Citation

Murchland JD. Proc. IRCOBI 1975; 3: 371-373.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of selection amongst alternative transportation actions. Typically, these involve planning and environmental side-effects. The consequences of each action have been assessed by evaluation of its effect on a standard list of factors (attribute list), the same for each action. The selection task consists of using the attribute list to determine a 'worth' of total worth obtained subject to the resource and other constraints which limit choice. This paper considers only the problem of worth. "Simple additive weighting" or "linear worth" is described; this consists of multiplying each attribute by a coefficient and adding up, basing preference decisions on the single number so obtained. This convenient method has definite implications for how each factor should be measured. The study finds that whenever cost is one of the factors, rational decision-making will assign a money value to each unit of each factor, through these money values need have little connection with market values.