A dynamic hybrid trust network-based dual-path feedback consensus model for multi-attribute group decision-making in intuitionistic fuzzy environment

Abstract This paper proposes a dual-path feedback consensus model based on dynamic hybrid trust relationships to solve multi-attribute group decision-making problems in intuitionistic fuzzy environment. This model comprises two main parts: (a) the construction of a dynamic hybrid trust network among decision makers (DMs) and (b) the formation of a dual-path feedback mechanism to improve the group consensus. In the first part, a hybrid trust network is constructed by combining DMs’ prior knowledge of each other and the preference similarities between them. Then, the hybrid trust network is dynamically updated iteratively to reflect the changes in the trust relationships in the process of joint decision-making. In the second part, DMs with low consensus degrees are identified and provided with either a preference or weight adjustment path to improve the group consensus. The preference adjustment path is activated for DMs who agree to modify their preferences, and a nonlinear programming model is proposed to help DMs improve consensus degrees while minimizing adjustment cost. The weight adjustment path is activated for DMs who stick to their own opinions and refuse to make changes, and their weights is adjusted accordingly. An illustrative example along with the related sensitivity analysis and comparative study are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model.