The use of the SMAA acceptability index in descriptive decision analysis

This paper proposes and evaluates a descriptive multiattribute choice model based upon the notion of acceptability developed in the stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA) methods. The acceptability index is simply the relative proportion of all possible preference structures that support the selection of a particular alternative, and is related to a model of choice in which attribute evaluations are relatively stable but what is desired changes as if at random. The model is tested using two longitudinal surveys of FMCG markets in Europe. The acceptability index is found to be positively associated with relative purchase frequencies at the individual and aggregate level, inversely related to defection rates, and positively related to changes in relative purchase frequencies over a six-month period.