2020) “AniFair”: A GUI Based Software Tool for Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis—An Example of Assessing Animal Welfare. Agricultural Sciences, 11, 278-331. doi: 10.4236/as.2020.113018.

References

[1]   Steuer, R.E. (1986) Multiple Criteria Optimization: Theory, Computation, and Application. Wiley Series in Probability and Mathematical Statistics.
https://books.google.de/books?id=tSA%5C_PgAACAAJ
https://doi.org/10.1002/oca.4660100109

[2]   Ho, W. (2008) Integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process and Its Applications—A Literature Review. European Journal of Operational Research, 186, 211-228.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.01.004

[3]   Mardani, A., Zavadskas, E.K., Khalifah, Z., Jusoh, A. and Nor, K. (2015) Multiple Criteria Decision-Making Techniques in Transportation Systems—A Systematic Review of the State of the Art Literature. Transport, 31, 359-385.
https://doi.org/10.3846/16484142.2015.1121517

[4]   De Castro, A.K.A., Pinheiro, P.R., Pinheiro, M.C.D. and Tamanini, I. (2011) Towards the Applied Hybrid Model in Decision Making: A Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Study Case. International Journal of Computational Intelligence Systems, 4, 89-99.
https://doi.org/10.1080/18756891.2011.9727766

[5]   Mardani, A., Zavadskas, E.K., Khalifah, Z., Zakuan, N., Jusoh, A., Nor, K. and Khoshnoudi, M. (2017) A Review of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Applications to Solve Energy Management Problems: Two Decades from 1995 to 2015. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 71, 216-256.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.12.053

[6]   Zavadskas, E. and Turskis, Z. (2011) Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Methods in Economics: An Overview. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 17, 397-427.
https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2011.593291

[7]   Liou, J.J.H. and Tzeng, G.-H. (2012) Comments on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Methods in Economics: An Overview. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 18, 672-695.
https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2012.753489

[8]   Bana e Costa, C.A. and Vansnick, J.C. (1999) The MACBETH Approach: Basic Ideas, Software, and an Application. In: Meskens, N. and Roubens, M., Eds., Advances in Decision Analysis, Mathematical Modelling: Theory and Applications, Vol. 4, Springer, Dordrecht, 131-157.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0647-6_9

[9]   Bana e Costa, C.A. (1992) Structuration, Construction et Exploitation d’un Modèle Multicritère d’Aide à la Décision. Lisbon.

[10]   Bana e Costa, C.A., de Corte, J.M. and Vansnick, J.C. (2003) MACBETH. Working Paper 03.56, London School of Economics, London.
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/22761/1/MACBETH_LSE_working_paper_0356_30set.pdf

[11]   Bana e Costa, C.A., de Corte, J.M. and Vansnick, J.C. (2017) M-MACBETH Version 2.5.0 User’s Guide. http://www.m-macbeth.com

[12]   Murofushi, T. and Sugeno, M. (1989) An Interpretation of Fuzzy Measure and the Choquet Integral as an Integral with Respect to a Fuzzy Measure. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 29, 201-227.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0114(89)90194-2

[13]   Choquet, G. (1954) Theory of Capacities. Annales de l’Institute Fourier, 5, 131-295.
https://doi.org/10.5802/aif.53

[14]   Grabisch, M. (1997) K-Order Additive Discrete Fuzzy Measures and Their Representation. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 92, 167-189.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0114(97)00168-1

[15]   Peters, J.F. and Ramanna, S. (1996) Application of the Choquet Integral in Software Cost Estimation. Proceedings of IEEE 5th International Fuzzy Systems, New Orleans, 8-11 September 1996, 862-866.

[16]   Ferreira, J.M., Jalali, M.S. and Ferreira, F.A.F. (2018) Enhancing the Decision-Making Virtuous Cycle of Ethical Banking Practices Using the Choquet Integral. Journal of Business Research, 88, 492-497.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829631730526X
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.12.031

[17]   Camargo, M., Fonteix, C. and Morel, L. (2006) Application of the Choquet Integral to a Chemical Manufacturing Process. IFAC Proceedings, 39, 282-286.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474667015330640
https://doi.org/10.3182/20060522-3-FR-2904.00045

[18]   Shieh, J.I., Wu, H.H. and Liu, H.C. (2009) Applying a Complexity-Based Choquet Integral to Evaluate Students’ Performance. Expert Systems with Applications, 36, 5100-5106.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2008.06.003
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957417408003229

[19]   Liu, H., Wang, X. and Kadir, A. (2013) Color Image Encryption Using Choquet Fuzzy Integral and Hyper Chaotic System. Optik—International Journal for Light and Electron Optics, 124, 3527-3533.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2012.10.068
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0030402612008960

[20]   Mayag, B., Grabisch, M. and Labreuche, C. (2011) A Representation of Preferences by the Choquet Integral with Respect to a 2-Additive Capacity. Theory and Decision, 71, 297-324.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-010-9198-3

[21]   Berrah, L., Clivillé, V., Montmain, J. and Mauris, G. (2019) The Contribution Concept for the Control of a Manufacturing Multi-Criteria Performance Improvement. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 30, 47-58.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-016-1227-9

[22]   Clivillé, V., Berrah, L. and Mauris, G. (2007) Quantitative Expression and Aggregation of Performance Measurements Based on the MACBETH Multi-Criteria Method. International Journal of Production Economics, 105, 171-189.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925527306000739
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2006.03.002

[23]   Jacquet-Lagreze, E. and Siskos, J. (1982) Assessing a Set of Additive Utility Functions for Multicriteria Decision-Making, the UTA Method. European Journal of Operational Research, 10, 151-164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(82)90155-2
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0377221782901552

[24]   Grandin, T. (2013) Animals Are Not Things: A View on Animal Welfare Based on Neurological Complexity. Trans-Scripts 3: An Interdisciplinary Online Journal in Humanities and Social Sciences at UC Irvine.
http://sites.uci.edu/transscripts/files/2014/10/2013_03_10.pdf

[25]   Gazzano, A., Giussani, S., Gutiérrez, J., Ogi, A. and Mariti, C. (2018) Attitude toward Nonhuman Animals and Their Welfare: Do Behaviorists Differ from Other Veterinarians? Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 24, 56-61.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1558787817302149
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.01.006

[26]   Czycholl, I., Kniese, C., Büttner, K., Grosse Beilage, E., Schrader, L. and Krieter, J. (2016) Test-Retest Reliability of the Welfare Quality® Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Growing Pigs. Animal Welfare, 25, 447-459.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ufaw/aw/2016/00000025/00000004/art00006
https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.25.4.447

[27]   Welfare Quality® (2009) Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol for Cattle. Welfare Quality® Consortium, Lelystad.

[28]   Welfare Quality® (2009) Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol for Pigs (Sows and Piglets, Growing and Finishing Pigs). Welfare Quality® Consortium, Lelystad.

[29]   Welfare Quality® (2009) Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol for Poultry (Broilers, Laying Hens). Welfare Quality® Consortium, Lelystad.

[30]   Martín, P., Traulsen, I., Buxadé, C. and Krieter, J. (2016) Development of a Multi-Criteria Evaluation System to Assess Growing Pig Welfare. Animal, 11, 466-477.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731116001464

[31]   Miele, M., Veissier, I., Evans, A. and Botreau, R. (2011) Animal Welfare: Establishing a Dialogue between Science and Society. Animal Welfare, 20, 103-117.

[32]   Evans, A.B. and Miele, M. (2012) Between Food and Flesh: How Animals Are Made to Matter (and Not Matter) within Food Consumption Practices. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 30, 298-314.
https://doi.org/10.1068/d12810

[33]   Grabisch, M. and Roubens, M. (2000) Application of the Choquet Integral in Multicriteria Decision Making. In: Fuzzy Measures and Integrals, Physica Verlag, Berlin, 348-374.

[34]   Shapley, L.S. (1953) A Value for n-Person Games. In: Kuhn, H.W. and Tucker, A.W., Eds., Contribution to the Theory of Games, Vol. 2, Annals of Mathematics Studies 28, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 307-317.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400881970-018

[35]   Murofushi, T. and Soneda, S. (1993) Techniques for Reading Fuzzy Measures (III): Interaction Index. Proceedings of the 9th Fuzzy Systems Symposium, Sapporo, 693-696.

[36]   Ihaka, R. and Gentleman, R. (1993) The R Project for Statistical Computing.
https://www.r-project.org.27908

[37]   Verzani, J. (2016) Package “gWidgets2”. Rewrite of gWidgets API for Simplified GUI Construction Version 1.0-7.
https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/gWidgets2/gWidgets2.pdf

[38]   Bana e Costa, C.A., de Corte, J.M. and Vansnick, J.C. (2005) On the Mathematical Foundation of MACBETH. In: Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis: State of the Art Surveys, Vol. 78, International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, Springer, New York, 409-437.
https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-23081-5_10

[39]   Grabisch, M., Kojadinovic, I. and Meyer, P. (2015) Package “Kappalab” Non-Additive Measure and Integral Manipulation Functions.
https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/kappalab/kappalab.pdf

[40]   Grabisch, M., Kojadinovic, I. and Meyer, P. (2008) A Review of Methods for Capacity Identification in Choquet Integral Based Multi-Attribute Utility Theory: Applications of the Kappalab R Package. European Journal of Operational Research, 186, 766-785.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221707002330
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.02.025

[41]   Beuthe, M. and Giuseppe Scannella, G. (2001) Comparative Analysis of UTA Multicriteria Methods. European Journal of Operational Research, 130, 246-262.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221700000424
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(00)00042-4

[42]   Saaty, T.L. (1977) A Scaling Method for Priorities in Hierarchical Structures. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 15, 234-281.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-2496(77)90033-5

[43]   Rietkötter, L. (2014) Ending the War in Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: Taking the Best from Two Worlds—The Development and Evaluation of Guidelines for the Use of MACBETH in Multi-Criteria Group Decision Making for the Assessment of New Medical Products. MA Thesis, University of Twente, Enschede.

[44]   Figueira, J.R., Greco, S. and Slowiński, R. (2009) Building a Set of Additive Value Functions Representing a Reference Preorder and Intensities of Preference: GRIP Method. European Journal of Operational Research, 195, 460-486.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221708001859
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2008.02.006

[45]   Angilella, S., Greco, S. and Matarazzo, B. (2010) Non-Additive Robust Ordinal Regression: A Multiple Criteria Decision Model Based on the Choquet Integral. European Journal of Operational Research, 201, 277-288.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221709001222
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.02.023

[46]   Maglaughlin, K.L. and Sonnenwald, D.H. (2002) User Perspectives on Relevance Criteria: A Comparison among Relevant, Partially Relevant, and Not-Relevant Judgments. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53, 327-342.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/asi.10049
https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.10049

[47]   Tombros, A., Ruthven, I. and Jose, J.M. (2004) How Users Assess Web Pages for Information Seeking. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 56, 71-90. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20106

[48]   Marichal, J.-L. and Roubens, M. (1998) Dependence between Criteria and Multiple Criteria Decision Aid. 2nd International Workshop on Preferences and Decisions, Trento, 69-75.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.543.7226&rep=rep1&type=pdf.28954

[49]   Wolfe, S.R. and Zhang, Y. (2010) Interaction and Personalization of Criteria in Recommender Systems. In: De Bra, P., Kobsa, A. and Chin, D., Eds., User Modeling, Adaptation, and Personalization, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, 183-194.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13470-8_18

[50]   Caklović, L. (2004) Interaction of Criteria in Grading Process.
https://repozitorij.upr.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=slv&id=2995

[51]   Gomes, L.F.A.M., Machado, M.A.S., da Costa, F.F. and Rangel, L.A.D. (2013) Criteria Interactions in Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding: A Choquet Formulation for the TODIM Method. Procedia Computer Science, 17, 324-331.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050913001750
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2013.05.042

[52]   Gomes, L.F.A.M. and Rangel, L.A.D. (2009) An Application of the TODIM Method to the Multicriteria Rental Evaluation of Residential Properties. European Journal of Operational Research, 193, 204-211.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.10.046
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221707010740

[53]   Schrift, R.Y., Parker, J.R., Zauberman, G. and Srna, S. (2018) Multistage Decision Processes: The Impact of Attribute Order on How Consumers Mentally Represent Their Choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 44, 1307-1324.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx099