SOLVING MULTI-CRITERIA ALLOCATION PROBLEMS: A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM APPROACH

Abstract

MCADSS is a multi-criteria allocation decision support system for assisting in the task of partitioning a set of individuals into groups. Based upon multiple criteria, MCADSS’s goal is to maximize the diversity of members within groups, while minimizing the average differences between groups. (The project may be viewed from several perspectives: as a multi-criteria decision making problem, as a "reverse" clustering problem, or as a personnel assignment problem). The system is currently being used to allocate MBA students into sections and study teams at INSEAD, a leading European business school. This paper describes the rationale for MCADSS, design criteria, system methodology, and application results. It also suggests how the approach outlined here might be used for further applications.