Complex Systems Bibliographic Survey: from DEMATEL to TOPSIS

The DEMATEL method (Decision Making Trial and Evalua-tion Laboratory) was developed by the Battelle Geneva Institute: (1) to analyze complex ‘world problems’ dealing mainly with interactive man-model techniques; and (2) to evaluate qualitative and factor-linked aspects of societal problems (Gabus and Fontela, 1972, Huamg et al. 2007). It is an effective procedure for analyzing prob-lem structure and developing causal relationships between factors or sub-systems (Fontela and Gabus 1974). The methodology, according to the fields of applications , can be viewed as a way to capture the interdependence among the varia-bles/attributes. The main lines of theoretical thought may be found in Chiu, Chen, Tzeng, & Shyu (2006); Hori & Shimizu (1999); Tamura, Nagata, & Akazawa (2002) Tzeng et al. (2007). In the recent years a novel MCDM (Multiple Criteria Deci-sion Making) literature and practice combines DEMATEL and MCDM procedures (referred to as hybrid MCDM models) and espe-cially DEMATEL with compromise methods (TOPSIS, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, and VIKOR, from Serbian: VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Re-senje), referred as DEMATEL-COMPROMISE hybrid models.